Tips for beginners who want to play the ocarina ?
Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2026 11:37 am
Hi,
So I picked up a 12-hole ceramic ocarina a few weeks ago, soprano in C this time (switched from the D one I mentioned before, felt more manageable for a starter). I used to play recorder as a kid for a few years, so reading sheet music isn't the problem... the breath control is something else entirely. The moment I try play the ocarina on anything with a fast melodic run, the pitch just collapses on me. I've been going through some Bach pieces on IMSLP, trying to find transcriptions light enough to work on without embarrassing myself, but most stuff I find is either too simple (nursery rhyme level) or way too demanding for where I'm at right now. Anyone here found repertoire that sits in between ? Or exercises specifically targeting breath steadiness ? I'm not in a rush, I just want to build decent foundations before I move on to anything more serious. Appreciate any pointer.
So I picked up a 12-hole ceramic ocarina a few weeks ago, soprano in C this time (switched from the D one I mentioned before, felt more manageable for a starter). I used to play recorder as a kid for a few years, so reading sheet music isn't the problem... the breath control is something else entirely. The moment I try play the ocarina on anything with a fast melodic run, the pitch just collapses on me. I've been going through some Bach pieces on IMSLP, trying to find transcriptions light enough to work on without embarrassing myself, but most stuff I find is either too simple (nursery rhyme level) or way too demanding for where I'm at right now. Anyone here found repertoire that sits in between ? Or exercises specifically targeting breath steadiness ? I'm not in a rush, I just want to build decent foundations before I move on to anything more serious. Appreciate any pointer.