Asia is rich in traditional music is often a source of inspiration for Western music in the twentieth century. The character of the music and songs in asia, whether traditional or modern originated from the tradition that exists in every culture.
Traditional elements, such as the use of traditional musical instruments and musical language of people who have it. Characters that can be used as the characteristic is as follows:
1. tagging system
2. vocal technique
3. function in society
4. manner of presentation.
The characters do not know of any traditional music diatonic scales and solmisasi. The traditional music of its monophonic (single voice or a single voice and knows no harmony) as europe, there are homofonik (similar sounds) like Arabic. The dominance of the diatonic scales in China, Indonesia, and Japan.
Vocal techniques that we can feel like a character in china, japan, Indonesia. Examples of Arabic songs for voice, typical of the nasal, the song in Japan is also the hallmark of a suppressed voice. Tune in india too nasally but different from Arabic. Songs in Java is also different in china.
Function in society also vary, for example, the functions for rituals, entertainment, ceremonies, education, accompaniment, beauty, etc.. Gamelan music with the piece "kebo demand" for meeting temanten men and women. Music in Indonesia as a function of religious rituals such as praise the gods in order to harvest and a great life.
Presentation also be categorized differently, because usually in their respective functions. But in general the presentation is simple. Presentation of the stage also there are different indoors and outdoors. Sample the music of laos dominated by "Khacu" (bamboo music). The music group consists mainly of singers (mor lam) and Khaen player (mor Khaen) and fiddle players and players of other instruments. Lam is a popular saravane of music but in laos ethnic lao in Thailand have developed a mor lam to be an international best selling.
Besides music or folk songs in asia also developing modern music. Brings the influence of western music and new developments for modern music in asia. Such scales (solmisasi) and written notation system (transcription).
The influence of western music, especially the U.S. and Europe for music in asia pretty big. The effect can be seen in the musical style and the use of his instrument. Modern music that developed in asia is a collaboration between elements of western and eastern music. It can diamatai of scales that appear in the lives of people in asia are pentatonic and diatonic scales, such as the rapidly growing hybrid music in Java.
Traditional music in Asia is not much different from the music in neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Laos, Korea, and so on. Music that they have not separated the functions in the community.
