Vocal music is singing with sound, while instrumental music only has sound but cannot be sung.

Vocal music: refers to the form of music sung with the human voice, usually based on the human vocal cords, and then cooperates with the mouth, tongue, and nasal cavity to act on the breath to produce a pleasant, continuous, and rhythmic sound. Instrumental music: It is played using musical instruments. The instruments played can include all kinds of string instruments, woodwind instruments, brass instruments and percussion instruments. Some instrumental music also uses part of the human voice as an effect.

The "Yellow River Cantata" is a vocal work with lyrics by Guang Weiran, Zhang Guangnian and music by Xian Xinghai. It was first performed in 1939 and was rewritten as a symphony chorus in 1941. With the Yellow River as the background, the work passionately praises the long and glorious history of the Chinese nation and the unyielding fighting spirit of the Chinese people, laments the brutality of the invaders and the severe disasters suffered by the people, and broadly presents the magnificent picture of the Anti-Japanese War.