To be able to wear the ocarina, of course, duh, I know that. My real question wouldn’t fit in the subject line. What is the history behind the cord? Why don’t other instruments have cords attached? Cords could be attached simply to harmonicas, I have a mini-harmonica with a split ring attached. I’d like a cord attached to my pennywhistles. Attaching the cord to an ocarina actually takes some extra engineering. Any ideas?
I once had an O’Riordan whistle come through the shop that Pat had made to have a cord attached.
Doc
Actually, not all ocarinas do come with cords. A lot of the smaller ones have cords so they can be worn like jewlery, but from an engineering standpoint I think the cord came about with ceramic and clay ocarinas. They can be pretty easy to drop when fingering some notes, and smashed ocarinas happen sometimes. I thnk it just carried over on wooden and plastic ones as a convenience. Funny thing though, the STL triple ocarinas don’t have them. They’re made of clay and go for $500 a copy. I’d hate to drop one of those!
Since the more simple ocarinas are as much to imitate bird-calls as to make music, it’s probably so you can spit the thing out of your mouth as you take aim with the weapon of your choice.
Especially if that weapon would be a blowdart.
I don’t have a string theory. I’m just responding to help push my earlier thread to a less conspicuous location.
Out, damned spot!!!
It’s an ocarina mute*. Federal legislation requires its presence for the safety and security of the public.
*Also known as a gavotte garotte.
I know those little 4-hole ocs have a cord as does my Mountain Ocarina, but I have never seen one of the more traditionally-shaped ocs to have a cord. Considering the likelihood of a meeting of the effects of Murphy’s Law with the Law of Gravity, I’m surprised we don’t see more.
Gary