These are long lyric songs based on three-stanza lyric poems. They are sung in two modes: majestic, consisting of two scales, one similar to the western major scale, and the other similar to the West's minor key.
The songs are preformed in various styles. Some are sung by men, others by women or mixed vocal teams. They are always accompanied by a wind and string ensemble, which is seated in a semi-circle behind the vocalist(s). The ensemble begins with a prelude before the first three stanzas are sung. The vocalist sings, then rests while the ensemble plays an interlude, followed by two additional stanzas. These are sometimes followed by a postlude.