Saram made this musical instrument from a single piece of bamboo. He carefully cut parallel slits and then raised the middle sections between slits so they would produce notes when tapped with a stick. Different widths, lengths and tensions created different notes. The whole instrument seemed fragile and there was no way to repair a broken strip. However, it was inexpensive and could be made with simple tools. It was a quiet instrument which didn't bother the sleeping cat, and this may be valuable in a longhouse environment.