The Maltese tambourine is known as it-tanbur in Malta and it-tamburlin in Gozo. It usually accompanies the bagpipe and other more recent instruments such as the accordion. The tanbur is made up of a round wooden brightly-coloured frame with a membrane tightly stretched on one side of it. It is known to have been of varying sizes, the largest reaching a diameter of about 60cm. It frequently has metal discs and pellet bells attached.

It-tanbur huwa magħmul minn qafas tond ta' l-injam li jkollu biċċa ġilda stirata u marbuta fuq naħa waħda biss. Il-biċċa l-kbira tintuża ġilda ta' bodbod. Fil-qafas jinqatgħu xi ħames twieqi zgħar u jiddaħħlu u jintrabtu żewg plattini tal-landa f'kull waħda. Ċirku ieħor ta' l-injam, inqas għoli, jissammar fuq il-qafas fit-tarf ta' fuq biex b'hekk iżomm il-ġilda stirata f'postha. Fuq in-naħa ta' wara tat-tanbur ġieli jiddendlu ġnieġel, jew iżjed plattini. F'Għawdex dan it-tanbur isejħulu tamburlin.

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