Ocarinas United

I got my ocarina today about 4 hours before this post and ive been playing it non stopped. I have learned a few things with it but as always i need to ask.

Can you over practice with the ocarina because my left hand is in a little pain. I play piano and it doesnt hurt but now it does. Did i over do it?


Also Technique wise Another question:

- On a tenor 12 hole ocarina how do you support the weight of the ocarina when you take your fingers off the bottom holes and the top holes? how do you hold it?

Kilkari wrote:I got my ocarina today about 4 hours before this post and ive been playing it non stopped. I have learned a few things with it but as always i need to ask.

Can you over practice with the ocarina because my left hand is in a little pain. I play piano and it doesnt hurt but now it does. Did i over do it?


Also Technique wise Another question:

- On a tenor 12 hole ocarina how do you support the weight of the ocarina when you take your fingers off the bottom holes and the top holes? how do you hold it?

First off. ALWAYS use your neckstrap. Never try and be cool, and not use it lol. ALWAYS!

Second of all.... Sadly yes, there is such a thing as too much practise, but I almost garentee you wont come to that. Too much practise can muddle the brain, but that would be... A LOT of practicing. Sometimes you might find if you can't get something, wlak away, get a snack, (Brush your teeth cause you dont want that gunk in your ocarina) and come backd it will be easier.

Okay, in short. No theres no such thing as too much practicing. Though, you might need to walk away for 10 minutes and then come back...

when you take your fingers off the thumb holes on the bottom.
keep them on the bottom, but not covering the holes.
and then just cover them back when needed.

Maybe you're pressing the ocarina too hard with your fingers, giving you some finger strain. I used to do this too, and get pain in my fingers. But over time, you learn to be more gentle with it, and you come up with ways to support the weight of the ocarina for those higher notes (such as by using the palm of the right hand, or holding it with fingers that aren't being used, etc).



Oh, here's some advice on Kenji Ogawa's site on how to hold the ocarina:

Ogawa's method for holding the Ocarina

funny thing. ever since i got really into my twelve hole plastic tenor, when i play constantly my left hand fingers start to get num so i have to stop for a few seconds..

:O

i dont think that should be happening. lol.
my hand has never went numb for playing.

How hard are you gripping your ocarina? It should be gripped just enough so that the holes are covered. No need to shatter it with your hands.
Could this be what's making your hands fall off?

lol.
shatter it with your hands.

that is a scary image.
just imagine your ocarina shattering in your hands while playing.

well.. if its not the way your holding your ocarina,the best advice I can give is take a break @.@ (not to helpful am I?) :3

i bought a couple of ocarinas when i ordered them, 12 holed one made of plastic, and a triple one, both from STL.
the triple ocarina is too heavy, and when my fingers start to "writhe" in pain, i just put it down and i take the plastic ocarina... hehe

of course the plastic ocarina's sound is a bit poor and fingering is slightly different, but i need to rest my fingers too...

oh, by the way KeysOnTheCeiling, my triple ocarina has no neckstrap ^_^U

wow, you went straight for the triple? Ive been playing for over a year and just noved up to the double. It is a little heavy, but im used to it now.

Actually, there is such a thing as too much practice. Unless you are wearing hearing protectors, you could damage your hearing, maybe permanently. Be sure to take good care of your hearing.

I noticed the same thing when I started out playing. . . the top 3 reasons i found were 1. I was holding it to hard 2. I would lock my fingers when I was playing the higher notes 3. I wasent suporting the ocarina enough! Any way it would kill my hand when I started out then it was soo sore I couldn't pick up my ocarina for a cuple days Oo. I sugest you take a break if you find lack of move ment in your pinkey or soreness..... at lest 10 mins ya know?
no much help but its better than nothing right??????
-Milo
Ps: I really should put this in my sig but w/e sorry for the crappy spelling

i've only had my ocarina for a few months, and i used to have the same problem. you're probablly pressing the holes down to hard. also, if you curl your fingers to make sure you cover the holes with your fingertips, you can cause unnessecary stress, causing pain. try to not curl your finger up to much, and dont press as hard. hope that helps!