Welcome to my Student Resource page!!!
First, I'd like to thank you for purchasing the my Hal Leonard Ocarina Method book. I spent a great deal of time writing it and I hope that it serves you well. This page will contain links to ocarinas I recommend most often, as well as coupon codes from some retailers just for you and upcoming festivals and gatherings. I'll try to keep the layout simple and organized, which means that at the top of the page you'll find links to the ocarinas I recommend most often. The ocarina featured in the method book and the accompany videos is of my own design and available for purchase as well.
If you have any questions or are interested in lessons, you can contact me using the contact form on the left side of this page. Please keep in mind that this page will always be a work in progress and that I'll continue and update information.
Recommended Ocarinas
Night by Noble Plastic AC: It's the best plastic ocarina in the world. I perform with it quite often and recommend it to all of my students. Here's a video of me performing a duet with it at the 2014 US Ocarina Festival. It is available through Amazon.com and Ebay, but I also have some in stock for people who have purchased my method book. If you send me a photo of you with the method book, I'll sell it to you at a discount.
Aria AC (also called Tenor C on STL Ocarina's Website). I designed this ocarina with tone, playability, and ergonomics in mind. It also comes in a Soprano G variant (called Alto G on STL Ocarina's Website). You can use the Alto G with the method book, but the notes you read and hear in demos will be a little lower than the notes you play. Many people like Soprano G ocarinas because they require softer breath than Alto C ocarinas, and the high notes are easier to play.
Coupon Codes:
STL Ocarina 15% off your entire order (use it at checkout): Cris15
Gatherings and Festivals
Each year I organize and host the US Ocarina Festival in Allen TX. It started in 2014 when a group of ocarina enthusiasts were lamenting that we don't have a gathering or a reason for everyone to get together. I offered to organize and host a gathering if 10 people confirmed! Well, 10 people confirmed and since then we've moved from a grocery store foyer to a televised concert hall hosting performers from Norway, China, and Japan. The videos for 2014 and 2015 are available online courtesy of the Allen TX television station.
This year we're expecting over 20 guests from Japan alone, and of course ocarinist from around the country. You can find out more on the Facebook event page here.
Full Ocarina Buying Guide (Specific Recommendations):
Disclaimer : ONLY BUY OCARINAS (ESPECIALLY ZELDA REPLICAS) FROM TRUSTED RETAILERS! If the price seems too good to be true, then chances are they are badly tuned or knockoff instruments. I recommend steering clear of any retailer that sells such an instrument since the retailer has demonstrated that they're not concerned about instrument quality. When in doubt, shoot me a quick message and I (or my assistant) will get back to you asap.
Zelda Ocarinas :
Lots of people discover the ocarina through Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda franchise. It's how I learned about the ocarina, so I can totally relate. Many Zelda replicas have a more rounded shape, which makes their ergnomics a bit awkward and makes them slightly more difficult to play. If you're looking for one that is both a great instrument and comparable to non-decorated ocarinas in both price and function, I recommend the STL Zelda Double. I've recorded numerous videos with it and even performed with it for my Princess Zelda Live concert series.
If you want a single chambered Zeldas replica that looks the part, but are price conscious, then I recommend STL's Zelda replica. At $50, it provides the best possible value and has a great sound. Of course, the rounded shape affects its ergnomomics, but the rounded shape is part of the design.
There are a couple of Zelda replicas that aren't quite as rounded, but are still good. I like the Rotter Zelda replica (it's a better value if you're in Europe) and 6th Street Ocarina. Both of these have slightly different apperances than from the game, but better ergonomics.
If money is no object, then I recommend Spencer Register's Zelda Replica. He makes each one by hand and while they are expensive, they are hand crafted works of art that also play beautifully. If you're experienced enough to know your preferences, Spencer can customize the ocarina's playing characteristics to suit you.
You may find some Zelda ocarinas that have fingering like the game, rather than traditional 12 hole fingering. I don't recommend these ocarinas, as they seem to be more for novelty than music.
Plastic Ocarinas:
While the Night by Noble is the plastic ocarina I recommend most often, there are lots of other options and even options in different tunings! Here are some alternatives!
Alto/Tenor C: STL's New Plastic AC (with/without triforce), Osawa Focalink AC (uses lower breath than the standard Focalink Plastic AC), Focalink, Zin, Zin for children (with keys), Noble, and Condor.
Soprano C: Zin, STL, and Focalink all make great plastic sopranos, but with different playing characteristics. STL's is the loudest and the Osawa style Focalink is the quietest and has the sweetest tone. The Zin is the most balance of the group.
Bass C: STL and Zin produce plastic Bass C ocarinas. The STL's is easier to get and a little less expensive. The Zin's is more expensive and a little larger in size. The Zin also has a slightly quieter volume, though both are pretty quiet. Noble is supposed to release a plastic bass soon, but I've only tried the prototype and can't recommend it until I try the production version.
Multi-chambered: The best plastic multi-chambered ocarina I've encountered is the STL Zelda Plastic Double. At $40, it's a very inexpensive way to try a multi-chamberd ocarina and it produces a great tone and doesn't suffer as much from the condensation issues of the STL Triple and the Solist triple. Both the Solist Triple and the STL/TNG triples are very inexpensive entry level multi-chambered ocarinas. Between them I prefer the Solist, but either of them are a good choice if you want an durable multi-chambered ocarina. They make great practice ocarinas and are even suitable for short performances. That said, I would not use one as my primary multi-chambered ocarina.
Wooden Ocarinas:
Wooden ocarinas tend to be more expensive than their clay counterparts, but sometimes nothing beats a beautiful, well crafted wooden ocarina. While there are a number of wooden ocarina makers, the three I recommend are North Country Workshop, Hind, and Woodsound. These brands will be listed in the "recommended brand" section as well, but it's worth discussing them here.
North Country Workshop does not produce transverse 12 hole ocarinas. They produce double chambered polyphonic wooden ocarinas that use the English pendant fingering system for each chamber. Unfortunately, no method book exists for these ocarinas, though myself, Cornell Kinderknecht, and Nancy Rumbel offer private lessons (tell them I sent you :) ). I have numerous ocarina of this type in my collection and am always looking for new tunings. They are awesome instruments and worth every penny (if you're willing to spend the time to learn them).
Hind Ocarina: Charlie Hind is a master ocarina maker that builds both transverse and inline ocarinas. His transverse ocarinas are unique works of art and have very gentle playing characteristics. They require soft, even breath for the entire range. Some people struggle with this at first, especially when changing from a rising breath ocarina, but the adjustment time is worth it. His ocarinas are unique in the ocarina world and you cannot get those playing characteristics from any other maker. is higher pitch ocarinas have an extremely sweet sound and his altos and tenors have a gentle smokey sound texture. The bass ocarinas are a little more finicky and require a little more dedication to play well. His Obelisk ocarinas are also very good and highly recommended. The thumbholes are swapped - so the fingering is slightly different, but it is easy enough to adjust. Hind also makes inline ocarinas, though I don't recommend those as they are outside of my preferences as far as playing characteristics go. They require very very light breath and unfortunately I don't enjoy playing them. Overall, Hind is an amazing maker and he stands behind every product he sells. If you're not satisfied, he'll take care of you.
Woodsound: Hyunil Ko is a master ocarina maker and I am confident that any instrument you purchase from him will be of impeccable quality. I have tried numerous Woodsound ocarinas and all of them have been great instruments. Mr. Ko communicates in English quite well and is capable of customizing your ocarina in various ways. The ergonomics of his doubles can be a bit challenging, but that is more of a matter of hand size and shape than design. Hyunil Ko also has impeccable customer service, to the point of servicing ocarinas that have been purchased second hand.
Ceramic Ocarinas:
If you'd like a ceramic ocarina there are lots of options. What you choose may be influenced by price, aesthetics, or the kind of music you want play. While I will discuss specific ocarinas here, below this section you'll find a complete list of brands I trust, either because of quality and/or customer service. Keep in mind that I have a number of ocarinas and while I'm listing quite a few, the exclusion of an ocarina doesn't necessarily mean that it is a bad ocarina or one that I don't recommend. There are just so many.
I apologize that this section isn't done. I'll be updating it soon.
Trusted Vendors:
I've either bought in person or order online ocarinas from the following sellers. While this list isn't completely exhaustive, I can personally recommend purchasing from these websites/makeres. I proudly consider many of the names on this list my friends. They share the same love for the ocarina I have and want to see it prosper. In some cases I'll share a brief story about how I met or my relationship to the maker.
Oberon Ocarinas
These are currently my favorite US made ocarinas. His transverse ocarinas don't show up for sale very often, but are my favorites right now. They are a bit pricier than many of the ceramic ocarinas on this list, but are definitely worth it. Follow on Facebook to keep up to date on developments: https://www.facebook.com/OberonOcarinas/
STL Ocarina
https://stlocarina.com
I've been friends with STL Ocarina since I won their first "Star Search" competition back in 2009. I really like their OEM, TNG, and have been a proponent of ocarinas with their playing characteristics since I first tried them. You'll notice that I recommend quite a few STL Ocarinas. This is because I like how their instruments play and can see the results of their continued efforts in improving their products. When I wanted an ocarina custom made, I went to STL with my Aria design. They liked it so much they asked to produce and sell it. In all of that, they worked with me to keep the price as low as possible without sacrificing quality. Like me, STL thinks it's very important to get high quality instruments in the hands of players. I've also been a contractor for STL, in making product overview videos and consulting. I've also sold their ocarinas locally and sometimes at conventions. They've always been supportive of me as an artists, while allowing me to maintain my independence. Good people.
Songbird Ocarina
https://www.songbirdocarina.com
Songbird Ocarina is the US Distributor of Focalink and also sells some of his own designs. Songbird Ocarinas are one of the oldest ocarina companies in the US and many people may have first seen his ocarinas in Nintendo Power. I appreciate his artistic sensibilities and interesting glazing. His ocarinas almost always reflect his vision and aesthetic and the Focalink ocarinas he sells are high quality and affordable. Mr. Songbird has also been kind enough to let me perform a composition of his for my televised solo concert. Songbird is also committed to making high quality affordable instruments available to as many people as possible.
Takashi
https://www.pankuolong.url.tw/
Takashi ocarinas are made by my long-time friend Kulong Pan. Kuolong plays the music I like to play and makes ocarinas that seem to beg to be played in that way. At first he was simply posting videos of his performances of his ocarinas on youtube. Before we ever met and before he was ever selling, Kuolong gifted me one of his ocarinas for my birthday. Back then he was obviously an extremely talented maker and now many people consider him one of the best ocarina makers in the world. To me, he's an inspiration and a friend. I was so happy that I was able to meet him and visit his workshop during my tour in Taiwan. Kuolong is truly a master maker and stands behind every ocarina he sells. Kuolong is also capable of customizing ocarinas.
Night
Night ocarina is the "Night" in Night by Noble. I had the chance to try a prototype of a Night by Noble at a post festival dinner in South Korea. I was blown away at how good it was and when I got home I started spreading the news about it and tried contacting Noble to buy it. Unfortunately, I was using Google Translate, and it wasn't working very well for Korean. Eventually Noble had an English speaker contact me and told me to contact Night's president. I did and expressed how much I liked the Night by Noble and we instantly became friends. In 2013 he helped organize the Japanese part of my Asia concert tour and again in 2014. Night's Fioretto ocarinas are expensive but very good.
Focalink
I've made numerous purchases from Zack Shih at Focalink and often perform with Focalink ocarinas. Zack also stands behind every ocarina he sells and is well known for his customer service. Zack Shih acted as a host for me during part of the Taiwan leg of my Asia tour. He was kind enough to drive me around, even bringing me to competitor's shops to shop. Great ocarinas and really nice guy!
Imperial City Ocarinas
This company has only been around for a few years, and admittedly in the beginning I was not a fan of their products. They required too little breath and the seemed very unpolished. Having tried and bought some of their most recently models, I can freely recommend their ocarinas now. I do suggest buying new since you don't know what generation you're getting second hand. If you enjoy a rustic appearance, then these are definitely for you. They are less expensive than many other ocarina makers. This is because they are made by a single maker in China, Song Wei. I suggest going through ICO, since their customer service is top notch. They can also customize ocarinas to your liking.
Pending Writeups :)
6th Street Ocarina
Rotter
Hind
Noble
Gosselink
Ogawa
Gosselink
Hamlett