Master Ocarina Maker Interviewed     More ocarina pictures     Listen To Our Ocarinas

More on Alternate Fingerings - Speaking of fingerings, there are two reasons why you should use the right pinky finger to support the end of the ocarina on high notes. In the first place, your left fingers will need to move freely as you get into more complex ornamentation. Their movement is somewhat restricted if the left pinky is anchored down. The only time I use the left pinky to support the ocarina is when dropping directly from a high C, D, or E down to a low C or B. In the second place, supporting with the right pinky is important because your other playing fingers should always stay positioned above or nearby their corresponding tone holes. Holding the ocarina on fast, highly ornamented pieces is like gripping a wet bar of soap if your fingers stray too far out of position.