Welcome to Sigurthr's Guide to Using an Ocarina as a Non-Transposing Instrument! Okay, this is a fairly advanced subject so those who give it a go are expected to know a few basic things such as all the fingerings on their ocarinas, the chromatic scale, and all the diatonic scales of their ocarinas. - Terms to know the definition of: Diatonic, Chromatic, [Transposing Instrument], [Non-Transposing Instrument], Transposing, Transcribing, Concert Pitch, Relative Pitch, Effective Range, Absolute Range, Expansive Range (aka the "extension"). Terms are defined in the glossary at the end. - Brackets - [ ] help prevent compound or multi-word terms from being misunderstood as seperate words. The Basics: 1) When we treat the ocarina as a [Transposing Instrument] it means that we assign names to the fingerings and those names are inflexible and unchangeable. Thus when used as a [transposing instrument], Low C is ALWAYS: 1a) Using the Ocarina as a [Transposing Instrument] means that no matter the key of the ocarina, you always play it as if it were really in C Major. Thinking this way means you are thinking in Relative Pitches only. 2) When we treat the ocarina as a [Non-Transposing Instrument], we shift so that Fingering Names are ALWAYS equal to the CONCERT PITCHES PRODUCED. For our examples here on out, unless directly specified, let us assume from here on out we are working with an ocarina in G major, as it is one of the simplest keys to use. The same exact fingering patterns are used, but for different notes - what was Low C now becomes Low G. The result is this: 2a) You are now thinking in Concert Pitches! 3) The G Major scale is; G A B C D E F# G. On a standard 12 hole in G the notes and now the fingerings, from lowest pitch (including subholes) to highest pitch, without chromatic notes (we're going to stay in the key of G major only) is: E F# G A B C D E F# G A B C. Just as you once started on Low C and lifted a finger each time and announced a new note as you went up the scale: "C D E F... etc" now you do the same exact finger movements but call them by different names: " G A B C... etc".
4) Comparing the new [Fingering Name to Note Produced] association scheme to what you were used to when you used ocarina as a [Transposing instrument] can be useful as a quick reference to "what the new/other name for that fingering should be called". Here is a quick reference for a 12 Hole ocarina using only the Diatonic Notes: 4a) So you'll see that to change from using Ocarina as a [Transposing Instrument] to using it as a [Non-Transposing Instrument] is simply a matter of changing one's mental associations of what fingering is called what. It's as simple as that. Another way to define it is a Paradigm Shift. Now, if I had said that without explaining it most of you wouldn't know what the hell I just said, lol. Knowing what to do with this new found ability is much more involved and difficult though. It does indeed take some time to develop. Perhaps first it is most pertinent to know WHEN to use it and what it can allow you to do! 5) Using an ocarina as a Non-Transposing Instrument accomplishes two things; a) It changes the [Effective Range] of the Ocarina. THIS is VERY important, and probably the main reason most people will use this skill. b) It lets you access distant keys not easily played on a C ocarina or not easily played when treating the ocarina as a [Transposing Instrument] without having an ocarina tuned to that distant key. THIS is a VERY ADVANCED technique that I may cover later. Doing this requires you to have intricate knowedge of multiple keys and how they relate to each other. To put this in simple words with a simple example would be: "To [play in the key of D] on a [G Non-Transposing Instrument]". 6) For now, let's concentrate on the first of the above two, "part a)". Okay, Recap: You're now thinking in concert pitches, and you now know and associate all the diatonic fingerings with their actual pitches (which are in G major) when you play your G Ocarina. If I say to you: "Play high F#!" you will respond by playing this: 7) Good! You're on your way! Now you may have noticed that all the fingerings' correlations on the staff have been shifted.. that is correct! You might be asking what the range of a 12 hole in G's range on the staff looks like... well I shall show you! Here is the Diatonic Concert Pitch Range of a Soprano ocarina in G when treated as a Non-Transposing Instrument: 7a) Now Hey! Wait a minute... that looks awefully familiar doesnt it?!?!?!?! It should. It is most of the range of a Double Alto C ocarina!
- For comparisson here is the Diatonic range of a Double Alto C ocarina in Concert Pitches: Putting it all Together: 8) So what does this all mean? It means that When you treat a Soprano G Ocarina as a [Non-Transposing Instrument] it has all but the lowest 4 diatonic notes of a Double Alto C Ocarina! Of course the chromatic notes between those lowest 4 Diatonic notes are also out of range, but I would not be thorough if I did not directly state this. So, using this technique you can play a LOT of music that would normally only fit on a Double when played in original key or concert pitch on a Single Chambered Soprano G Ocarina. It would of course work equally well on an Alto G ocarina, but would sound one octave lower. 8a) A popular and prime example of this in action is Lady Gaga's song Alejandro. Normally it would require the piece be transposed down a fourth in order to fit on a [Transposing Instrument] Single, or it would have to be played on a Double. 1) If you did transpose the music down to play it on a [Transposing Instrument] Single Ocarina, it would not come out in Concert Pitch (which means it would not work with the real Backtrack or with other musicians playing it in the real key) unless you have an [ocarina who's key is the same distance away from the original key] as [the amount you transposed the piece down from the original key]. Yes that IS a VERY complex sentence describing a roundabout way of doing what is much easier done by using the ocarina as a [Non-Transposing Instrument]! That roundabout way is the accepted norm believe it or not! Advocates for the use of ocarinas as ONLY a [Transposing Instrument] will argue that you will have a Composer or Arranger who can do all that for you, so you never have to and you shouldn't worry about it. Stop for a second and think for yourself, look to your left and right and front and back. Do you see an Arranger? Do you see a Composer? I didn't think so. 8a) - Reprise - Let's get back to Alejandro. Here is an excerpt of the song that displays the song's full Expansive Range: 8b) Now this song is in D major as shown by the "2 Sharps" Key Signature, which shows that F and C are to be F# and C#. There is also an "accidental" in the song of A#/Bb. What does this mean for you now that you are playing in Concert Pitch? Well, take them one at a time. 8a1) First think about if either F# or C# or A# are covered in the Diatonic Concert Pitch Fingerings for a [Non-Transposing] Soprano G Ocarina. It would appear that F# is covered already as we showed in [Step 6]. Next up; C#. This note is not part of the Diatonic G Major scale, but it is NOT a hard note to play in G major. Which Fingering is C natural?
That's right, it is: 8a2) Now logically what would be one semitone sharper than that? Think about it, and if you have to, think about the other association for what that fingering would be, the one when you treat ocarina as a [Transposing Instrument].. That's right, it is: Well done! 8a3) Next up; A# / Bb (A Sharp is also called B flat). Use the same method as above to figure out what the fingering for A# would be in the [Non-Transposing Instrument Fingering Association]. You did it again! It is: - Just to make sure everyone understands how we came upon that answer I will go through One way of coming to it. ---- Finger low G. Now A. You know that A# is one semitone higher than A. What fingering sounds one semitone higher pitched? If you get stuck, refer back to the other naming associations: This fingering for A was called "D" before. What was D#? If [New A] = [Old D], then [New A#] = [Old D#]! - Once you have memorized the chromatic scale in concert pitches you won't have to do any of these steps anymore, it will literally be just as easy as playing the way you used to before you began learning to play in Concert Pitch on a [Non- Transposing Instrument] 8b) Now go back and work your way through Alejandro. It is okay if you can't actually play it, it isn't the easiest song in the world. However, attempting it will show you the basic steps of this methodology in action!
Advanced Issues made Simple: 9) If you remember earlier at [Step-5; Part B] I said you can use this to allow you to play distant keys more easily. I would not say that D Major is a "distant key" but it is on the outter fringe of most intermediate players' comfort zone, especially when throwing an entire new technique in the mix! As shown in Alejandro; You played in D Major on a [G Non-Transposing Ocarina] by raising the fourth degree of the G major scale (which is Cnatural) to C Sharp. Players often refer to this act (raising the fourth degree of the ocarina's diatonic "home" scale) as "Playing in G Major" because when you do that on a C Instrument, what comes out is the concert pitches of G major. The basic action still applies and is useful when playing a [Non-Transposing Instrument] but you still have to think in Concert Pitches. This may seem harder but I find it isn't, as I'm not trying to remember what "Relative Key" I'm working in. 9a) Here is an example of a train of thought for doing the above on a [Transposing Instrument]: - The piece is in Eb Major. I want Eb Major to come out when I play. I only know how to play ocarinas as [Transposing Instruments]. What key do I play in on my ocarina to get that to happen? I have an ocarina in F. The song's Expansive Range fits on it and the song's Absolute Range fits on it. Okay, if I use the fingerings for Bb major on my F major ocarina it will come out in Eb major, great! Wait!!!! I have to transpose my sheet music now!!! How do I do that? Well, if I transpose the sheets from Eb to Bb it should do the trick! 9b) Here is the same scenario where the player knows how to play their F Ocarina as a [Non-Transposing Instrument] as well. - The piece is in Eb major. I see that it's Expansive Range and Absolute Range fits on my Ocarina. I know the Chromatic Concert Pitches for my F ocarina so I know how to play the notes Bb Eb and Ab. I play the song and it really isn't that hard, and it comes out in Eb major just as I wanted! Glossary: Terms to know the definition of: Diatonic, Chromatic, [Transposing Instrument], [Non-Transposing Instrument], Transposing, Transcribing, Concert Pitch, Relative Pitch, Effective Range, Absolute Range, Expansive Range (aka the "extension"). Diatonic - Within the boundaries of a musical scale. Chromatic - Encompassing all notes of a musical scale, including the sharps and flats in between the diatonic notes. Transposing Instrument - An instrument who's fingering positions are associated with the C major scale even though the actual pitches produced by them are in a different key. Example: a Bb Trumpet is a Transposing Instrument, when it plays a C, a Bb actually is produced. Non-Transposing Instrument - An instrument who's fingering positions are named by the actual pitches created. Transposing - The act of rewriting or performing (a piece) in another key. Transcribing - The act of rewriting a piece of music. Concert Pitch - The actual note(s) produced regardless of how they are written. Relative Pitch - The notes as written. Effective Range - The total useable range of an instrument when written on a staff. The effective range of a 10 hole Soprano G ocarina played as a transposing instrument is C5 to F6, but when used as a non-transposing instrument in G it changes to G5 to C7. Absolute Range - Also called Absolute Tonal Range: The range in concert pitches of an instrument or piece of music. Absolute Range is often displayed as the highest and lowest pitches for that instrument or piece on a staff or on a piano. Example: Alto C 10 hole Ocarina's Absolute Range is from C5 to F6. Expansive Range - The total range in semitones from the lowest pitch to the highest pitch of an instrument or piece of music.