The string drum or Tambourin de Béarn (in German) is a long rectangular box zither beaten with a mallet.

[4] In specific usage, this name denotes a form of long psaltery-styled instrument that is tuned to provide drone chords when drummed.

[2] Curt Sachs described the Tambourine de Béarn as being from South France, a "longitudinal zither with thick gut strings tune to tonic and dominant.

The 6 strings (3 sets) are most often tuned in octaves that match the keynote of the tabor pipe, and can be played pianissimo as well as forte.

[9] Evidence has been gathered also that with different names (such as salterio) it was played along with the flute early in the 20th century in small areas of High Aragon.