How ocarina music is notated

Music notation can relate to the pitches on an ocarina in a number of ways. Let's start by considering an alto C ocarina, music for one is typically written in treble clef, such that the instrument's low C relates to the C ledger line below the staff, and the top line correlates to the instrument's high F.

Strictly speaking, playing music in this range on an alto ocarina sounds an octave higher than written. The C ledger line is technically middle C on a piano, or C4 in scientific pitch notation, an octave lower than an alto C ocarina's low C.

It is common to notate music for contrabass C, bass C, and soprano C ocarinas using the same range of pitches on the staff. In this case the notation for the bass C ocarina sounds at the written pitch, and the others get implicitly transposed up or down by one or more octaves.

Doing this is natural, because ocarinas in all ranges have the same fingerings, it is easy to learn on an alto C, and that same player can automatically also read music for higher or lower pitched ocarinas.

Adapting music for other instruments

It is worth noting that you will often be playing from music that was originally written for a different instrument. Little music has been written or arranged for ocarina as of the time I am writing this.

It is not difficult to find music notation out in the world which fits in the indicated C to F range. You can also sometimes find music that is notated in a higher range, 3rd space C and up, which is actually then sounding at the written pitch.

It is also common to encounter music that has a range that fits, but that goes too low or high for an alto C single chamber. One can then play an ocarina in a different key, and the following points will apply.

Notation for ocarinas not in C

Ocarinas that are not in C generally use the same fingering patterns as C instruments, but sound a different set of pitches. Western music theory handles instruments that are not tuned in C using two different approaches:

Concert pitch instrument

The notes written on the staff correspond directly to the pitches being played on the instrument. A C written on the staff would be played using one fingering on a C ocarina, but a different fingering on a G ocarina, in order to sound the pitch 'c' as a chromatic tuner would indicate.

Transposing instruments

A 'transposing instrument' is a mental model where a player treats instruments in other keys, as if they were tuned in C. Thus a piece of music for C ocarina and G ocarina, would be notated in the same positions on the staff.

If one is playing with a group, the notation is transposed in advance so that it sounds at the correct pitch when performed, with the instrument transposing the pitch up or down by a given interval.

Is the ocarina a transposing instrument?

Ocarinas are treated as a transposing instrument in some contexts. For example an ocarina septet or other ocarina ensembles usually notate music for all of the ocarinas in treble clef, as-if it was for an alto C ocarina.

However, in other contexts, learning how to play ocarinas as concert pitch instruments has considerable benefits. Thus, I feel that the ocarina should not be considered strictly to be either a transposing instrument or concert pitch instrument.

Playing ocarinas as transposing instruments works effectively in the case where a musician is performing pre-arranged music exactly as it is notated. It allows a player to perform their part, without needing to consider the pitch of the instrument, and how this relates to the notes on the staff.

This may be particularly advantageous if a player must switch between ocarinas in different keys, within the context of a single performance. Clarinet is an example of a common instrument where this applies, B flat and E flat instruments are commonly used and a player may need to switch in the middle of a performance.

The disadvantages of treating ocarinas as transposing instruments

There is little music arranged for ocarina.

Very little music exists that was written for or arranged for ocarina at this time. Most of the time you will be adapting notation that was originally intended for a different instrument.

It then becomes the player's job to work out what kind of ocarina must be used to perform a given song, and thinking of ocarinas as transposing instruments makes this task more difficult. The player must take the time to work out the ocarina they will use, then transpose the music appropriately for it, before they can play anything.

It is an obstacle to spontaneous group performances

Needing to transpose music is a significant obstacle to spontaneous performances. Say you encounter a group of musicians who want you to play with them on the spot, and they have music notated in concert pitch. Playing it requires a G ocarina to fit the notated range. If you are only familiar with playing as a transposing instrument you won't be able to participate.

I also think that considering ocarinas as transposing instruments is cumbersome if one is improvising or jamming with other musicians, making up music on the spot. To do so, one needs to know how to play their instrument in the same key as the group. Naming the notes on the instrument differently to their true pitch makes this needlessly difficult.

Substituting one ocarina for another.

It is also possible that a player may wish to substitute one type of ocarina for another in a performance. For example, substituting an alto G double for a 12 hole single chamber, in order to make use of the stronger low notes that a multichamber provides. Swapping a triple C ocarina for a soprano G because they prefer playing multichambers, is another case where one may do this.

If the notation is written out transposed assuming an ocarina in a given key, working out how to make such instrument substitutions is quite difficult. The player must either re-transpose the notation by hand, or do the same mentally in their head.

It obscures the harmonic relationship between parts in a score.

If one is viewing a score for multiple ocarinas as a whole, having all of the parts transposed makes it difficult to see the harmonic relationships between different parts in a complex composition.

Players with absolute (perfect) pitch.

Transposing instruments can be confusing for players that have absolute pitch, the ability to hear a note and know its letter subconsciously. It can be confusing because the pitch written is not the pitch sounded.

Advantages of viewing ocarina as a concert pitch instrument

The main advantage of considering ocarinas as concert pitch instruments is that there is a one to one association between the notes written and the notes played. The note written is the note actually being sounded,

This is very useful, because it is common to want to adapt music from another instrument. If you look through arbitrary books of sheet music, its easy to find things that are written in the correct range, but in a key that does not work for the range of an alto C. You can then consider what key of ocarina must be used, and just play the music exactly as it is.

This eliminates the need to mentally or physically transpose the music, saving you a lot of work. It also makes on the spot performances, much easier to handle. Improvisational playing with a group is another space where thinking of notes in the pitch they sound at is advantageous.

The main disadvantage is that it can feel like a lot of work to learn how to associate the instrument's fingerings to sheet music, for ocarinas in different keys. Much of that perceived difficulty is actually a result of common teaching methods, and can be easily avoided by using a different approach.

Summary

Music for alto C ocarinas is generally notated between the ledger line C and top line F on a treble clef.

Ocarinas in other keys can be considered to be either transposing instruments, or concert pitch instruments. Both approaches have their pros and cons, and I feel strongly that the instrument should not be boxed strictly into either category.

If one is publishing written notation, it's important to indicate how the player should interpret the notation, is this written in concert pitch, or is it transposed for an ocarina in a given key? Generally, I think that having both options available is desirable.

Another option is to provide notation in a machine-readable format, as it allows the player to easily transpose it as they wish.