There are several traditional specialists of folk music in homeland. Professional folk instrumentalists and vocalists perform at formal events such as weddings. Storytellers (naqqāl; gōsān) would recite epic poetry, such as that of the Šāhnāme, using traditional melodic forms, interspersing with spoken commentary, which is a practice found also in Central Asian and Balkan traditions. The bakshy (baxši), wandering minstrels who play the dotar, entertain their audiences at social gatherings with romantic ballads about warriors and warlords. There are also lament singers (rowze-xān), who recite verses that would commemorate the martyrdom of religious figures.
Persian singers of both classical and folk music may improvise the lyric and the melody within the proper musical mode. Many persian folk songs have the potential of being adapted into major or minor tonalities, and therefore, a number of persian folk songs were arranged for orchestral accompaniment.
