For Christmas I recieved an instrument from China that is pear shaped and about the size of a pear. One end is flat so that it sits upright and the top end has a wind hole, it is to be blown in flute fashion as opposed to whistle.
It has 7 holes on one side and two on the other side, the two holes on the one side appear to be thumb holes, I can get a note out of it with all holes covered but nothing as I lift my fingers, does this instrument sound familiar to anyone, I guessed it to be a type of Ocarina, but I visited several web sites with ocarina's and didn't find anything that even closely resembles it. Any thoughts ?
Wasn't there a sort of Latin-ish bossa-nova type song, "The girl from Ocarina?"
Seriously, in answer to your question, it's called a Xun, and is described as "ANCIENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENT-XUN Made of Clay The oldest ancient Chinese wind instruments dates back in the period 7000 years age. Pottery. They have different shapes; fish, pear, gourd. and so forth".
Is it made of clay? Does it have a 'fipple' (a mouthpiece with a narrow windway leading to a squarish window with a tapered edge, over which the air passes) like a whistle or recorder? Does it take the form of a closed chamber rather than a tube?
If these are true, then it sounds like an ocarina, and it is blown in whistle-fashion rather than flute-fashion. They are usually shaped something like a flattened pebble, egg-shaped (from which the name derives), or sometimes like a small bird (its tail being the mouthpiece). But the actual shape is of little relevance, so there is no reason why it should not be pear-shaped.
Unlike a whistle, the positions of the fingerholes have little bearing on the notes produced - the total area of open holes is the important factor. Consequently, you may find that several fingerings will give the same note. Unless a fingering chart has been supplied with it, you will probably need to experiment a fair bit to find the notes.
If, as you say, you can only produce a note with all the holes closed, it is possible that it is a more of a souvenir than a serious instrument. I know from experience of trying to make ocarinas, that it is very difficult to make an instrument that plays. If it works when the clay is wet, then it doesn't work when the clay is dry; if it works when the clay is dry, then is doesn't work once itis fired; if it works when it is fired, then it doesn't work once it's glazed. However, do not despair - maybe you're just blowing too hard (they don't respond to overblowing in the same way as a flute or whistle).
I've yet to hear anyone play Irish tunes on ocarina, but I'm sure it is possible. Somewhere I have a tape of an ocarina ensemble playing Mozart.
David, it does not have a fipple, it is designed to be played in flute-fashion. It does appear to be made of clay, but at the same time it's difficult for me to say for sure, it is bark brown in color.
Thanks for the link Jim, it looks like that's the closest thing I've seen yet to it.
I'm finding this very interesting. If nothing else it will make a great conversation piece sitting on the shelf in the music room.
There's a link to an eBay auction for a Xun like the one I just bought. You can learn a little more about them just from the auction description. It's much more difficult to play than an ocarina in my opinion, but when you've learned it I think it's a better instrument because the pitch is so accurate.
Ocarina ?
Ocarina ?
For Christmas I recieved an instrument from China that is pear shaped and about the size of a pear. One end is flat so that it sits upright and the top end has a wind hole, it is to be blown in flute fashion as opposed to whistle.
It has 7 holes on one side and two on the other side, the two holes on the one side appear to be thumb holes, I can get a note out of it with all holes covered but nothing as I lift my fingers, does this instrument sound familiar to anyone, I guessed it to be a type of Ocarina, but I visited several web sites with ocarina's and didn't find anything that even closely resembles it. Any thoughts ?
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by Tom
Re: Ocarina ?
Whatever you do, don't light the fuse.
Trevor
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by lazyhound
Re: Ocarina ?
Thanks Trevor, good advice. That reminded me, I forgot to say it has a ticking sound to it as well, what's that all about ?
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by Tom
Re: Ocarina ?
Just don't try to wind it up either!
Trevor
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by lazyhound
Re: Ocarina ?
ESPECIALLY when it's stopped ticking!
Trevor
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by lazyhound
Re: Ocarina ?
Wasn't there a sort of Latin-ish bossa-nova type song, "The girl from Ocarina?"
Seriously, in answer to your question, it's called a Xun, and is described as "ANCIENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENT-XUN Made of Clay The oldest ancient Chinese wind instruments dates back in the period 7000 years age. Pottery. They have different shapes; fish, pear, gourd. and so forth".
More on the following website :
http://www.chinats.com/emall/product_info.php?products_id=103
Jim
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by Worldfiddler
Re: Ocarina ?
Is it made of clay? Does it have a 'fipple' (a mouthpiece with a narrow windway leading to a squarish window with a tapered edge, over which the air passes) like a whistle or recorder? Does it take the form of a closed chamber rather than a tube?
If these are true, then it sounds like an ocarina, and it is blown in whistle-fashion rather than flute-fashion. They are usually shaped something like a flattened pebble, egg-shaped (from which the name derives), or sometimes like a small bird (its tail being the mouthpiece). But the actual shape is of little relevance, so there is no reason why it should not be pear-shaped.
Unlike a whistle, the positions of the fingerholes have little bearing on the notes produced - the total area of open holes is the important factor. Consequently, you may find that several fingerings will give the same note. Unless a fingering chart has been supplied with it, you will probably need to experiment a fair bit to find the notes.
If, as you say, you can only produce a note with all the holes closed, it is possible that it is a more of a souvenir than a serious instrument. I know from experience of trying to make ocarinas, that it is very difficult to make an instrument that plays. If it works when the clay is wet, then it doesn't work when the clay is dry; if it works when the clay is dry, then is doesn't work once itis fired; if it works when it is fired, then it doesn't work once it's glazed. However, do not despair - maybe you're just blowing too hard (they don't respond to overblowing in the same way as a flute or whistle).
I've yet to hear anyone play Irish tunes on ocarina, but I'm sure it is possible. Somewhere I have a tape of an ocarina ensemble playing Mozart.
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Ocarina ?
David, it does not have a fipple, it is designed to be played in flute-fashion. It does appear to be made of clay, but at the same time it's difficult for me to say for sure, it is bark brown in color.
Thanks for the link Jim, it looks like that's the closest thing I've seen yet to it.
I'm finding this very interesting. If nothing else it will make a great conversation piece sitting on the shelf in the music room.
Thanks everyone
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by Tom
Re: Ocarina ?
If this Xun dates back 7000 years you're not going to get anything much more traditional than that!
Trevor
# Posted on December 28th 2003 by lazyhound
Re: Ocarina ?
Carlos Nunez plays a galician tune with an ocarina on one of the Liam O'Flynn CDs. It's just great music!
# Posted on January 4th 2004 by swisspiper
Ocarina ? No, XUN.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2370208169&category=10183
There's a link to an eBay auction for a Xun like the one I just bought. You can learn a little more about them just from the auction description. It's much more difficult to play than an ocarina in my opinion, but when you've learned it I think it's a better instrument because the pitch is so accurate.
# Posted on January 7th 2004 by Reland