That doesn't mean that Arab music doesn't contain polyphonic pieces, as the instrument Qanoun is based upon the idea of playing two-notes chords, but quintessentially, Arabic music is melodic.
It would be incorrect though to call it modal, for the Arabic system is more complex than that of the Greek modes. The basis of the Arabic music is the maqam, which looks like the mode, but is not quite the same. The maqam has a "tonal" note which the piece must end with (unless modulation occurs).
The maqam consists of at least two jins or sentences. A jins is either a tricord, a tetracord, or a pentacord. The tricord is three notes, the tetracord is four notes, and the pentacord is five notes. The maqam usually covers only one octave (two jins), but sometimes it covers more than one octave. Similar to the melodic minor scale, some maqams have different jins while descending or ascending. Because of the continuous innovation of jins and because most music scolars don't agree on the existing number anyways, it's hard to give an accurate number of the jins.
The main difference between the western chromatic scale and the Arabic scale is the existence of quarter notes.
The Arab orchestra is known as the takhet, which includes, (or included at different time periods) instruments such as the 'oud, qanún, rabab, santur, tambourine.
Arab classical music is known for its famed virtuoso singers, who are known for sionging long, melancholy tunes that can last over an hour. Its traditions come from pre-Islam days, when female singing slaves entertained the wealthy, and inspired warriors on the battlefield with their rajaz poetry; the also performed at weddings and later, for the hajj. Male performers were limited to mukhanathin, or transvestite slaves, who were scorned by most Muslims. Early Islam largely looked down upon music, and considered it sinful and vile. As of 2003, this religious ban on music is still in place in parts of the Arab world, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Music in most of the Arab countries is entirely secular in nature.
In the 20th century, Egypt was the first in a series of Arab countries to see a sudden emergence of nationalism, as it became independent after 2000 years of foreign rule. Turkish music was replaced by national music, and Cairo became a center for musical innovation, hosting a 1932 conference of musicians from across the Arab world.
Soon, the Arab world was inundated with new instruments from the westn , including the electric guitar, cello, double bass and oboe, and adding influences from jazz and other distant countries. The singers remained the stars, however, especially after the development of recording industry in the 1920s. These singing celebrities include Ahmed Shawki, Abd el-Halim Hafez, Ahmed Ramy, Farid el-Atrache, Asmahan, Sayed Darweesh, Mohammed Abd el-Wahaab and possibly the biggest star of modern Arab classical music, Umm Kalthum.
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