Asia

Asian music encompasses numerous different musical styles originating from a large number of Asian cultures, and most often uses the pentatonic scale. Philippine music uses 8 notes or the European way of music.

The music of Asia is as vast and unique as the many cultures and peoples who inhabit the region. Principal instrument types are two- or three-stringed lutes, the necks either fretted or fretless; fiddles made of horsehair; flutes, mostly open at both ends and either end-blown or side-blown; and Jews' harps, either metal or, often in Siberia, wooden. Percussion instruments include frame drums, tambourines and kettledrums. Instrumental polyphony is achieved primarily by lutes and fiddles. On the other hand, vocal polyphony is achieved in different ways; Bashkirs hum a basic pitch while playing solo flute.

This description is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses materials from the Wikipedia article "Music of Asia".