Student encourages more to learn about instrument

Ocarinas, while known for their reoccurring role in Nintendo’s video game series The Legend of Zelda, are not familiar to many people. Though the roots of the instrument can be traced to Italy and South America and can be found used throughout history, few people even recognize the name. Many may be surprised to learn that three students on the FC campus actually play ocarinas.

Ocarinas come in many different shapes and sizes. They usually have twelve or ten holes, two thumb holes on the back of the instrument, eight holes for each finger on the front and two small holes one can reach by sliding a finger forward, lowering the pitch. These are the kind of ocarinas seen in The Legend of Zelda games and are more traditional. They are shaped so the instrument sticks out to the side of the players mouth.

Ocarinas can have multiple chambers, providing for a larger range of sound. The stem has multiple holes to blow into, each having a separate chamber with holes. Each chamber provides a different range of notes.

Inline ocarinas are held like a recorder or tin whistle. The holes are usually covered by two hands, side by side. Many of these kinds are wooden, as opposed to clay or ceramic ocarinas.

Ocarinas are fun to play because they are very unique. Not everyone plays an ocarina or even knows what they are. They’re portable and easy to carry anywhere. They also produce a beautiful tone ranging from a deep rich sound to a bright vibrant noise. — Chloe Duerr, ’14

Ocarinas also come in pendant form, including English pendants and Peruvian pendants. Small and portable, English pendants have four to six holes while Peruvian ocarinas, originating from the time of the Incas, commonly having from four to six holes yet occasionally having eight.

FC has three ocarina players on campus: Chloe Duerr, ’14, Katherine Bennet, ’13, and myself. None of the players have had any lessons and play purely for fun.

Duerr enjoys playing her ocarina because of the rarity the instrument holds, some people not even knowing what they are.

“Ocarinas are fun to play because they are very unique,” Duerr said. “Not everyone plays an ocarina or even knows what they are. They’re portable and easy to carry anywhere. They also produce a beautiful tone ranging from a deep rich sound to a bright vibrant noise.”

David Ramos, known as Doccjazz4 by some on YouTube, owns over 100 ocarinas and posts videos of him playing original songs and covers on his account. Currently he is working on his first ocarina album. Ramos put the first US Ocarina Gathering into motion in 2009. He expressed why he believes ocarinas attract others to play them.

“I think people enjoy the ocarina for three reasons, the first of which is nostalgia,” Ramos said. “Over last 100 years or so, the ocarina has been played in feature films, anime, and most notably, video games such as the Legend of Zelda. For those of us that grew up seeing and hearing the instrument in those mediums, playing the ocarina provides us a sort of ‘link to the past,’ allowing us to relive our childhood through this iconic instrument.”

Ramos mentioned, though many people may have heard or seen an ocarina once before, very few people are aware of the instrument.

“The second reason is its obscurity,” Ramos continued. “Despite the ocarina’s popularity, many people still do not know what an ocarina is. There are also so many different types, shapes and styles of the ocarina, that it is nearly impossible to find any two ocarinas that are exactly the same! I think we’re able to identify with it’s uniqueness and actually enjoy the fact that we own something special and unknown to most of the world.”

Helpful ways have made ocarinas an easier instrument to play. With music tabs, showing what holes one should cover to play certain songs, those who do not know how to read sheet music can play it easily. With many friendly, easy to comprehend tutorials uploaded to YouTube, learning to read sheet music can be an option as well. Ramos continued to make a point about this.

“And the third reason is the ocarina’s characteristics ? that is to say, how easy it is to play, its portability and its beautiful tone,” Ramos said. “Each of the three main types of ocarina ? transverse, pendant, and inline ? are relatively easy to play for beginners and experienced musicians alike. Because they are so small, they can be carried virtually anywhere without any trouble. And the tone is unlike anything I’ve ever heard before, pure and earth-like.”

Forums for ocarina players are also available. With a wide variety of people who have played different versions of the instrument and those who are experienced and new to ocarinas, forums are a great place to ask questions regarding ocarinas in general.

There are numerous stores online dedicated to selling ocarinas of all sorts, such as Songbird Ocarinas and STL Ocarina. A simple google search will lead you to several stores to purchase one of the flutes from.

With an interesting history and sound, ocarinas make wonderful instruments for the vetrans of music and the inexperienced. Ocarinas are good for those who are interested in playing one professionally or just for fun.

For more opinions, read the April 24 College Corner: Rejection letters.

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