Hand Made Double Alto D ocarina - ocarina for irish and celtic music

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Technical Information

Playing range: C♯5 to B6

Tuning standard: A440 at 20°C

Weight: 200g

Finish Options

Description

This hand made double alto D ocarina is ideal for playing Irish traditional music. It has a range matching the tin whistle (C#5 to B6), and covers the sounding range of all common Irish tunes.

The Pacchioni system and Irish traditional music

Playing Irish music on this ocarina is easier than Asian double ocarinas as it makes use of the Pacchioni system:

  • The chambers are tuned an octave apart, and have two notes of overlap. The second chamber thus fingers identically to the right hand of the first chamber, sounding an octave higher.
  • The ocarina behaves almost identically to a tin whistle regarding finger ornamentation. The chamber break is between C sharp and D like a tin whistle. Every note that can be rolled on a tin whistle can be on this ocarina.
  • You have more freedom to place chamber switches in musically appropriate places.

Also, in a lot of Irish music there is much less need for chamber switching due to the note overlap between chambers.

Pure Ocarinas include many innovations designed to help you play better, including:

Hand made in the UK

Pure Ocarinas are hand made in the United Kingdom by Robert Hickman. Robert has been making ocarinas since 2011 and being both a player and maker gives him a unique perspective, influencing the design of his instruments.

Improved Ergonomics

Pure Ocarinas were designed from the start as concert quality musical instruments, and great ergonomics is a key focus. They are carefully balanced to sit comfortably in the hand, with ergonomically placed and angled finger holes.

All Pure Ocarinas have a functional tail and cappello that make it easier to hold the ocarina on the high notes. These support points can be used in combination with the 3 point grip, a technique that keeps the right hand fingers close to their finger holes when playing the high notes. Using these support points allows large leaps to be played easily.

The physical weight of the ocarina has also been reduced, as it is easier to support a lighter instrument.

Learn more about ergonomics --->

Great chamber balance

Our multichamber ocarinas place a great deal of attention on balancing the breath pressure requirements between chambers. The first chamber is tuned with a shallow linear breath curve, like the single chambers. The Second chamber is then tuned to begin from the pressure of the high end of the first chamber, and increases even more gently. Having a shallow and predictable breath curve makes it easier for you to play complex music with good intonation.

Tuning

The tuning of Pure Ocarinas are individually adjusted by hand to ensure an even breath curve over the entire playing range. All glaze is cleaned out of the holes before firing as stray glaze would mess up the tuning.

These ocarinas are tuned to play in a440 concert pitch at 20 degrees centigrade, with a shallow breath curve that is consistent over the instrument's entire range.

How the different finishes feel

It is important to note that different finishes feel different to play. I can summarise as follows:

  • Shellac. Natural shellac has been used to finish ocarinas for hundreds of years. It is durable and has a good feel, but can feel slightly sticky if your fingers are damp.
  • Plain. The plain surface of the ceramic. A plain finish is advantageous if you tend to have damp fingers as earthenware is porous. It will absorb finger moisture and keep your fingers dry, resulting in a more consistent feel. Though it does stain over time and can only be cleaned by re-firing to burn it out.

Sliding movements on shellac ocarinas can be made significantly easier by covering your fingers with talk or chalk dust. This serves to absorb any moisture present and prevents the gripping surface of the skin touching the instrument.

I personally prefer plain finished ocarinas as it has the best feel to me. The staining does not bother me as they age to a slightly yellowed appearance similar to old bone, a likeness frequently cited by people who have seen my instruments.

Reviews

Item Rating: 5 of 5

Best ocarina I own

I took awhile to sit on this ocarina before commenting. I’m a recorder player and play a lot of those in my collection, and got into the ocarina because I thought it would be similar. I’ve become a fan of mostly single chamber transverse and getting them in different keys.

This is the only double ocarina I’ve bought that I enjoy. The fingering system matches my voiceflute that I love so dearly, and it even matches in the second chamber. The second chamber, can we talk about that? This instrument is kinda ingenious in design. It has a second thumb hole that took me forever to figure out just how great it is.

Between the two chambers there’s a little hole for your left thumb to move to, and it is able to do ALL accidentals. It’s perfect. There’s also two tuning holes on the side of the instrument on the right side that I have found ways to reach and get even more interesting notes and fingerings. I know the maker isn’t keen on acute bends, but I use it to get down to B4.

The second chamber is marvelous and by far the best second chamber of any multi chamber I have. The left chamber is also great though. It’s pitched wonderfully and the left thumb hole is simply beautiful. It’s in the best placement. That left thumb hole is so ergonomic.

I’ve had some minor gripes with STL and a few more with Imperial City, but none with Pure. This instrument looks like a conch shell. It’s gorgeous. It makes both chambers useful. The light difference line on the right hand is comfortable and makes it easy to go between. I’ve even done both chambers at once.

The only other multi chamber I’ve ever liked was the STL Panflute. Every other multi I got from STL or Imperial City was uncomfortable and not ergonomic. This is much easier to hold and also more aesthetically pleasing, and all the features on the second chamber leave my mouth on the floor with how cool and useful they are in comparison.


Item Rating: 5 of 5

Pure Double Alto D - Shellac

Finally received my Pure alto D, and I'm very happy with it. After a few days of being able to play around with it, I must say that it's easily the most ergonomically comfortable ocarina I've played. The breath curve is fairly minimal - I was able to comfortably play the entire range without having to increase or decrease my breath pressure too much.

Although the overlap tuning system of the double D doesn't offer the range as my other doubles, it does make playing certain tunes that require chamber switching frequently between the first and second chamber easier, as I don't have to switch chambers as much.

Aesthetically, it's a simple design, but it's very much catered to the comfort of the player, and the shellac finish is gorgeous. Overall, this ocarina ticks most of the boxes for me. I'd recommend it if you're looking for a quality double ocarina in P tuning system.


Item Rating: 5 of 5

Excellent Instrument

This is, simply put, the finest ocarina I have ever played. I've owned many "high end" ocarinas that are far more expensive than this, but none match the attention to detail to be found here. The ergonomics are perfect, the instrument balances beautifully in the hands, and the chamber balance is excellent. The breath curve is smooth and predictable, the tuning is excellent, and the tone is just the right balance of breathy and pure. It is an absolute joy to play.

Many ocarina makers are artists, and approach the making of their instruments as such. But making sound is also a product of science and engineering, and I believe no other ocarina maker combines the art, science, and engineering of ocarina making the way Robert does. His thoughtfulness and attention to detail are evident in every aspect of the instrument. I cannot recommend this instrument highly enough.