In addition to the numerous native cultures, Ecuador is home to a Mestizo culture, and a sizable Afro-Ecuadorian culture (approximately a half-million), the descendants of African slaves who worked on coastal sugar plantations in the sixteenth century. Today's Afro-Ecuadorians are famous for their marimba music and dance festivals. Long before the Spanish conquest, and even much before the Inca civilization, the diverse native cultures of the region had rich musical traditions. Ancient flutes, trumpets, drums, and other musical artifacts have been found in tombs. Music was obviously important in the human and supernatural worlds of ancient Andean people.

With the coming of the Spanish conquerors in the 16th century, accompanied by Catholic missionaries and African slaves, additional musical languages were introduced. Today, three principal racial and cultural strains - Indigenous, Spanish, and African - have evolved into distinctive musical styles. El Pasillo is slow, sad music that is played mainly with the guitar and rondin, a flute-like instrument consisting of several pipes. The El Pasacalle type of music has an upbeat rhythym and is excellent for dancing. El Yarabi is the most popular of the music from the Andes. It is very sentimental and great for listening.