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Characteristics The following characteristics are shared between Iranian and other Central Asian music: * The music is mainly monophonic, with each instrument in an ensemble following one melodic scheme. * The music is based upon a modal system; with each mode engendering different melodic types, called gushehs in Farsi. The execution of the melodic types are left up to the musician. * The use of microtones divides the scales into more than twelve semi-tones. * A priority is given to ornamentation. * There are a number of substantial pauses in each piece. The following are characteristics which distinguish Persian music from other Central Asian music: * Melodies are concentrated on a relatively narrow register. * Melodic movement occurs by conjunct steps. * Emphasis is on cadence, symmetry, and motivic repetition at different pitches. * Rhythmic patterns are kept simple. * The tempo is often rapid, and the ornamentation is dense. * Vocal parts are often decorated with Tahrir, a vocal ornamentation similar to yodeling. * Also, Iranian music is unique in the Middle Eastern tradition in that the different melodic phrases, or gushes are supposed to model the rhythmic stamp and melodic pattern of poetry.

The tar is widely spread in Central Asia. It is found in Azerbeidjan, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tzadikistan, Kyrgysistan, Kazachstan, Iran and western China. The Uyghur of the Chinese province Xinjiang are a muslim people. The uygur play the tar or dutar on special occasions to accompany singing and dancing. The târ e Khavkaz is the Causcasian variant of this six stringed instrument. The Azerbaijani Tar has more strings in comparison than the Iranian or Persian târ A tanbur is a musical instrument made of wood with five strings. the tanbur is normally played alone, but sometimes it can also be played accompanied by playing the rawap or rabab or/and percussion. On ancient engravings the tanbur looks like a saz or baglama.

names for 'mbira' lamellophones, by region mangambeu (22 metal or 18 raffia lamellae), mbo nggo (8 raffia lamellae), mboton, timbrh - Cameroon; sanza (9-12), sanzi (9-12) - Cameroon and Central African Republic; kalimba, lukembe - Congo; fang (6), likembe, kisansi, lukembe (10 wooden lamellae), luba (4), mbanja (8), yombe (10), zande (7) - Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaïre); tom - Ethiopia; aprempensuah - Ghana; bonduma, gbelee, kongoma - Liberia; kalimba, malimba - Malawi; danda, chisanza (22), malimba (26), tomboji, utee - Mozambique; jidiga - Niger; agidigbo (5), akpata, sologun, ubo - Nigeria; mbila dza madeza (27), mbila tshipai (11-18) - Republic of South Africa; bundoma (9, 10), kondi (9), kongoma (3), kututen (9, 11) - Sierra Leone; afosangu - Sudan; chilimba (15), ilimba (36, 55, 66-72), malimba - Tanzania; kadongo/budongo (plural) (10, 14, 15, 17), lukeme - Uganda; kalimba (14), luvale (13) - Zambia; hera (26, 34), karimba (15, 17, 19), matepe (25, 29), mbira dza vadzimu (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27), mbira dza vaNdau (29, 30, 34), munyonga (47, 52, 56), ndimba (15, 17), njari (29, 36), nyonga nyonga (15), nyunga nyunga (15) - Zimbabwe.

A portal on the Gnawa people, and the smaller sect within of musicians/healers in Morroco. From marginalized subculture to "official" representatives of Moroccan culture, many Gnawa have undergone a dramatic transition in the past decade as their music has been "discovered" by western "world music" lovers. Consequently, the Web has been a central mean of disseminating information about this culture.

A few fans may find Latin roots-pop pioneer Lila Downs' return to old-fashioned, romantic ranchera music to be a retrograde move, but her commanding presence and the astonishing skill and economy with which she embellishes these old-school Mexican ballads with modern rock, electronica and even a tasteful dash of hip-hop will blow your mind, if you give it a close listen. Similarly, she weaves in the rich rhythms of Cuban son and Central American cumbia, reconciling and uniting several strands of Latin American popular music. The repertoire blends striking originals with classics from Jose Alfredo Jimenez, while Downs' dark, husky vocals give more than a mild nod towards the great Mexican diva, Lola Beltran, while Tex-Mex accordionist Flaco Jimenez anchors the album in a solid border vibe. You have to be willing to get into the style (and not everyone is, including plenty of folks who listen to other kinds of Latin American music...) But if you give it a chance, this is a pretty cool album, particularly how it points the way to a canny revitalization and modernization of one of the hemisphere's liveliest and most musically conservative genres. Oh, and Downs' old fans will not be disappointed: she's as authoritative, innovative and charismatic here as on anything she's done.

The middle eastern oboe plays an important role in folk music from China to Morrocco. It's a double reed instrument called mizmar in Egypt, and named zurna in Turkey. In China the Uygur people used the surnai or surnay in their music and in Iran it's known under the name sorna or sornay which means literally "strong flute". The word nay means flute. According to other sources sorna simply means horn. The Nepalese version of the is in a cresent form and looks more like a horn. Another related instrument is the Indian shehnai which contains the same root "nai".

Niger is trapped between Algeria, Mali, Bukina Faso and other countries in the northern part of Africa. No ocean in sight to quench the thirst. Only the Sahara's endless desert. Front man Yacouba Moumouni & ensemble mix West & North African traditions.