For the gamers among us, it’s very likely that the first time you ever heard of an ocarina was in the game “The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time”. In fact, the stats read that the manufacturers of the ocarina watched business skyrocket after this game was introduced.
Tons of people wanted to play the ocarina after plying the Nintendo 64 game.
That said, ocarinas come in different sizes, shapes and designs and deciding on the best one for your needs can be quite a chore. An inexperienced eye would definitely face a major challenge because even the experienced eyes do sometimes.
So, to make your work easier, we have rounded up our top 6 ocarinas, prepared a quick comparison table, and even thrown in a guide to help make the decision process a lot easier.
So, if you’re ready, let’s hit the road.
Contents
- Top 6 Best Ocarina Instrument To Buy In 2023 Reviews
- 1 Songbird 12 Hole Dragon Tooth Ocarina – With Free Songbook And Tutorial Included
- 2 Night By Noble Plastic Ocarina – Less Fragile Ocarina Perfect For Travel With Warmer, Brighter Tones
- 3 Songbird Ocarina Of Time – Replica From The Legend Of Zelda Kokiri Edition With Zelda Song book.
- 4 OcarinaWind Forest Whisper 12 Hole Ocarina – Gorgeous Straw-fired Finish With Exceptional Breath Response
- 5 OcarinaWind 12 Hole White Ocarina – Best For Beginners, Nice Pouch Included Makes Perfect Gift Idea
- 6 Cheffort 12 Hole Ocarina – Affordable Ocarina From The Legend Of Zelda
- Best Ocarina Buying Guide
Top 6 Best Ocarina Instrument To Buy In 2023 Reviews
| Name | Holes | Material | Octave Range / Tuning | Weight | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Best Choice Songbird 12 Hole Dragon Tooth Ocarina  View Price | Holes 12 | Material Ceramic | Octave Range / Tuning A – F / Alto C | Weight 1.3 pounds | Finish Metallic luster |
Also Great Night By Noble Plastic Ocarina  View Price | Holes 12 | Material Plastic | Octave Range / Tuning Not specified / Alto C | Weight 5 ounces | Finish Black |
Also Great Songbird Ocarina Of Time  View Price | Holes 6 | Material Plastic | Octave Range / Tuning Not specified / Alto C | Weight 3.84 ounces | Finish Blue |
Holes 12 | Material Ceramic | Octave Range / Tuning A4 – F6 / Alto C | Weight 12.8 ounces | Finish Brown | |
Also Great OcarinaWind 12 Hole White Ocarina  View Price | Holes 12 | Material Ceramic | Octave Range / Tuning A4 – F6 / Alto C | Weight 9 ounces | Finish White |
Also Great Cheffort 12 Hole Ocarina  View Price | Holes 12 | Material Kiln-fired ceramic | Octave Range / Tuning A4 – F6 / Alto C | Weight 12 ounces | Finish Blue |
1 Songbird 12 Hole Dragon Tooth Ocarina – With Free Songbook And Tutorial Included
The Songbird Dragon Tooth Ocarina, is a nicely sized, nicely weighted ocarina that everyone would enjoy playing. It is very easy to play and even comes with a tutorial and song book to help make the learning phase of the ocarina less frustrating and more interesting.
You’ll enjoy the instrument more as you make rapid progress with the materials Songbird has included in this package.
This ocarina comes with a metallic luster with a brilliant iridescence radiating from it. So, there’s this blackish base layer, and then from it, you also some purples, greens, and blues also reflecting from the base layer. Pretty intriguing stuff.
Anyway, moving on from the looks to the sound of this instrument… We totally adore the sound from this ocarina! It is full. It’s rich. Also, it is vivid. And it is beautifully clear!
For those who play the clarinet or other wind instruments, you’d find this ocarina the perfect ergonomic shape for you. It’s so shaped in a way that makes it easy for anyone to make the switch from wind instruments to the ocarina.
And then again, this comes handmade, so there’s the undoubted assurance of quality you get when you get this ocarina. And did we mention that Songbird has the most amiable customer service for miles?
Lastly, to help make storage a lot easier, this ocarina even comes with a chain. What more do we want?
(4.4 / 5)- Comes with songbook and tutorials.
- Brilliant metallic luster.
- Ergonomically shaped.
- Comes with a chain to hang instrument.
- Full, rich, clear sound.
- It’s not an ideal ocarina for a beginner.
2 Night By Noble Plastic Ocarina – Less Fragile Ocarina Perfect For Travel With Warmer, Brighter Tones
If you don’t care for the mellower sound of a ceramic ocarina, then you should probably consider a plastic one. Plastic ocarinas usually produced a brighter, warmer tone. The volume produced is also usually also quite loud as well.
And we have to also commend the fact that this instrument comes perfectly tuned. This is one attribute that is pretty difficult especially in affordable plastic ocarinas.
We know you’re probably wondering how you’ll cope with the taste of rubber in your mouth as you play. Well, thankfully, this isn’t one of those ocarinas. It is very well manufactured so don’t expect the worst. There won’t be any “plasticky” taste, trust us.
Again, because this is plastic, it easily makes a great travel buddy. And we can assure you of the durability of this ocarina come what may.
Being plastic, one thing is sure, it can handle quite a beating. Klutz or not, your ocarina is going to hold up for a long time to come delivering value for your money.
And that’s not all, the holes are also quite easy to finger and will give the perfect opportunity to master fingering for the average ocarina player. This adds to the playability of this instrument which is already great, by the way.
Generally, this is a great looking, durable instrument with a performance that is out of this world. We love!
(4.7 / 5)- It’s great for travel as it is made from plastic and can withstand heavy damage.
- No rubberized plastic taste.
- Finger holes are properly sized to accommodate the average player.
- Properly tuned.
- Nice-looking black finish.
- Being made of plastic, it tends to accumulate saliva after a while. So you’d have to clean the instrument often to maintain peak performance.
3 Songbird Ocarina Of Time – Replica From The Legend Of Zelda Kokiri Edition With Zelda Song book.
For the gamers and Zelda fans, here is your Ocarina of Time proudly brought to you by Songbird. This ocarina is made in the exact same model as the one used by Link to save Hyrule!
And to make your Zelda experience complete, this ocarina also comes with a Zelda songbook. And check out all the songs in this book. The book contains all the songs from the Zelda game that you’ve been itching to play:
- Zelda’s lullaby.
- Saria’s Song (Lost Woods).
- Kokiri Forest.
- Epona’s Song (Lon Lon Ranch).
- Song of Storms (Windmill Song).
- The Market Song.
- Song of Time.
Your mouth is already watering, isn’t it? Record your song maybe and share with us?
Alright, to other aspects of this ocarina… it is a plastic ocarina just like the last one we reviewed. So, it comes with all the accompanying advantages.
It’s less fragile, produces a warmer and brighter tone and makes a great travel buddy and ocarina choice for clumsy peeps.
Although this is a 6 hole ocarina, it still delivers the octave range of a 12 hole ocarina. But beware though, Songbird had some fake holes created in order to make the ocarina true to the game.
Besides that, the high notes are easy to hit on this ocarina. It doesn’t take too much effort or blowing power, which is one of the reasons we are in love with this instrument from Songbird.
(4.5 / 5)- Ocarina replica from the Legend of Zelda.
- Comes with Zelda songbook with all the songs from the Legend of Zelda game.
- Made of plastic which can withstand heavy damage.
- Bright, warm tone.
- Fingering on this ocarina is non-intuitive and a bit difficult because of the placement of the holes.
4 OcarinaWind Forest Whisper 12 Hole Ocarina – Gorgeous Straw-fired Finish With Exceptional Breath Response
Although straw firing the ocarina is what contributes to its really gorgeous finish, you might notice something when you first get the instrument. It might tend to smell just a teeny bit of smoke. Now, if this bothers you, as it should, don’t worry. Over time, it will gradually dissipate and the smell will go away completely.
But aside that, this ocarina is generally pleasing to the eyes. You might notice a few chips in the finish of this instrument here and there though. But then again, at this price point, it is generally great.
The holes are pretty well sized and pretty well spaced. It makes it easier for beginners and professionals to practice and perfect their fingering.
Now, what do we think about the sound of this thing?
For one, the ocarina is extremely responsive so it doesn’t take too much breath to get it to deliver a beautiful sound. Of course, being made of ceramic, the sound is mellower than you’d find on a plastic ocarina. But it is still a pleasant sound nonetheless.
The high notes are super easy to hit as well. So, you can tell this is high quality ocarina in your hands.
And this is another reason this makes a great ocarina choice for beginners.
(4.5 / 5)- Great for beginners.
- Very easy to play.
- Holes are well placed and well spaced.
- Exceptionally responsive ocarina.
- Produces pleasant, mellow sounds.
- Slightly off tune but you can correct that with proper mouth positioning.
5 OcarinaWind 12 Hole White Ocarina – Best For Beginners, Nice Pouch Included Makes Perfect Gift Idea
We absolutely love the fact that this ocarina comes perfectly tuned. If you want, you can try confirming that by playing it along with your piano, you’d be impressed.
And with a correctly tuned ocarina, you can be sure that playing will be a lot easier, especially for a beginner. The tune is true to the alto C as advertised and you’d love the way it sounds in your ears.
This ocarina is quite sleek but not too slippery such that your fingers slip off if they get sweaty. This works especially for players that live in hot climates.
Now, let’s talk playability…
This ocarina is quite easy and simple to play. Getting your breathing right while playing this instrument is not difficult at all, and that’s much appreciated. You don’t have to blow so hard to get a great sound.
You simply cannot compare the sound and tone from this ocarina to other cheaper models.
And yeah, we have to mention that this instrument comes with a really nice pouch. You know ceramic can be quite fragile but this pouch is so soft on the inside. And so, it is able to protect your ocarina should it mistakenly fall or something.
Finally, because this ocarina hits some really low notes, it is an excellent choice for performing classical music as well.
(4.5 / 5)- Correctly tuned.
- Sleek but not too smooth to encourage finger slippage.
- Easy and simple to play.
- Comes with a nice pouch to protect the ocarina.
- Excellent for playing classical music.
- Super gorgeous!
- The songbook included is a nice touch but not properly edited. Turning the book in the middle of practice is extremely inconvenient since both hands are on the instrument at the same time.
6 Cheffort 12 Hole Ocarina – Affordable Ocarina From The Legend Of Zelda
Here is another ocarina for the Legend of Zelda fans. This is more affordable just in case the other ocarina was a bit out of your range. Maybe here’s a good place to add that the legend is totally fictional so don’t expect it to start raining when you start playing this ocarina.
This might seem obvious but some people actually do wonder.
Now, you need to keep in mind that this is the most affordable ocarina on our list. It does a mean job no doubt. But you might want to keep it down on your expectations.
For those who have played the Legend of Zelda, you know that this ocarina sounds just like what Link played in the game. And that’s pretty exciting.
It comes with a pretty beautiful finish and a nice lace to hang it up when you need to.
Now, to the sound… It does sound quite nicely. It’s made of ceramic so the sound generally comes out mellow and lovely. But there’s a small catch, it does come a little off tuned.
But aside that, this is a truly remarkable ocarina, especially for the price.
(4.3 / 5)- Looks exactly like the ocarina in the Legend of Zelda.
- Sounds exactly like the ocarina in the game.
- Beautiful finish.
- Very affordable.
- Comes slightly off tune.
Best Ocarina Buying Guide
The ocarina isn’t a very popular or even modern instrument. Like we said the reason many people are now familiar with the instrument is because of the Nintendo. And if you don’t believe us, ask the manufacturers of the ocarina, they’ll tell you how business boomed after the game was made.
So, let’s start at the beginning.
What In The World Is An Ocarina?
An ocarina is an ancient, flutelike instrument. And even though it just gained recent popularity, this instrument has actually been around for more than 12 000 years.
Typically, an ocarina features some holes which create the different notes that you hear. These holes can be anything from 4 to 12 in number.
Generally, an ocarina has a very easy learning curve and the experts recommend it for musicians at the beginning level who wish to learn to sight read.
How Does An Ocarina Look?
Because ocarinas have their roots steeped in different cultures from around the globe, they usually reflect the culture from which they originate. So, you’d usually find different ocarinas taking up different interesting sizes, shapes, and colors.
However, ocarinas generally look smallish and come with a number of holes (usually between 4 and 12).
Ocarinas may come with diverse kinds of embellishments. And like we said, these embellishments depend on the root culture from which the ocarina originates, as well as the manufacturer of the instrument.
In fact, in response to demand, many manufacturers now carry ocarinas just like the ones featured in the Zelda game from Nintendo.
How Do You Play An Ocarina?
The ocarina is actually so very easy to learn. Probably one of the easiest instruments you’d encounter in your time as a musician.
So, in simple terms, you play the ocarina just like you’d play a flute. Simply blow into in the mouth hole.
As you expect, blowing a bit harder on the ocarina would make the pitch get increasingly higher. And if you blow lightly, the pitch changes and gets lower.
Now to the holes… If you’ve ever played a flute or a recorder, you know something about covering the holes.
If you cover more holes, you’re going to hit lower notes. But if you open up more holes, you hit the higher notes.
These are the basics though. If you really want to learn to play the ocarina, we would encourage you to check out online tutorials on Youtube.
What Are Double Chamber Ocarinas And Why Should You Bother?
Like the name already hints at, double chamber ocarinas have two chambers instead of one. Now, doubtless, this extra chamber has an impact on the sound of the ocarina.
On a good day, a single chamber ocarina will only be able to take one octave or slightly higher. But with the extra chamber, a player can achieve about 3 octaves on their ocarina.
With this feature, you’d obviously be able to do more and perform more melodies.
What Materials Are Ocarinas Made From?
Generally, ocarinas come made of a wide range of materials which include plastic, wood, or clay/ceramic.
Unlike some other kinds of instruments, the material used to make an ocarina might not necessarily impact on the sound. So, there’s no best sounding ocarina based on material of production.
If you go for high quality, regardless of the material, you should get a great-sounding ocarina.
What’s The Best Beginner Ocarina?
If you’re a beginner, it’s best to go for an ocarina that has fewer holes. This way you can master your fingering fast.
As you perfect the art of creating a melody and reading music, then you can go on to a full-blown 12-hole ocarina.
Conclusion
And now we get to crown the very best ocarina of our reviews today. Which would it be?
Our best ocarina today goes to the Songbird 12 Hole Dragon Tooth Ocarina. The only issue with this ocarina is that it isn’t ideal for beginners. It might be a bit too advanced for them to begin with.
Besides that, this ocarina is swell! It’s handmade and is ergonomically designed to make playability a lot easier. Plus, the sound from this instrument is amazing as well. And let’s not forget the metallic luster and its intriguing iridescence too!