Krar

The krar is a common in Ethiopia and Eritrea plucked instrument with five to eight strings, which is one of the lyres.

At one covered with sheep or goat skin sound box, the strings made ​​of gut, nylon or metal are attached, via a footbridge approximately in the center of the ceiling and, to a yoke ( crossbar) out, which forms a trapezoid with the two lateral arms. There, they are usually tuned to modern vertebrae. The resonator can be made into a box shape out of wood. Krars with a bowl-shaped body are often made of a gourd, occasionally serves a round clay pot for resonance enhancement.

Traditionally, the krar is voted in four different scales, which are based on the voice of the singer or the singer. Men and women accompany with the krar to all kinds of secular songs. The musician makes the instrument sideways on his knee and plucks the strings tuned in pentatonic scale with the thumb and fingers of the left hand while he holds the instrument with the right hand. In another, probably older game, the krar is struck rhythmically with a pick with your right hand. The fingers of the left hand dampen all strings that should not sound.

The krar is usually to the accompaniment of love songs, battle songs, songs or historical price ironic ballads in Tej bets - restaurants where Tej (honey wine ) is served - played. In popular mythology, the krar regarded as the devil -made counterpart to the " divine " Beganna. The name recalls the words makrer (tension ), yakarara (somewhat taut ) and kara ( string ).

A modern krar can be similarly equipped an electric guitar or a violin with pickups and amplified electrically.

Similar lyres are known under the name Tanbura in Sudan, Yemen, Oman and Egypt, where they are used in the accompaniment of Tsar - healing rituals. The Simsimiyya is widespread along the Red Sea.