The music of the Middle East is part of an aural tradition that goes back centuries. When translated into Western terminology, Arabic music is considered microtonal, meaning distinct pitches are often less than a semitone apart. Although not completely accurate, maqamat can be notated using quarter-tones, or half-semitones.

Arabic music is primarily melodic and does not make extensive use of harmony. Performers often improvise on pitch groups called jins, which are combined into scale modes called maqamat. Maqamat are recognizably heard in the adhan, the Islamic call to salat (daily prayer.) One of the most distinctive and recognizable is the maqam saba:

The distinctive interval of this maqam is the augmented second from G♭ → A.

As the Caliphate expanded, many musical traditions of Northern Africa blended with Arabic music, creating a unique Middle Eastern style.