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      CommentAuthorBregje
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Hi everyone,
    I was wondering how many of you are familiar with the ocarina. Have you ever seen or played one, do you know someone who has, are there score composers who have used the ocarina, etc?

    In Prague a woman was selling them on the street and I really wanted to have one, but I didn't do it. I thought let's check it out on the internet first, besides they looked very home-clayed so I figured it would be more like a souvenir than a tuned instrument anyway... hehe. She was playing one herself though and the sound was really lovely.

    I couldn't find much info on Dutch websites and the music shops in my town said they could order them but didn't have it in store right now. I did find a nice website that offers ocarina's and books and they also provide workshops for children in primary schools. They sell both plastic and ceramic ocarina's and apparently it's a nice instrument for beginners, both children and adults, because it's easy to play some tunes using the finger hole pattern tablature. They describe the sound as something like the traverso and recorder, two instruments I've always loved the sound of.

    The Ocarina Workshop is located in the UK but there's also a Dutch department. Funny enough it seems much cheaper for me to order from the UK than from here. Anyway, this is the website:

    http://www.ocarina.co.uk/index.htm

    Their ceramic ocarina (alto) is cheaper than here in the music shop too, plus they have book so you can play a little bit at home. I thought it might be nice for the kids too, to have a plastic one, but Quinn wants to take lessons in drawing. Oh well, I hope they will want to play a musical instrument one day! Learning sheet music could be part of that but I always think that tablature is a nice way to learn to play tunes soon, to keep a person motivated. Especially young children. I believe the books have both the sheet music and finger hole pattern, so that's nice I think.

    So, any input from you guys? Or answers to my questions above?
    wave
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    ENNIO MORRICONE's The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly no less.

    Morricone says he wanted to differentiate the three characters with different timbres, the 'Good' being a silver flute, the 'Bad' being two male voices sung off-key and the 'Ugly' being the Ocarina.
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
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      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    I've played the ocarina for a while. It's a great and versatile instrument, and quite easy to play, but it helps to have a bit of background with the recorder (which I have). I've never played from tablature I have to admit (though I can read music), but simply by ear.
    Which worked just fine for me.

    Yes, YES, YES! Put your children through music lessons! And make sure they practice that 30 minues a day!
    Yes, they will hate and despise you (well, maybe not that harsh, but they won't enjoy the work that goes into it, especially after the novelty wears off), but in ten years time, they will be SO grateful! It enriches life beyond words!
    It's probably the very best thing my parents ever done for me (and they've done a lot of good things! smile ), pushing me to play music.
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
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      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    I know a shop in Zwolle, incidentally, that used to sell them.
    I'm in the city tomorrow and will have a look for you.
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Timmer wrote
    ENNIO MORRICONE's The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly no less.

    Morricone says he wanted to differentiate the three characters with different timbres, the 'Good' being a silver flute, the 'Bad' being two male voices sung off-key and the 'Ugly' being the Ocarina.



    Looking this up I also see that James Horner used an 'Electric' Ocarina in KRULL.
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
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      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Timmer wrote
    Looking this up I also see that James Horner used an 'Electric' Ocarina in KRULL.


    confused

    As a torture device?

    I can't for the life of me see how that would work...
    (Unless it's simply a miniscule amplifier inside the ocarina).
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
    • CommentAuthorTimmer
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Martijn wrote
    Timmer wrote
    Looking this up I also see that James Horner used an 'Electric' Ocarina in KRULL.


    confused

    As a torture device?

    I can't for the life of me see how that would work...
    (Unless it's simply a miniscule amplifier inside the ocarina).


    Can anyone pin-point what part( s ) of the score this might be?
    On Friday I ate a lot of dust and appeared orange near the end of the day ~ Bregt
    • CommentAuthorJoep
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008 edited
    Martijn wrote
    I've played the ocarina for a while. It's a great and versatile instrument, and quite easy to play



    Me too, in Zelda's Ocarina of Time shame
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      CommentAuthorBregje
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Martijn wrote
    Yes, YES, YES! Put your children through music lessons! And make sure they practice that 30 minues a day!
    Yes, they will hate and despise you (well, maybe not that harsh, but they won't enjoy the work that goes into it, especially after the novelty wears off), but in ten years time, they will be SO grateful! It enriches life beyond words!
    It's probably the very best thing my parents ever done for me (and they've done a lot of good things! smile ), pushing me to play music.

    I think it's important too. I'm also glad I was always playing a musical instrument as a child. I don't remember if I had to, I think I wanted to and I hope my kids want it as well. It would be most fun if we could play together. Being a musical parent is a good example. Practice what you preach...

    I hope one day they will have music lessons. The school of music offers nice courses for kids, including orientation, so they can try different instruments. On the other hand I'm postponing it I guess, because it would be rather expensive. And they are still young, so I don't want to overload them with too many extra activities, just start with one they like first. That's why I'm thinking an easy instrument to try out at home would be nice.
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      CommentAuthorBregje
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Martijn wrote
    I know a shop in Zwolle, incidentally, that used to sell them.
    I'm in the city tomorrow and will have a look for you.

    Thanks. I would be most interested in knowing if there are shops that sell ocarinas with guidebook. I also want to have some idea if the sets the website is offering is a nice deal. I think it is! I don't even know why I'm still hesitating!

    Plastic ocarina 6-hole with one book is about € 13,95.
    Ceramic ocarina alto with four books is about € 44,58.
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      CommentAuthorBregje
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Joep wrote
    Martijn wrote
    I've played the ocarina for a while. It's a great and versatile instrument, and quite easy to play

    Me too, in Zelda's Ocarina of Time shame

    Grrr, you have no idea how annoying it was when googling for 'ocarina' most hits had to do with Zelda!!

    wink



    Bob, Bregt: wasn't Richard Harvey playing the Narnia Lullaby on ocarina last year at the WSA? I'm not sure what it was but thinking back it must have been something like that?
  1. Bregje wrote
    Grrr, you have no idea how annoying it was when googling for 'ocarina' most hits had to do with Zelda!!

    wink

    Thanks to Zelda OOT, a lot of people actually know what an Ocarina is... biggrin
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      CommentAuthorBregt
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Bregje wrote
    Bob, Bregt: wasn't Richard Harvey playing the Narnia Lullaby on ocarina last year at the WSA? I'm not sure what it was but thinking back it must have been something like that?

    Could be indeed. Not sure because he had like 73 flutes with him. wink
    Kazoo
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      CommentAuthorDemetris
    • CommentTimeMay 9th 2008
    Music lessons at early age are VERY important. Best age to start is 6 (max 8) years old for numerous reasons. If you need more info, please let me know.
    Love Maintitles. It's full of Wanders.
    • CommentAuthorPanthera
    • CommentTimeMay 10th 2008
    Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a great game.... I wonder if that was really an ocarina that was used for the ocarina sound. If it was cheap I'd buy it just as a cool thing to own. Any Zelda fan would want it.
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      CommentAuthorSteven
    • CommentTimeMay 10th 2008
    Panthera wrote
    Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a great game.... I wonder if that was really an ocarina that was used for the ocarina sound. If it was cheap I'd buy it just as a cool thing to own. Any Zelda fan would want it.


    Ocarina of Time was on the N64 was it not? If so, then it was MIDI.
  2. Steven wrote
    Panthera wrote
    Zelda: Ocarina of Time is a great game.... I wonder if that was really an ocarina that was used for the ocarina sound. If it was cheap I'd buy it just as a cool thing to own. Any Zelda fan would want it.


    Ocarina of Time was on the N64 was it not? If so, then it was MIDI.

    Yes it was... Good old N64 midi scores, like Golden Eye or Banjo & Kazooie, masterpieces from Rare in Game Music ! punk
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      CommentAuthorBregje
    • CommentTimeMay 10th 2008
    Christodoulides wrote
    Music lessons at early age are VERY important. Best age to start is 6 (max 8) years old for numerous reasons. If you need more info, please let me know.

    Whoo, I must hurry then. Does listening to filmmusic count as music lessons? wink
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      CommentAuthorBobdH
    • CommentTimeMay 10th 2008
    Bregje wrote
    Bob, Bregt: wasn't Richard Harvey playing the Narnia Lullaby on ocarina last year at the WSA? I'm not sure what it was but thinking back it must have been something like that?


    Yes, I believe it was indeed. Not all too sure, but his instrument (the name, that is) did sound something like that!
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      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 10th 2008
    The ocarina sound like a high-tuned moose horn, or a hollow-sounding recorder.
    This site has some nice samples!
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
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      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 15th 2008
    So I'm curious, Bregje: did you manage to procure some ocarinas?
    Are lessons underway? smile
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
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      CommentAuthorBregje
    • CommentTimeMay 15th 2008
    Not yet. So far the ones the Ocarina Workshop website is offering seem like the best deal. Not expensive at all and with manuals. And shipping is about the same as driving to Zwolle I guess!
    wink

    Now all I need is an excuse to buy it. I was thinking my birthday. Or perhaps because it's almost my birthday. Or because it's thursday. Or...
  3. Martijn wrote
    So I'm curious, Bregje: did you manage to procure some ocarinas?
    Are lessons underway? smile


    At first I read produce biggrin
    http://www.filmmusic.pl - Polish Film Music Review Website
    • CommentAuthorAnthony
    • CommentTimeMay 15th 2008
    PawelStroinski wrote
    Martijn wrote
    So I'm curious, Bregje: did you manage to procure some ocarinas?
    Are lessons underway? smile


    At first I read produce biggrin


    So did I, but it didn't occur to me that that makes no sense. dizzy biggrin
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      CommentAuthormarie-lise
    • CommentTimeMay 15th 2008
    I also have an Ocarina. I even manage to play Greensleeves on it - sort of, the high notes are not always very on key slant
    I remeber I just called to the musicstore in my neighborhood, asked if they had one and bingo.
    It's a very nice instrument, although the whole for my little finger is a bit too big - it gets lost in there!

    anyway, enjoy it, it's a lot of fun!
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      CommentAuthorBregje
    • CommentTimeMay 18th 2008
    Thanks! Is it a big one? I know they come in all sizes!

    Well, mine has been ordered. That would be an Alto D, one that just fits in the palm of your hand. Let's hope my little finger won't get lost in it.
    wink

    I'll let you all know as soon as I can play some tunes! cheesy
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      CommentAuthorMartijn
    • CommentTimeMay 18th 2008
    We expect MP3s!
    'no passion nor excitement here, despite all the notes and musicians' ~ Falkirkbairn
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      CommentAuthormarie-lise
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2008
    Bregje wrote
    Thanks! Is it a big one? I know they come in all sizes!

    Well, mine has been ordered. That would be an Alto D, one that just fits in the palm of your hand. Let's hope my little finger won't get lost in it.
    wink


    lol, I hope so too :p
    We should do a duet then, if we ever meet wink - you can do the high notes of Greensleeves!

    I actually have no idea what mine is... looking for the booklet ... mmm a concerto c...
    • CommentAuthorJoep
    • CommentTimeMay 21st 2008
    Two women, playing an Ocarina, possibly some Zelda music... I would be like so in heaven wink
  4. Timmer wrote
    ENNIO MORRICONE's The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly no less.

    Morricone says he wanted to differentiate the three characters with different timbres, the 'Good' being a silver flute, the 'Bad' being two male voices sung off-key and the 'Ugly' being the Ocarina.


    I think the Ugly was two male voices sung off-key (the so-called 'Coyote Howl'), while Bad was the Ocarina (a bass flute sound).
    A butterfly thinks therefore I am