Whilst Ethiopia is rich in its own musical traditions it has more recently absorbed some 'less likely' forms such as brass band music following the arrival of of forty Armenian orphans from Jerusalem in the form during the reign of Haile Selassie.

Such was the impact of this 'new' music it was a brass band that formed the first national orchestra of Ethiopia, and organisations such as the police, army and even the Imperial Bodyguard soon set up their own brass influenced orchestras.

Traditional instruments used in Ethiopian music include a one stringed violin like instrument that is played with a bow known as the masinqo; a 6 figured krar played either with the fingers or less often with a plectrum; a flute made from bamboo aclled the washint and various drums from the stick played negarit; the hand beaten kebero and the atamo which is played by tapping with the fingers or palm of the hand.