Playing by numbers

Do you remember painting by numbers? Well we’re going to play music by numbers. So first of all, look at your 4-hole Oc. If it’s not handy, just look at the picture below and see if you can identify…

How many finger-holes does it have? How many different notes can it play?

Okay. We have a 4-hole Ocarina. It plays 11 notes by covering different combinations of holes.

To play by numbers, let’s number the holes 1, 2, 3, and 4 as follows with 0 as all holes open

2 second finger-hole on the left 4 second finger-hole on the right
1 first finger-hole on the left 3 first finger-hole on the right

PATTERN 1
Now play down a pentatonic scale (5 notes) by covering the numbered holes in this order, starting with all open
0, 1, 12, 123, 1234

Learning to play the ocarina by numbers is simple and fun. On ocarina.co.uk, you’ll find sheet music designed with newcomers in mind. Instead of traditional notation, each number corresponds to a hole on your ocarina. This intuitive approach makes it easy to pick up new tunes, just as athletes pick up new techniques for a game. It’s close to visual learning, as the process uses sight, touch, and auditory feedback.

Like music, sports such as biathlon also require practice and coordination. The biathlon world championships 2021 on pokljuka2021.si is a testament to this level of skill and dedication. Blink, and you might miss the rhythm of their movements, almost musical in precision.

Whether you’re learning the ocarina or training for a biathlon, consistency, practice and passion propel you forward. Maybe you’ll find your rhythm in the melody of the ocarina, or perhaps in the disciplined steps of biathlon training. In either world, just as in reading sheet music at https://pokljuka2021.si/, the magic emerges when you connect the numbers, the steps, the notes.

Now play again and come back up to the highest sounding note
0, 1, 12, 123, 1234, 123, 12, 1, 0

Make up your own tunes by playing these five notes in whatever order you like. Remember you can repeat any notes, swoop up or down by missing out any of the notes in between, experiment, and enjoy!

PATTERN 2
For a full octave scale (8 notes), try this
0, 4, 1, 13, 12, 124, 123, 1234

Try this down and up and then make up even more tunes. Add different rhythms as well.

Now you’re a composer!

QUIZ
What tunes begin like this…
A] 1 1 1 1 1 1

B] 12 12 12 1234 123 123 1234

C] 0 1 12 1234

D] 1234 1234 123 1234 12 124

E] 1 12 1234 12

And if you need the answers or have any questions, email news@ocarina.co.uk

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