Ocarinas!

[Goatmon]

(I'm not really sure what sub-forum is ideal for this thread, so I guess I can't really complain if you mods decide to have it tornadoed up and dropped elsewhere)

I got to explaining some options about ocarina purchasing to another user, and decided that the info would be better spent in it's own thread where it might inspire people to get one of their own and such.  And that would be just dandy.

The instrument is pretty underrated in Western Society as I understand it.  It's a lot more popular in Asian countries, particularly Taiwan, China, and Japan to an extent.  Although most ocarinas have more limited range in sound, the sound quality is comparable to most of it's woodwind bretheren.  Sadly, it gets little respect in most of the world, particularly the US.  Most people figure it's either for Zelda nerds or Renassance Faire geeks, when it couldn't be farther from the truth. 

It's true that it's not as widely used as, say; Guitars, Pianos, or other more versatile instruments, but it's far from being a toy or a novelty.  Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Zelda  games helped make the ocarina a little more mainstream. 

If you're interested in Buying one, I would first like to direct you here.  The user, DocJazz4 has loads of ocarina videos; Ranging from reviews of lots of different kinds, to a number of impressive performances that show off what kind of sound you can expect from the various types.

If you want to Purchase one, there are a few websites to choose from, and lots of options.


DESIGN
Ocarinas come in a lot of shapes, the most popular (In the states) being the Sweet Potato, named for it's shape and sweet sound.  The design from Ocarina of Time can be considered a Sweet Potato. 



Another popular design are Inline ocarinas, which are generally designed in a tube-like shape with the finger holes lined up side-by-side. 



The smallest popular design I know of are called Pendants.  Just as the name implies, they are generally small, round, pendant-sized instruments that could be worn at the neck, and they easily fit in your pocket. 




RANGE
I would say that no particular design is necessarily perfect for you.  What matters most is the size, which depends entirely on what kind of sound you want. 

Ideally, you may want to keep within a certain size based on how big you are.  Lower pitch instruments are bigger than higher ones, and so the deeper ocarinas require larger hands.  They also tend to come with larger holes, so folks with smaller fingers might find it downright impossible to handle them.  Inversely, someone with larger hands will find it very hard or impossible to play the much smaller ones with holes placed closer togetherl.

They mostly range in size from Soprano (smallest, with the highest pitch), to Alto, to Tenor, to Bass (largest, with very deep pitches) although you can find Contra Bass ocarinas in certain places (Although they're never cheap, due to very large size) and there are loads of custom designs to be found

I'm kind of a big guy (almost exactly six foot, and I have a slightly-wide build) so I use a tenor, and I'm looking to get a base at some point. 

Another thing to keep in mind, is the range of your instrument.  Most ocarinas, be they four-hole, six, twelve, whatever, generally only have a very limited range.  Most can only cover a single octave, or close to two octaves, such as my 12-hole tenor which goes from A4 to F6, which is a span of 13 notes, as well as the sharps and flats in between.

If you want something with a bigger range (and you'll need one if you want to play a good variety of songs) you'll want to consider eventually getting a double or triple chambered ocarina.  Most professional distributors will have some options.  A double Tenor, for example, works just like a regular tenor, except it is wider, and has a second chamber built into it's right side which connects through a second airhole in the mouthpiece.  As such, you can move your mouth (and right hand) from the left side to right to go from one chamber to the other to reach notes a single-chamber instrument can't.

There are some inline doubles, and other designs too, but I'm not overly familiar with them and I won't go into them right now, though I may add details later.



WHERE TO BUY THEM
Now, Let's talk about distributors.


http://stlocarina.com/
STLO mostly makes clay ocarinas, some of which are made from what's called "purple clay" which is more expensive but it absorbs moisture from your breath and improves the sound over time.  If you have a good chunk of cash to spend (as in within over $200 range) you might look into those. 
They also have a lot of songbooks available, which is fun for getting started.  These are the guys who sold me my first (and currently my only) one, and I'm overall very happy with my purchase. 

That being said, I think their products are relatively low-quality.  My 12-Hole Tenor came with a defective sub hole (the mini hole just above the third hole from the right end) and so my instrument can't go as low as it's supposed to, and I also can't perform certain sharps and flats.  If you don't have much to spend (under $100) you may want to consider their site.  Also keep in mind that they're based in the US, so their shipping will be less costly than most providers if you're in the US. 


http://hindocarina.com/
Hind Ocarinas, run by Charlie Hind, has a lot of excellent options.  Mosrt of his instruments are made from wood, which is noticably more expensive than clay.  However, wood is a lot more durable and lighter than clay, which makes them easier to hold and less vulnerable to breaking if dropped. 

He mostly sells Sweet Potatoes, and Inline Ocarinas.  The Inlines are very nice, and very affordable.  His  Sweet potatoes are fairly expensive (some of which he only produces on demand due to the high-cost of materials) and are upwards 3-$400.  However, all of his products are of great craftsmanship.  You can count on receiving a product that is both high quality and good-looking.  He is also another American Distributor.


ALSO
Something to remember here; The Asian-based distributors don't seem to recognize Tenors the way Western distibutors do.  Instead of Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass, they categorize the Tenor key instruments as Alto, so you'll want to pay attention there.  The Alto C sold by Focalink and Maparam are actually the same basic range as the  12-hole and Walnut  Tenors sold at STLO and Hindocarinas.   Keep that in mind, and don't get the idea that you can only get tenors from one or the other.

http://www.focalink.com.tw/index.php
Focalink Ocarinas have an amazing range of size options, and some very nice-looking models at a higher cost, although they have more affordable ones available.  I really like the designs they go with on the more-expensive models.  The pricier ocarinas are given a laquer finish, which makes them more durable and adds a fine polished look which I find to be pretty excellent. 

They also have a very good selection of double ocarinas; Double Alto C (Tenor) Higher Alto, and Soprano G, and Bass C which I understand are both difficult Double chamber ocarinas to find elsewhere.  Personally, I love the look of their laquered models and I've got my eye on their Alto C Double.  It'd be a nice alternative to my Current Tenor, while also expanding my potential range. 

They have multiple  Bass models, including a Contra Bass which is ridiculcously deep sounding.  It's pretty awesome.

Keep in mind that the laquered models, while expensive, are not displayed indivudually but can still be purchased that way.  The website displays the options to buy them in a set of 4 and a set of 7 (Each one with a suitcase)  Just send them an email for options on cost and how to purchase singles if what you want isn't avaible individually on the product page.

http://www.maparam.kr/index.html?modea=eng
Maparam, stationed in Korea, offers a small but very high-quality selection.  Their Double and Triple ocarinas are used by professionals, even, which sould say something about their products.  The designs, while cute, don't really do anything for me, and I probably won't be picking one of theirs up in the near future.  Nevertheless, their work is of very high standard and you should definitely give them a look-over.


http://www.mountainsocarina.com/
If you're interested in something very low-cost and easy to carry around, an Inline is probably for you.
Mountain Ocarinas deals primarily with this design, and they have a variety of makes and styles, from plastic, to alternative ivory, to metal and wood.
If you're on the go a lot, their stuff is very portable and could be just what you're looking for.

There's other providers, and I may add in a bigger list later.



From there, all I can really say is to look around youtube for some samples and see which really suits your taste.  Lots of luck, and have fun!

[Tapewolf]

I could do with some live instruments rather than programmed ones... the last time I did that was the spoon solo on One Less Hero.  Truth be told, the ocarina is something I've only heard rarely and had almost forgotten about.
If it's relatively easy to pick up, I might see if I can find one.

[Goatmon]

It's VERY easy to pick up.  One of the easiest to play, in fact.

Being woodwind it also blends very well with acoustic instruments, like the piano and especially guitar.

This delightful video, for example.

[Tapewolf]

I will check the video(s) later.  Offhand I remember it being used in I got you, babe by Sonny and Cher, and I'm pretty certain they had one in Virginia Plain by Roxy Music (though it was always the synth solo which won my heart in that song, I have to admit).

**EDIT**
I stand corrected... Roxy Music appear to have used an oboe being played in a very strange style.

[Goatmon]

Long Library, huh?

This subforum is a ghost town.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

It's a storage area, not a general convocation of folks.

As it says - library. No talking. ;-]