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Folk music is traditional music that belongs to a particular culture or group of people.

Most folk music includes singing and musical instruments.

It is music created by ordinary people within a culture, that's been played or sung to one another, for a very long time.

People would learn the music by listening to other people playing it and then copy them. This is called learning music orally.

Folk music exists all around the world. For example there's English folk music, Scottish folk music, American folk music, Russian folk music and so on.

Each type of folk music is very different and can teach us things about a particular culture.

Ballads were a popular kind of folk music. These were folk songs which told a story of love or myths. Sometimes there was a short chorus after each verse so that everybody could join in.

Instrumental folk music is used to accompany traditional dances such as a ��é����í in Ireland.

There are lots of different instruments used in folk music depending on which country the music is from and when it was created.

Sometimes the instruments can be simple, such as:

• a shaker
• a pair of sticks
• a drum

Other folk instruments can include:

• a set of bagpipes
• an accordion
• a mandolin

Folk music often uses different types of scales called modes. These are a collection of pitches which the composer uses to make the music.

Folk music has influenced many other composers in the music they make, even music we listen to today.

Some composers travelled around, learning folk music that was being played or sung by people in different countries.

They often used some of these ideas in their own music.

Tchaikovsky took great inspiration from Russian folk music.

Take a listen to this piece of music by American composer Aaron Copland.

It takes us to the exciting world of cowboys, cowgirls and the American wild west!

Listen out for the main theme which is taken from a traditional American folk song called Bonaparte’s Retreat.

Find out more about Aaron Copland with 91�ȱ� Ten Pieces.