~~FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS~~

Q: Where can I buy a Zelda Ocarina like yours?
A: The only place you can find this Ocarina is on ebay. Spencer Register (the maker) has had to put his ocarina website on hold due to a leg injury, but he will continue to sell one Zelda Ocarina at a time on Ebay. (Check the description in my "Song of Time" video for more info)

Q: What kind of Ocarina is your Zelda Replica?
A: It's a 12-Hole "Alto C" (or AC). In America, it's also known as a Tenor. It's categorized as a Transverse (Sweet Potato) Ocarina.

Q: Ocarinas are real?!
A: Yes. Contrary to popular belief, early models of the ocarina have been around for thousands of years. The Ocarina as we know it today was invented in Italy in the late 1800's by a man named Giuseppe Donati. Ocarinas were popular in Europe and Asia WAY before LoZ: OoT ever came out...even though that's how I discovered them :)

Q: Are they hard to play?
A: Not at all! I play several instruments, and this was the easiest to learn.

Q: Can I buy your Ocarinas?
A: Ummm...no. lol.

Q: I want to start playing. What do I need to know?
A: Basically, there are two Ocarina types I would recommend to start with - The English Pendant or the Sweet Potato/Transverse. Here are the pros/cons of both:

English Pendant (4-6 Holes)
> Up to 10 Diatonic Notes
> Requires 4-6 fingers
> Cross-finger pattern (combinations)
> Lighter; can be worn comfortably

Sweet Potato/Tranverse (10-12 Holes)
> Up to 13 Diatonic Notes
> Requires use of all fingers
> Linear finger pattern (Right-Left)
> Heavier; Not always good for wearing

Another thing to consider is age; I believe pendants are good for kids and Transverse for Teens-Adults.

Q: Where should I buy my first Ocarina?
A: I've listed some good websites to start with in my "Ocarina Links" box (in the middle of my channel)

Q: Do you use/make tabs?
A: No. For the most part, I learn everything by ear. But we have music and tabs at OcarinasUnited.org.

For more information on Ocarinas, you can check out my videos, subscribe, and visit my myspace. Thanks and enjoy the exciting world of Ocarinas!

------------------------------ -----------

If you would like to buy an ocarina, here are some questions to ask yourself:

1) Why do I want an Ocarina? If you just want to own one as a collectible, try not to spend too much money for sound quality. If you're interested in actually learning...

2) How much are you willing to spend? If you're just beginning, I wouldn't spend more than $20-$60 for a good one but typically the better sound of the ocarina, the more expensive ($60-$300).

3) Does it matter to you between a transverse (potato), inline, or pendant ocarina? Or do you just want whatever plays best and/or is most comfortable? You should also like how the ocarina looks...

4) Do you want an ocarina that you can carry with you wherever you go? Most Transverse ocarinas cannot fit in your pocket, but the smaller pendant, peruvian and inlines can. They also can come with neckstraps.

------------------------------ -----------