Feature: 30 Years Later, I’m Finally Learning To Play The Ocarina (And You Should Too)

The writer has begun learning the ocarina after years of buying instruments and leaving them unused, prompted by a Zelda remake that features animated finger movements. They argue that beginners can quickly enjoy the instrument by learning familiar tunes, and that using a Zelda-style ocarina need not feel embarrassing.

They describe trying a ceramic 12-hole ocarina and a Night By Noble, finding the latter more consistent on high notes. Playing involves a simple “Tu” tonguing technique, but small changes in finger placement can alter the pitch; the writer recommends using finger pads and practising steady hand positions. Their goal is to learn about five Zelda tunes by heart.