Ocarina Wiki
Register
Advertisement

What is an Ocarina?[]

Two ocarinas

The ocarina is a wind instrument, very common to be in an oval shape, and usually made of ceramic (other ocarinas can be plastic, metal or wood). In contrast to many

other wind instruments like flutes, the order of the fingers you lift doesn't matter; what makes the pitch of the ocarina go higher is how much area of the surface is uncovered (the bigger the hole, the higher the note will rise if you uncover it). It also responds to the breath pressure you apply while playing (blow harder and the note will rise slightly; blow too hard and it will squeak). This has some points of advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages and Disadvantages[]

Advantages:[]

  • You can do many combinations to get different notes. There's even an ocarina with only 4 holes that can play 8 notes by using finger combinations.
  • You can do very interesting fading effects by controlling breath pressure and gradually covering the holes.
  • The shape of the ocarina can change into several creative ways (from the point of view of an ocarina maker, you get more freedom. From the point of view of an ocarina player, you can have ocarinas with ergonomic designs, with a theme of the like, with certain cool shape).

Disadvantages:[]

  • You can't change the octave by blowing harder like in other flutes. This would make the ocarina squeak. The ocarina makers fix this by adding chambers with different pitch. This either makes the ocarina player change of blowhole from time to time, or to play a harmony using both (very difficult)
  • To learn a song from another player you must take in consideration there can be other ways of playing the same notes. (some combinations repeat depending on the ocarina)
Advertisement