Best music destinations in Asia

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Asia's music destinations span an extraordinary range of traditions, from the classical court music and folk traditions of South and Southeast Asia to the contemporary pop industries of East Asia and the thriving independent music scenes emerging from the continent's major cities. The continent's musical cultures are among the most diverse on earth, with distinct regional traditions that developed largely independently of western influences producing sounds and performance contexts unavailable anywhere else.

Classical and traditional music cultures across the continent reward dedicated engagement, with live performance venues, music festivals and instrument-making districts in several cities providing access to traditions of considerable depth. Contemporary scenes in East and Southeast Asian cities have developed independent venue networks, record shops and festival programmes of increasing international profile alongside the dominant commercial pop industries.

Language barriers can complicate independent navigation of local music scenes and specialist tours and local contacts deliver considerably more access than unguided exploration in less internationally oriented cities. Festival seasons require advance booking months ahead. Your money goes a long way across most of the continent making extended music itineraries across multiple cities practical on modest budgets.