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Playing the G Ocarina as a Non-transposing Instrument (2) - What is the difference between a transposing instrument and a non-transposing instrument? The ocarinas that I presently sell are fully chromatic instruments in the keys of C and G. (Other keys will follow as time permits.) C ocarinas and pianos are both considered non-transposing instruments. In other words, when you read and finger a C note, the instrument plays a C note. On the other hand, trumpets (usually Bb instruments), saxophones (usually Bb or Eb instruments), Clarinets (A or Bb instruments), French horns, cornets, mellophones, etc., and G ocarinas are all considered transposing instruments. A Bb trumpet is called a transposing instrument because when a trumpet player reads and fingers a C note, the trumpet actually sounds a Bb; likewise, when a G ocarina player reads a C, the ocarina actually sounds a G.