Traditional Music
Traditional music in Afghanistan consists of 3 genres: folk, classical, and ghazal. Traditional Afghan music has Persian and Indian influences, as well as local influences, like Pashto and Herati.
Folk
Folk music in Afghanistan comes from the Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek traditions. These are the main ethnic groups that make up the Afghan population. This type of music is generally unaccompanied. Common folk instruments are the dhol, dambura, dutar, rubab, ghichak, and zirbhagali. Folk music from western Afghanistan shares many characteristic of Iranian and Arabic music. For example, in the Western parts of Afghanistan, music tends to follow the maqam music system and uses Arabic instruments like the oud, qanan, and Persian dutar. In the Herat region of Afghanistan, music has close ties to Sufism, which is Islamic mysticism. Qawwali music is a Sufi musical tradition that ties closely with religion, and is a fusion of Indian, Persian, Arabic, and Turkish culture.
Pashtun music is strongly rooted in Pashto poetry. The music is heavily rhythmic and energy-packed, going along the fast-paced nature of Pashtun poetry. Pashtun music is characterized distinctly by fast instrumental sections and rhythmic cadences. These elements are integrated in the Afghan-style ghazal and classical forms of music. The traditional instruments in Pashtun music are the rubab, the sarinda, and the dhol. The harmonium, tabla, and sitar, which are from India, are also used in Pashtun music in a more urban setting. The dhol is used to signify important events, like a wedding or the beginning of a war. Pashtun music draws from a number of different music modes, including Hindustani ragas, Phrygian and Dorian. Chaharbeita is a popular form of Pashtun music. Chaharbeita is a 2,3, or 4 line verse form sung in dadra, which is 6 beat time cycle adopted from North Indian music.
Music in Afghanistan, in general, was largely ignored by Western ethnomusicologists until the Taliban regime threatened the existence of music in Afghanistan.
Classical
Afghan classical music is nearly identical to North Indian, or Hindustani, classical music. Afghan classical music follows the raga system of North India and places a stronger focus in the rhythmic aspect of music, especially in instrumental classical. Afghan classical music is categorized by instrumental(naghma-ye kashal) and vocal.
Naghma-ye kashal is an instrumental form of music specific to Afghanistan. It is an improvised instrumental piece played in the Afghan rubab, which is a short-necked lute with sympathetic and drone strings. Though Naghma-ye kashal has obvious connections to Hindustani classical music, it has adopted aspects from local music, like Pashto and Persian music. The Hindustani music influence comes from the court musicians from multiple kingdoms that have ruled in the country with the kings patronizing the music.
Vocal music is similar to Hindustani classical music in terms of structure and melody. Ustad Mohammed Hussain Sarahang, the most prominent classical vocalist from Afghanistan, sang both classical and ghazal forms of music.
Afghanistan's vocal classical tradition has almost completely disappeared as a result of the ongoing conflict. The instrumental tradition, on the other hand, has been preserved in the Afghan diaspora and is regaining strength in Afghanistan National Institute of Music.
Ghazal
Ghazal is a semi-classical form of music native to India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The structure consists of a refrain-verse form, called astai and antara. Ghazal is primarily vocal music, a harmonium, tabla, and sometimes, a sarangi. Ghazals are typically poetic ballads and love songs, traditionally in the Persian or Urdu languages. Ghazal loosely follows the Hindustani raga system, but has more structural freedom, allowing for greater improvisation.
Kabuli ghazal is a subgenre specific to Kabul, Afghanistan. Kabuli ghazal uses Dari Persian and Pashto texts, both of which a native to Afghanistan. Kabuli ghazals follow a free rhythm pattern, possibly due to the nature of the poetry. The Kabuli ghazal is also sometimes accompanied by the rubab, which is the national instrument of Afghanistan.