Ukraine is an Eastern European state situated north of the Black Sea.

Being always between West Europe and East, Ukrainians have developed specific musical traditions in association with the influence of different ethnic asian and european groups.

The most striking general characteristic of authentic ethnic Ukrainian folk music is that most folk songs are based on minor modes or keys. This is an indication that the major-minor system developed in Western European music did not become as entrenched or sophisticated in Ukraine. Ukraine found itself at the crossroads of Asia and Europe and this is reflected within the music in a perplexing mix of exotic melismatic singing with chordal harmony which does not always easily fit the rules of traditional Western European harmony.