How the krar makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the krar belongs to the lutes: strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck – the family of the guitar, violin, sitar and oud.
More broadly it is one of the chordophones (string instruments), where sound comes from vibrating strings, amplified by a resonating body.
Players shape its sound through technique and materials; the resonating body filters the raw vibration, boosting some harmonics and damping others.
From Wikipedia
The krar (Geʽez: ክራር) is a five-or-six stringed bowl-shaped lyre from Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is tuned to a pentatonic scale. A modern krar may be amplified, much in the same way as an electric guitar or violin. The krar, along with the masenqo and the washint, is one of the most widespread musical instruments in Northern Ethiopia and Eritrea.
Other lutes
More instruments from Ethiopia
Frequently asked questions
What does a krar sound like?
As one of the lutes, its sound comes from the way strings run parallel to a soundboard and along a neck.
What type of instrument is the krar?
It is classified as lutes (Hornbostel–Sachs 321.21).
Where does the krar come from?
The krar originates from Ethiopia.
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q1786674 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Krar – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Photo: Andreas Praefcke – Public domain