Learning and ocarina education
The ocarina is a 19th century Italian instrument with a deep playing tradition. These practice tools and educational resources are designed to help you learn to play the ocarina skilfully, with particular emphasis on building a toolkit of broadly applicable fundamental skills.
Fundamental skills underpin everything one does in music, and are not the same as 'beginner skills'. One may learn these things as a beginner, yet they can be refined continually over one's entire life playing the ocarina.
We also believe that much of the fun in learning comes from exploration and figuring things out. Our resources teach you how to craft practice approaches that enable you to play the music you want to play.
Getting started
Start playing the ocarina
Get your ocarina playing started on the right foot. Learn the fundamentals that will hold you from beginner to expert.
Effective practice
Understand how practice works with your brain, and optimise your approach to get great results fast.
Intonation practice tools
Utilise our practice drone, pitch graph, and chromatic tuner right in your browser. Enhance your breath control and intonation.
Reading sheet music
Learn to sight read sheet music on the ocarina subconsciously. Internalise the common rhythm and fingering patterns of music, then connect them with the visual patterns of notation.
Playing the ocarina by ear
Develop your ear, learn to understand what you're hearing, and perform it on the ocarina.
Get the book
Serious Ocarina Player covers everything you need to know to play the ocarina well, including how to identify good instruments, develop skilful playing techniques, play by ear or from sheet music, use ornamentation, and much more. There is something for everyone, from beginners, to experienced musicians. Learn more--->
Information rich and actionable content
Early on it becomes clear the author understands not only the content, but also how to share that with others in an understandable way. I've been essentially floundering since I picked up an ocarina 10 years ago, and the breath of fresh air this has given me makes me feel like I can actually play properly! I cannot recommend this book enough.
The Ocarina Bible
This book is pretty well known in the ocarina community and often referred as "The Ocarina Bible", not only to shorten the title but also because, well... everything you need to know is inside!
Everything you need to know about the ocarina is in this book!
I truly cannot recommend this book highly enough to anyone looking to improve their performance on the ocarina. If you are new to the instrument, following the carefully written advice within will put you right on the correct methods regarding breathing while playing, holding the instrument, performance, precision, and learning how to play in general.
Practice tools
Scale, interval, and melodic figure practice
These tools generate scale and interval exercises for many different types of ocarinas, with fingering charts and audio to guide you. Scales and intervals are the basis of all music, enabling you to move around the notes on your instrument with ease.
Music to practice playing by ear
A large collection of tunes that fit in the range of a single chamber ocarina, organised by difficulty. Use these to practice playing by ear, knowing with confidence that the note you're hearing does exist on your instrument.
Phrase-by-phrase tune practice tool
Practice tunes in ABC notation with our tool. It breaks tunes into small chunks, offering audio to guide your intonation and rhythm.
Ocarina workshops and tuition
Book Robert to teach a workshop in person, covering topics ranging from the basics, ornamentation, or the performance of Irish music. Find out more.