The ocarina is an ancient wind instrument used by many cultures around the world. While traditional ocarinas are usually made from clay or vegetables, you can make your own with just your hands. It's quite difficult to master the hand version of the ocarine, but if you succeed, you can move from basic blows to simple songs and so on.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Whistling with Hands
Step 1. Place your hands in front of you
Position your hands apart with your fingertips facing the ceiling and your palms facing each other. Your thumb should be pointing up too. Basically, this position is like the position of people praying, then keep your hands away from each other.
Step 2. Bring your palms together by turning your left hand
Bring your hands together as if clapping. As you do this, rotate your left hand so that your fingertips are pointing forward (not up). When your hands touch, the bottom of your left palm will be facing the bottom of your right thumb.
The directions listed here are intended for right handed users. If you are left-handed, it may be easier to "reverse the directions on the right or left and the hand referred to in this step" (i.e. by turning the right hand in this step, etc.)
Step 3. Cup your hands together
Now, bend your fingers until each hand grips the other. The fingers of your right hand should bend between your left thumb and index finger. Meanwhile, the fingers of your left hand should be cupped on the side of your right little finger.
Step 4. Hold your thumbs together
Without letting go of your hands, adjust the position of your thumbs so that the insides of your knuckles touch each other. Your thumb nail should be aligned in front of your right index finger.
Now between the thumbs there will be a small gap just a few millimeters long. This gap is the sound hole - this is where you will blow air into the ocarina and also where the whistling sound will come out of
Step 5. Glue your lips to your thumb knuckles
Open your lips slightly (like forming the word “Oooh”). Position your lips so that the “o” shape of your lips is just below your knuckle. In other words, your upper lip should be against the knuckles of your thumb and your bottom lip should be at the top halfway between your thumbs.
Step 6. Blow your hands
Blow a steady stream of air through the top of the gap between your thumbs. In other words, you have to blow air just under your thumb knuckles. If you do it right, you'll hear a whistling sound that sounds like an owl or a wooden train whistling.
Don't use your vocal cords to make the carina sound (i.e. say "ooh" or "aah" while blowing air). Blow as hard as you can, like making a whistling sound from an empty bottle
Step 7. Make small adjustments until you can make a consistent whistling sound
Making these hand ocarina sounds can be quite difficult to do, especially if it's your first time trying it. If all you hear is a loud, dry, pitchless wind, it's likely one of many common mistakes you're making. See below:
- Chances are your ocarina is less "tight". Try to adjust the shape of your hands so that the gaps in the corners of your hands can be closed. You don't have to squeeze your hands tightly - just make sure that no air escapes.
- Your voice gap may be poorly shaped. Try bringing your thumbs together to make the gap a bit smaller.
- Chances are you blew into the wrong place. Try moving your lips slightly up and down or widen the "o" that forms from your lips. Don't forget to blow air into the top halfway between your thumbs.
Part 2 of 2: Making Different Tones
Step 1. Try lifting the fingers of your right hand
Blowing air out of the ocarina through a slit other than the slit will affect the pitch of the whistle that is formed. A more controlled way to do this method is to lift all four fingers of your right hand up and down, mimicking the movement of a flute player. Lift at most two of your fingers at the same time - the more air you can get out the harder it will be to get the notes.
Keep in mind that this is difficult to do without making a noisy “wind” sound from your whistle. You should keep your grips "seal" well, lift your fingers slightly, and blow as much air as possible to maintain the tone. Learning to tune these notes can take as much time as learning to make the sounds themselves
Step 2. Try changing the distance between the hands
The tone you hear emanating from this hand ocarina is the air vibrating inside your hand. Making the space in the grip of your hand increase or decrease by changing the position of your hand will affect the amount of air that can enter the ocarina of your hand and can then affect the tone that is emitted. Don't forget to keep your hand "seal" secure so that no air can escape.
Reducing the space (bringing your hands closer together) will result in a higher pitch
Step 3. Try changing the shape of your lips
Changing how you blow air can also change the pitch that will come out of your ocarina. Try making a smaller "o" shape with your lips for a higher note or a larger "o" shape for a lower note.
Experienced harmonica players use a technique called "draw bend" to change notes. You can get the same result by pulling your tongue behind your mouth while blowing air to "bend" your note down. Much needed practice
Tips
- Don't despair if you don't succeed on the first try. This can be learned in minutes for some, but for others it can take days or weeks.
- Keep your hands clean and dry. Hand humidity can affect the ability of the air to vibrate in the space of your hand and produce a tone. It can also affect the density of your grip.
- Try not to strain, keep your hands loose but airtight, and imagine that you are holding a golf ball in your hand.
