The Pipe and Tabor is a pair of instruments played by a single player - a three-hole pipe played and a portable drum. The drum hangs on the performer's left elbow or arm, leaving the hands free. The right hand beats the drum with a stick to mark the rhythm, while the left hand fingers the pipe with thumb and two fingers. The little finger is placed under the pipe to help steady it; sometimes a small metal ring or cloth finger-sling adds support to the little finger.
The pipe is usually of wood and consists of a cylindrical tube of narrow bore pierced with three holes - two in front and one at the back. At the opposite end is a fipple or block, similar to a recorder.

Tabor pipes are found in different sizes, and as a result, different pitches. The smallest of the family is the Picco pipe, while the largest is the Fujara.