The music of Pakistan can be categorized into six general groups: classical, semi-classical, ghazal, folk, qawwali devotional, filmi, pop, rock. These categories overlap considerably, and many artists are able to perform in more than one of the listed genres.
Folk music:
Small colorful stages decorated in folk style were set up in different sections of the Mela grounds featuring folk musicians who presented music representing various regions of Pakistan and reflecting the cultural diversity of our country. Lakha-Ji-Bhil with the unique tradition of music and dance from Sindh was the focal point of the music recitals.Dhol and Chimta players from Punjab and musicians from NWFP also gave their beautiful spell bound performance. The late evening folk musical concerts included everyone who is presentations to folk music. Punjab Arts council from Lahore, young Arts council from Hawaillian, Hazara and Abasing Arts council from Peshawar were among the cultural bodies which presented evening music programmes.The stalwarts of these concerts included such household names ataullah Niazi, Abida Parveen, Mahjabeen Qizalbash and Shakeella Naz.
Borrindo
The borrindo is a hollow clay ball with three to four holes. The top hole is larger than the others, which should be of the same size. The holes are arranged in an isosceles triangular form. The borrindo is made of clay commonly available in most of the central Indus Valley, and is thus often used in Sindh. This simply constructed instrument is sometimes made by children in the region. Artisans make larger borrindos with intricate designs and fire the clay. The notes for music are produced by blowing across the largest hole, while fingering the smaller holes to produce specific notes (images and information from Baloch 1988).
Dilo and Ghaghar
The Dilo is a baked earthen jar; there is a special variety known as Ghaghar, which is larger than the average Dilo with a shorter mouth of the jar and more protuberance in the sides. Both are often used in Sindh. The clay for these instruments must be specially prepared by an expert potter to produce a consistent thin wall. The Dilo and Ghaghar are percussion instruments. Sound can be produced both by striking the sides of the jar, and manipulating the mouth. Traditionally, Dilo or Ghaghar are played as accompaniment for the Yaktaro (images and information from Baloch 1988).
Yaktaro, Dando, and Chaparoon / Kharrtaloon
While the Yaktaro, Dando, and Chaparoon/Khartaloon are distinctly different instruments traditionally used in Sindh, they are included here together as they are played simultaneously to provide both string and percussion. Often one individual will play more than one of these instruments while also singing.
1) The Yaktaro is traditionally a Sindhi ‘single-stringed’ instrument, although a more sophisticated form has emerged with two strings which is known by the same name. The Yaktaro is fashioned from a spherical gourd, often a pumpkin, which is dried, cut, and emptied. A piece of prepared skin is fastened over the open part of the gourd, and a long wooden rod is inserted in the sound chamber. The strings are usually made of steel secured around wooden rods and pegs, and held by a semi-circular support of clay or metal which is positioned on the skin surface. Played as a string instrument, the pitch of the tone is adjusted with the end pegs.
2) The Dando is one of two percussion instruments which can accompany the Yaktaro. This is a consists of a wooden rod, approximately 2 to 2 ½ feet long, and 1 inch in diameter. Bells are strung and fastened at one end through a hole in the rod. Below the group of bells is a thin circle of leather which acts as a handle.
3) Chaparoon or Karrtaloon are a pair of rectangular wooden pieces, about 6 inches wide and 3 centimeters thick. This is held by the player in one hand and hit together to produce rhythmic beats (images and information from Baloch 1988).
Kani / Narr
The Narr is a very common traditional wind instrument of the Sindh and Baluchistan regions of Pakistan, as well as Iran and Turkey. In Sindhi, the term ‘narr’ simply means a reed plant which has stalks which can hollowed. The Narr instrument is usually made from a variety of different types of reeds, pierced with four equi-distant holes towards the end and left open at both ends. To produce a sound the player will blow horozontinally at the top end. The Narr is usually about 2 to 3 ½ feet long; when in a thinner and longer form is referred to as a Kani (images and information from Baloch 1988).
Naghara
The term ‘naghara’ is the Sindhi form of the Arabic naqqarah. The rounded section of the naghara is made of baked clay, while the flat side consists of treated skin which is fastened around the rim with string which is tightened over the back of the bowl.This percussion instruments is often played in pairs, where one naghara will produce low pitch beats called nar (the male) and the other for the high pitch bcats (the female). The instruments are beaten with short wooden sticks bent outward at the upper ends, called damka (image and information from Baloch 1988).
Chung
The chung is a jaw harp made of iron. The player puts part of the frame in the mouth, with open jaws, so that the chamber of the mouth amplifies the sound. The chung is vibrated with touches of the musician’s fingers, with different tempos producing varying rhythms and tones (images and information from Baloch 1988).
Kanjhyoon / Talyoon
These are a pair of small brass discs, with a ciameter of approximately 2 to 3 inches in size. The percussion effect is produced by striking the discs together to procudce different rythems. The Kanjhyoon/Talyoon are often played in accompaniment to either instrumental or vocal music, and are popular in the Sindh region (image and information from Baloch 1988).
Dhul / Dhol / Dhole / Dholak
The Dhul or Dhol is a type of drum. The drum’s sound chamber is typically fashioned from a single piece of a mango tree trunk. Both sides of the drum are covered in taunt goatskin, which is tightened with the placement of circular elastic sticks around the outer side. The larger side of the drum is called the ‘bum’ and the smaller side the ‘tali’, while the wooden drumstick is called a ‘daunko’. The traditional size of these drums was quite large, and they could reportedly be heard at a distance of 5 to 6 miles. Today the Dhul/Dhol in common use in Sindh and the Punjab are smaller in size. The dhul/dhol also plays an important role in a popular for of Punjabi music called bhangra (images and information from Baloch 1988, information from Byrne 2003).
Sharnai
The Sharnai is a wind instrument often used in Sindh as an accompaniment of the Dhul. In the past it was also called a Karnai. The body of the Sharnai is made of wood with an inserted reed sounding device. The instrument has eight holes arranged in a straight line and a ninth hole, called the babiho, positioned below on the back side. There are three varieties of the Sharnai : 1) The Ghazzi is the smallest variety, approximately 6 inches long, and is used for playing the mourning tunes for Muharram. 2) Sharnai is the medium variety, approximately 8 inches long, and the most common form in the Indus Valley. 3) The Mutta, about 10 inches long, is the form most popular in more northern areas of Pakistan such as the Multan region (image and information from Baloch 1988).