Group items tagged

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 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".

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.