Gypsy style

Music genre The term Romani style refers to the way Eastern European music is played in coffeehouses and restaurants, at parties, and sometimes on-stage in European cities. Music played in this style differs from actual Romani music played by Romani and Sinti people, many of whom regard the term "gypsy" as a slur when applied to their community. It consists mainly of instrumentals and usually performed by strings, except in the Romanian variant where the pan flute is the main instrument. The accompaniment may be executed by various instruments, but by preference includes a cimbalom and a double bass. Characteristics Music played in this style can easily be recognized among many other styles. Characteristic elements of the style include: Instrumentation The repertoire The idiom Among these items the last one — the idiom — is decisive: it is mainly the way of playing that determines whether a tune is played in Roma people's style or not. It is — just like in jazz – not the combination of instruments that determines the style, but its characteristic performance. Instrumentation With its accompaniment the tunes are elevated above the level of simple folk music. Part of the beau