Post by Walden on Jul 16, 2011 19:08:33 GMT -5
Q: Can I play music written in one key on another key of ocarina?
A: Yes. All keys of ocarina are played in the same way, but they sound in different keys. If you play music written in C on an F ocarina it will sound in F, even though you play it exactly as if you were on a C ocarina.
Q: What type of ocarina do I have?
A: Here is a pictorial guide to a number of types. Note that the use of a national name does not necessarily indicate that a particular ocarina was made in that country. For example, many English pendants are made in China, Japan, and the United States.
Q: How do I play 6-hole (or 4-hole) English style pendant music on a 12-hole sweet potato?
A: You can use this conversion chart.
Q: How is ocarina pronounced?
A: The usual pronunciation in English is ock-uh-ree-nuh.
Q: Is the ocarina an ancient instrument?
A: The ocarina was developed in Italy in the mid 19th Century, however, ancient instruments of the ocarina type do exist from Mexico, Central America, and South America. It is uncertain whether these ancient instruments influenced the development of the 19th Century Italian instruments, but the so-called pendant ocarinas, developed in England in the mid 20th Century, are known to have been inspired by these ancient instruments.
Q: Do clay ocarinas sound better than plastic or wood?
A: The difference in sound between ocarinas is mostly determined by craftsmanship. Plastic ocarinas are more likely to be mass-produced by machines, and thus the quality suffers. A good plastic ocarina sounds better than a bad clay or wood ocarina.
Q: What do I do if the windway of my ocarina becomes clogged with moisture?
A: You may blow it hard and fast to dislodge the moisture. You may also shake the moisture out. To inhibit moisture buildup you can use a drop of dish detergent mixed into a cup of water, and dip the mouthpiece in it. Then let it air dry before playing it.
Q: How do I quiet an ocarina for late night practice?
A: Put a small piece of poster putty (sticky tack/blu-tac) on one side of the window where the air comes out. Experiment with this, till you get the volume you want.
Q: What is the difference between a WPN and a TNG ocarina?
A: Both are made by the same manufacturer. WPN are the standard models and TNG are the upper-end models. It is like the difference between a Ford and a Lincoln automobile.
Q: Why don't tabs for 6-hole ocarina work quite right with my 6-hole ocarina?
A: There are sometimes differences in fingerings between ocarinas made by different manufacturers. Consult the chart that (hopefully) came with your ocarina for the correct fingerings.
Q: My ocarina doesn't sound in tune. Should I throw it away?
A: It is possible your ocarina is not in tune. It is also possible you just need to work on breath pressure to make it sound in tune. Don't throw it away.
A: Yes. All keys of ocarina are played in the same way, but they sound in different keys. If you play music written in C on an F ocarina it will sound in F, even though you play it exactly as if you were on a C ocarina.
Q: What type of ocarina do I have?
A: Here is a pictorial guide to a number of types. Note that the use of a national name does not necessarily indicate that a particular ocarina was made in that country. For example, many English pendants are made in China, Japan, and the United States.
Q: How do I play 6-hole (or 4-hole) English style pendant music on a 12-hole sweet potato?
A: You can use this conversion chart.
Q: How is ocarina pronounced?
A: The usual pronunciation in English is ock-uh-ree-nuh.
Q: Is the ocarina an ancient instrument?
A: The ocarina was developed in Italy in the mid 19th Century, however, ancient instruments of the ocarina type do exist from Mexico, Central America, and South America. It is uncertain whether these ancient instruments influenced the development of the 19th Century Italian instruments, but the so-called pendant ocarinas, developed in England in the mid 20th Century, are known to have been inspired by these ancient instruments.
Q: Do clay ocarinas sound better than plastic or wood?
A: The difference in sound between ocarinas is mostly determined by craftsmanship. Plastic ocarinas are more likely to be mass-produced by machines, and thus the quality suffers. A good plastic ocarina sounds better than a bad clay or wood ocarina.
Q: What do I do if the windway of my ocarina becomes clogged with moisture?
A: You may blow it hard and fast to dislodge the moisture. You may also shake the moisture out. To inhibit moisture buildup you can use a drop of dish detergent mixed into a cup of water, and dip the mouthpiece in it. Then let it air dry before playing it.
Q: How do I quiet an ocarina for late night practice?
A: Put a small piece of poster putty (sticky tack/blu-tac) on one side of the window where the air comes out. Experiment with this, till you get the volume you want.
Q: What is the difference between a WPN and a TNG ocarina?
A: Both are made by the same manufacturer. WPN are the standard models and TNG are the upper-end models. It is like the difference between a Ford and a Lincoln automobile.
Q: Why don't tabs for 6-hole ocarina work quite right with my 6-hole ocarina?
A: There are sometimes differences in fingerings between ocarinas made by different manufacturers. Consult the chart that (hopefully) came with your ocarina for the correct fingerings.
Q: My ocarina doesn't sound in tune. Should I throw it away?
A: It is possible your ocarina is not in tune. It is also possible you just need to work on breath pressure to make it sound in tune. Don't throw it away.
