All of Oman's traditional music is sustained by oral transmission between generations, and each region has its own unique forms. Songs and dances are performed during festivals and ceremonies throughout the country. Songs vary from region to region, north to south, from one environment to another. Songs of desert, oasis, and sea differ in purpose, content, and instrumentation.

Desert songs often praise the sturdiness of the camel. Al-taghrud, sung while riding camels, encourages both animal and rider. It is a group song with words that do not change from place to place. Al-tariq is a Bedouin song sung either while riding a camel or seated on the ground. Two singers perform it in alternating verses. This song praises the she-camel and reflects a slower pace of the camel in contrast to al-taghrud, which mimics the camel traveling at a faster pace. Much of Bedouin song is unaccompanied.