Choosing Your Ocarina
The number of ocarinas I offer can seem overwhelming at first, but narrowing
down the choices is not as hard as you might think. Here I will lead you through a
simple process of elimination that will enable you to confidently choose the
ocarina that's right for YOU.
It's easy, so let's get started...
- #1- Which shape?
- This choice usually comes down to price. The Inline ocarinas start at around $36. The Sweet Potatoes start at $225.
I make the Inline ocarinas in small batches to save time on cutting all the duplicate parts. This, along with their simple shape, makes them less expensive. The craftsmanship and tone quality of these ocarinas will surpass your expectations.
Each Sweet Potato is a unique creation, individually made, one at a time, from start to finish. Its musical range is greater than the Inline ocarinas, and every aspect of construction is given more attention to detail in the pursuit of perfection. Its free flowing form has a mysterious quality that makes it perfect for display as unique and unusual sculptural art. Hardwood display stands are available for this purpose.
- This choice usually comes down to price. The Inline ocarinas start at around $36. The Sweet Potatoes start at $225.
- #2- Which size?
- Once you have decided on the type of ocarina you want, the size
you choose depends on two things:
- Sound... Do you like high sounds or low
sounds? The small instruments sound high, and the bigger instruments
sound lower. Listen to my
sound samples to decide which ocarina's sound
you like best. Too see how the ocarina ranges relate to each other, see
my Range
Comparison Chart. Remember... if you like the sound of your ocarina, you
will play it more. The more you play it the better you'll get. The
better you get, the more you'll enjoy it. The more you enjoy it, the
more you'll play it. It's a vicious cycle!
- Size...Do you want to hang it around
your neck or carry it in your pocket? All my instruments come with a
cloth carrying bag, but the smallest Inline ocarinas also come
on a neck cord. You can see the exact size of each ocarina by clicking
on the gold "Specifications" tab at the bottom of each individual ocarina
page.
- Once you have decided on the type of ocarina you want, the size
you choose depends on two things:
- #3- Which wood?
- Original oval shape
ocarinas are available only in African Sapele. If you want one in a
special exotic wood, I do accept custom orders, but the price will be
significantly more because of the time involved in making one unique
instrument.
- Sweet Potatoes are made in many
different woods. Look
HERE to see
an assortment of some of the many woods I have used. I am happy to talk to you about special requests, but some exotic
species are hard to obtain in sizes large enough for the tenor and bass
sweet potatoes.
- Original oval shape
ocarinas are available only in African Sapele. If you want one in a
special exotic wood, I do accept custom orders, but the price will be
significantly more because of the time involved in making one unique
instrument.
- #4- That's It!
- Now that you know what to look for, take some time to become familiar with my site. There is a wealth of information here about every type and size ocarina I make. The navigation bars will guide you to sound samples, videos, fingering charts, and free songs. My goal is to make your ocarina buying experience a pleasant one. As always, please contact me if you have any questions. I am happy to help you in any way I can.
