Have you ever blown over the top of a bottle to create a sound? (If not, go find one and give it a try!) When you angle your breath just so, the airstream splits and some of the air gets trapped inside the vessel, where it resonates and creates a tone. Voilà! You have yourself a rudimentary vessel flute!
While whistles and recorders are open-ended, a vessel flute such as the ocarina makes use of this closed chamber, and different tones are produced depending on the size of holes that are open at the moment. On a whistle and recorder, the placement of the holes determines the tone. For ocarinas, it's the total size of the holes – rather than their placement – that determines pitch. Volume also increases as holes are opened, meaning the higher-pitched notes (with more holes uncovered) tend to be louder.
This means ocarinas can be all shapes and sizes, as long as the different note holes are the right relative sizes. Sadly, ocarinas cannot be overblown for higher octaves, but including multiple resonating chambers with more corresponding holes can effectively increase the tonal range (View an explanation of this on YouTube).
The ocarina is a fipple-blown vessel flute. It is such an old instrument that it seems to have existed in some form all around the world, long before the name 'ocarina' was coined. They are very pleasant to listen to, very soothing and meditative, like the cooing of a dove or the hooting of an owl (as demonstrated in this talk). The rounded shape of the standard ocarina is also very well-shaped to the hand and comfortable to hold, like a little potato. Of course, they come in all shapes and sizes, and some can even be attached to the neck as a pendant, for music on-the-go!
Vessel flutes have existed in many forms across the globe. Examples exist in India, Egypt, Africa, and perhaps most notably, in Asia. The ancient Chinese instrument called xun is an egg-shaped vessel flute that dates back over 7 thousand years, and with a tradition alive and well to the present day! The xun and other ancient vessel flutes played an important role in the long history of Chinese song and dance. Clearly, vessel flutes were one of the first early wind instruments invented, perhaps only second to the whistle.
Europe had also had vessel flutes for some time, as evidenced by the so-called Runik "ocarina" of Kosovo. It dates back 8 thousand years, is made of baked clay, but it has a blow hole (much like a xun) rather than the fipple common to ocarinas today. The gemshorn might arguably be the first true European ocarina, with a labium (Latin for 'lip') to cut the breath into a resonant chamber to produce sound. Gemshorns were made of horn, with about an octave in tonal range. They seem to date back from the 14th and 15th centuries, with examples from Germany, Hungary, and Italy.
While vessel flutes had become a thing of the past in Europe, the "New World" discoveries (sometimes musicians) gave rise to a resurgence of interest in the humble vessel flute. However, these instruments had limited pitch range and were not considered serious musical instruments until a 17-year-old Giuseppe Donati came along in the 19th century to develop the bird-like "sweet potato" form still popular to this day (More on this History in this YouTube video). The name ocarina translates to "little goose" in Italian; a fitting name for the bird-shaped instrument. Small modifications in tuning and design allow for quite a lot of versatility and playability. So it was that Giuseppe translated the toy-like vessel flutes of the day into more serious, chromatic, and concert-pitched ocarinas still in circulation...
However, there was a certain amount of stigma to overcome before the oca became the global sensation it is today... Guiseppe did a lot to popularize his modernized form of the ancient vessel flute. He found a group of professional musicians, named them for his hometown of Budrio Italy, and sent his flock of geese out into the world in the capable hands of Gruppo Ocarinistico Budriese. The GOB performed around Italy and Europe, and modern iterations of this ensemble exist and continue to perform today.
VIDEO LINKS - OCA PERFORMANCES
- Ocarina Septet plays Tarantella Napoletana
- Ocarina Septet plays GOB Barbiere di Siviglia
- The Legend of Zelda Orchestra perform Saria's Song
Modern improvements aside, it must be said that vessel flutes from Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica were quite a sight to behold! They were often ornately carved and decorated, and capable of producing haunting and piercing tones, much like bird calls (Click to view some examples here). It is plausible that they held special significance to the Mayans, Incans, and Aztecs of the region for use in religious and cultural rituals.
While the Mesoamerican vessel flutes had sparked interest in Europe, the ocarina had to cross the ocean to make its way to the United States in the early 1900s. Many ocarina manufacturers arose in the USA, as soldiers carried ocarinas with them during the first World War. In 1928, Japanese craftsman Takashi Aketagawa further improved the design of the instrument. He included two additional holes from Giuseppe Donati's 10-hole design, allowing for a 13-note range. The ocarina is considered a serious instrument in Japan, China, Taiwan, Korean, and many other Asian nations to this day.
Meanwhile, as transverse ocarinas were taking off, English mathematician John Taylor took it into his own hands to create another kind of ocarina. This English pendant or "seedpod" 4-hole ocarina could play an entire 8-note chromatic scale! Today, 6-hole varieties of this pendant ocarina exist, with two thumb holes on the back. The downside to apparent simplicity of design is increased complexity of scale patterns. However, it's not inherently more difficult to play than a transpose ocarina, there's just a bit of a learning curve! (Click for a video comparison) Because of the pendant-shape, many are attached to a string and carried about on the neck. A bit of practicing at the bus stop, and you'll have the scale down in no time!
Today, as in ancient times, you'll find vessel flutes in all shapes and sizes (See a video of different examples here). They might look like a chameleon, a panda, or almost anything you could imagine! They are a fun instrument for musicians of all ages and all experience levels. You might want one to play a few Legend of Zelda songs, or maybe just to have a friendly ocarina pet at your desk (helpful in striking up the odd conversation with a bird outside the window)... Maybe you'll find a few friends and get a group together for your own ocarina ensembles!
VIDEOS ON HOW TO MAKE AND PLAY THE OCARINA
- How to Make a Seedpod Ocarina from Clay
- "Big Broccoli Ocarina" Demo
- Martin Espino gives a brief Ocarina Introduction
Feeling inspired, or want to add more cute ocarinas to your collection?