New ocarina, with clip and pic.

Whistle
1

I just got one of K.L. Dunster’s ocarinas. It is her “Itty Bitty Ocarina,” which is a pendant sized version of a traditional Budrio, or sweet potato type, ocarina. It is in the English-style fingering system, like a Song Stone, and has a hole for sharps and flats.

http://free.gentle.org/users/gospelhymns/ocarinaf.mp3 A clip of me playing it.

This photograph is of the actual instrument I am playing in the clip. Note that the photo is from behind. It is in tune, and in the key of F. They are individually made, and cost US$13.

2

Very nice walden, sounded wonderful. Do people ever play irish music on em’?
andrew cassidy

3

I love it! It’s just got that good ole’ timey feel to it. Like whistling with your lips only better.

4

I’m sure it’s been done. Ocarina was pretty popular in the early 20th Century. I don’t know how purists take to it. It is used heavily in Spaghetti western background music (such as The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, and They Call Me Trinity). Take it to a session. If they don’t look at you funny, you can try playing it. :slight_smile:

5

Dang you Walden! I jus got my WhOA under control! :laughing:

How many holes do they have? What key do they play in and ,of course, where do I get one. :roll:


Doc

6

This one has five holes.

What key do they play in

They are fully chromatic within their limited range. In whistle terms, Dunster’s Itty Bitty Ocarinas are in the key of F.

and ,of course, where do I get one. :roll:


Doc

From K. L. Dunster, at Green Verdugo Pottery: http://www.greenverdugo.com/ocarinas/

7

Gracias Walden. :smiley:

Doc

8

Sweet. Was that a 'zouk doing backup?

9

Go to “Other Woodwinds” on Ebay, or better yet just do a search on that term and you will get MANY hits.

10

Yeah.

But you’d better add -zelda and -time to your search criteria! :laughing:

11

That’s a fantastic little clip! I was actually an ocarina lover before I discovered the wide world of whistling.

Ocarinas range from quite simple (4 holes, diatonic, 1 octave range) to significantly more complex than the whistle (10 holes, chromatic, 1 octave plus a few steps). All can be easily mastered, though, and are a blast to play.

I thoroughly recommend ocarinas to any whistle player. Easy to learn, great for all kinds of folk music, and just good clean fun. :slight_smile:

12

I have a little green 5-hole Ocarina (one octave+1, not really all that chromatic unless you’re inventive with fingerings), but the only tune I can play on it is “the parting glass”. :slight_smile:

13

Warning! That ocarina stuff might be virus infected and highly contagious.

After one single listening I found myself consider buying the Dunster metallic “G”
ocarina on ebay as an alternative to a low G from Colin Goldie. WHOA !!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2554810857&category=624&rd=1

Nice clip, thx 4 posting it!

/MarcusR

14

Walden, what is the tune/song you are playing in that clip? I really liked it.

15

I’ll Be Satisfied
by T.N. Pannell (public domain)

16

It does sound a lot like a someone mouth whistling, but it’s very thin sounding. The tin whistle has it beat by a mile. Interesting though.

17

Karen L. Dunster has been a friend and peer of mine for years. You can talk to her personaly at “Yahoo Ocarinaclub” where she and many other ocarina makers/players and enthusiasts gather.(you will need to apply for free membership)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ocarinaclub/messages

18

Well,
I used to have a lovely alto G ocarina that was dark blue ceramic. It’s still floating about my house somewhere, hundreds of miles away from me (I’m at college).

I never really spent enough time with the ocarina to master the strange, circular scales. I got too confused. But I did learn, I think a couple simple Northumbrian tunes that my whistle teacher taught me on there.

The guitarist in my band had a long Ocarina with the notes all down in a line. I think that would be a much easier type for whistlers to learn.