Simple whistles are commonly made out of corn or wheat stems and the Arundo donax reeds (Maltese qasab). These are known as il-bedbut, pl il-bdiebet. They were often made and used by children and then unceremoniously discarded. The bedbut, a down-cut single reed is made out of the Arundo donax plant and is also used as part of other more complex instruments.

Il-bedbut (bl-Ingliż single reed), m'huwa xejn ħlief tip ta' suffara magħmula mill-qasab. Ġieli jkun magħmul ukoll minn ħxejjex oħra, bħal xi zokk tal-qamħ jew tal-ħafur, iżda dawn ikunu inqas b'saħħithom. Ġol-qasba tinqata' dik li ngħidulha bieba li timmolla meta wieħed jonfoħ. B'hekk iġġib vibrazzjonijiet ta' l-arja li joħolqu l-ħoss.

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