made by Terry Riley
What is an ocarina?
Have you ever blown over the top of a
bottle? If you position your lips properly you can get an amazing sound
from it as the air vibrates.
An ocarina or " vessel Flute" works on the
same idea. Blow into or over a mouthpiece and you get a note. If you put
holes it it, you can cover them with your fingers and get different
notes.
But why call a vessel flute an ocarina?
Ocarina is Italian slang for "little goose". The instruments made
in Italy looked like little geese.
Tairona bird by Terry Riley
Where do ocarinas come from?
An ocarina is a vessel flute. These little instruments are based on some of the earliest known wind instruments. Gourds, seed cases and animal bone vessel flutes date back at least 40,000 years.
Hsun Flutes from China date back to 6,000 years ago.
South American pottery ocarinas (like the Tairona bird) and vessel flutes date back to just under 4,000 years ago.
ocarina in A
Eclipse ocarina by Terry Riley
polyoc by John Langley