111. Krar The krar ( ክራር in Amharic) , kirar, kerar, kraar is a five- or six-stringed bowl-shaped lyre from Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is tuned to a pentatonic scale. A modern krar may be amplified, much in the same way as an electric guitar or violin. A chordophone, the krar is usually decorated with wood, cloth and beads. Its five or six strings determine the available pitches. The instrument's tone depends on the musician's playing technique: bowing, strumming or plucking. If plucked, the instrument will produce a soft tone. Strumming, on the other hand, will yield a harmonious pulsation.A krar is often played by musician-singers called azmari. It usually accompanies love songs and secular songs.
