The music of this area shares with North American Indian music a number of general traits which also occur in South America and link Indian music with that of the Eskimo and the paleo-Siberians in Asia. But in addition there are localized features which set it apart in style from much other North American Indian music. In a study of Salish music George Herzog noted the following characteristics: "a heavy proportion of melodies with comparatively small range; frequency of wide jumps and of 'broken triad' formations; various intricacies of rhythmic accompaniment in its relation to the voice, including frequent syncopation; the importance of rigid percussion instruments; preference for rhythms of three, also of five; a looseness and flexibility of structural organization; dronelike usages representing modest germs of polyphony; and the role of women who are nearly as active musicians as are men." Here one may also note the use of half-tone steps and the rare intervals resulting from their presence–diminished fifth, augmented fourth or fifth–which appear infrequently in Indian music. Though the singing technique for this area has been identified with styles found widely over the North American continent, a comparison of the songs of this record with those of other tribes and areas leads one to question the correctness of this view. It is possible that a more detailed study of a large body of material from this area will lead to the identification of a third type of Indian singing, intermediate to the two types now generally recognized. In relation to the musical style of the vast Northwest Coast, the music of this limited area appears marginal. Herzog suggests that the longer, more strictly organized melodies of the Northwest Coast appear as an "elaboration imposed upon what may well have been a common, or similar, simple base."

The earliest account of the music of the Northwest is that of Captain Cook in his journal reporting his visit to Nootka Sound in 1778. Despite the tremendous changes that have taken place during the past two centuries, many of Captain Cook's observations on Nootka singing are still valid and have been confirmed by present day students. Captain Cook's account follows:

These songs, which have been occasionally mentioned, bear no little resemblance to those performed by the New Zealanders, the violent motions and hideous contortions of the limbs excepted, which these have not. They seem also to sing them indifferently, whether disposed for war, or peace; for they frequently entertained us with a song, evidently with no other design than to please us, and we once saw two parties in canoes drawn up in order of battle facing each other, each singing in their turn, and we expected every minute they would be by the ears together, but at length they parted and the strangers returned from whence they came. Not, if we understood them right, that they refused the challenge that was given them, but declined it, or pretended to decline it on account saying we would assist the other against them, so as it appeared that we were the occasion of the quarrel, so on the other hand it appeared that we were the means of preventing them from coming to blows, oftener I believe, than this once, for our friends sometimes carried it with rather a high hand over strangers who occasionally came to visit us. But to return to their song, those which they sing as a peaceable amusement are sometimes conducted by a man singer, dressed in at garment of many colours, to which is hung deer hoofs, pieces of bone, etc., in such a manner as to strike one against another at every motion of the body. This man is masked and shakes in his hand a rattle, as do also some of the others, and if they had any masks with them they generally put them on and for want of which I have seen a fellow put his head into a tin bottle he had got from us. These songs are always sung in concert, generally by the whole company, at the same time some brandish their weapons in the air, while others strike their paddles against the sides of their boats with such exactness as to produce but a single sound, at the divisions of their music, each strain ends in a loud and deep sigh, uttered in such a manner as to have a very
pleasing effect.

The only implements of music, if such they may be called, I saw among them was the rattle and a small pea-whistle about in inch long which they put wholly into the mouth. To the rattle they sing, but on what occasions they use the whistle I know not, unless it be when dress themselves like to and imitate other animals, they make a noise like them with this whistle as I once saw a man dressed in a wolf's skin with the head on over his own and imitating that animal, made a squeaking noise with the whistle, that I at first thought was done by some contrivance in the animal's head. The rattles are for the most part made in the shape of a bird, with a few pebble stones in the belly and the tail is the handle. They have however others that bear rather more resemblance to a child's rattle.

A more recent account is that of James G. Swan, commenting on the songs he heard at Neah Bay prior to 1869. Swan states:

The songs of the Makah are in great variety, and vary from that of the mother lulling her infant to sleep, to barbarous war cries and horribly discordant "medicine" refrains. Some of the tunes are sung in chorus. They are good imitators and readily learn the songs of the white men, particularly the popular negro melodies. Some of their best tunes are a mixture of our popular airs with notes of their own, and of these they sing several bars, and while one is expecting to hear them finish as they began, they will suddently change into a barbarous discord. Their songs at ceremonials consist of a recitative and chorus, in which it would be difficult for anyone to represent in musical character the wild, savage sounds to which they give utterance. Some of the tribes sing the songs that have been generally improvised. They keep time with a drum or tambourine, which is simply a skin stretched tightly over a hoop. These songs sound very well, and are melodious when compared to some of the other chants. Many, both males and females, have good voices, and could be taught to sing but their own native songs have nothing to recommend them to civilized ears. The words used are very few, seldom extending beyond those of a single sentence, and generally not more than one or two, which are repeated and sung by the hour. Sometimes they take the name of an individual and repeat it over and over.

Swan's comments on the music of the Makah are especially interesting, for they call attention to the borrowing of songs from other tribes and the process of musical acculturation, operative then in the making of new songs as it is today.