"Hong Xiao" Mini Fishtail 6 Hole Ocarina - Red Enameled Pottery - Pendant Ocarina

I have been serious about playing the ocarina for a little over a year now. I took a chance on this ocarina because with the low price, I figured I couldn't lose, and other musicians gave it positive reviews online. Wow! What an amazing little instrument this is! The key and range isn't listed in the item description, but I believe this is a sopranino in G (higher than a soprano) because the range sounds exactly the same as another ocarina I own. That one is from Songbird Ocarina, also a 6-hole pendant, with a strawfire finish. It cost me around $20 and I thought that was a very good price for the only sopranino I could find. Any musician who has purchased from Durian Songbird knows that the tone and quality of his instruments are excellent, and the tiny ocarina I own is top class. It plays loud and bright and clear.This one from OcarinaWind sounds even better. I didn't think it would be possible to find a better instrument in such a small size, but this is it. First of all, the chamber is round like a gourd, rather than flat like my Songbird ocarina, which I believe is responsible for improved tone and clarity. This fishtail ocarina sounds brighter and not as muffled, and I believe takes less breath to produce a clear tone. Ocarinas this small usually take a lot of breath to control and leave me feeling a little winded, but this one is very intuitive to play. You might struggle to reach the highest two notes at first (the ones that you play by removing your thumbs), but you will become comfortable with it in a matter of hours. I don't recommend really high-pitched ocarinas to new players, but if you're already familiar with pendants and want to expand your range, by all means get this.Sopranino ocarinas are almost impossible to find. I have personally found only two, not counting the discontinued one featured on the STL website. If, like me, you want to collect ocarinas in a variety of ranges and are looking for something higher-pitched than a typical soprano in C, don't hesitate on the OcarinaWind Mini Fishtail. Snap it up before they disappear. You really can't go wrong.

It looks cute, it has a clear sweet sound, and it is more a dark terracotta-brown than red, as its made from a dark clay. The amazing thing about this is that it plays at all, let alone in tune because at first glance it looks like a doll's accessory. Provided you do not blow too hard it sounds like a bird, but give it a blast like a whistle and its a shrill, shrieking, monster that hurts the ears and upsets the dog, which probably explains why some people find it unpleasant to listen to.If you have regular or large hands you may have problems playing this little ocarina, though the holes are spaced as far apart as possible so its not impossible. It comes with a mini leaflet giving the fingering for the notes and a couple of pieces to learn, and the strap was already threaded through it; even that was a smaller version of the full size strap that comes with the bigger ocarinas, and this makes it a nice pendant for those that like to take their music with them.On the playing side of things, its just as capable as its bigger cousins and I have had no problems playing all the notes. Its very intuitive as another reviewer has said and breath control makes such a difference with how it plays and how easily the notes come. For the price this is a terrific ocarina, not just a novelty, but a genuine musical instrument on a par with a piccolo or a garklien, and has its place when playing in a group or as a sweet solo instrument. Its ideal for Irish and folk music, being in the key of G, and will bring hours of pleasure and blend perfectly with whistles and other folk instruments. I anticipate a long and rewarding relationship with mine.

I cannot believe this thing plays so perfectly. I did not expect a real musical instrument when I bought this, and joked about it just being a piece of jewelry.Every note is clear and clean, and in tune relative to the instrument.I have two other tiny ocarinas similar in size to this one. Those are unplayable. On other ocarinas this size the finger charts don't matter because every note is wrong anyway, if you can even get a sound out of them. But this thing actually works, and it works amazingly.Expected a toy noisemaker and got a real, tuned ocarina. Amazing.

I like the look and feel of it. The sound is decent, but harder to get a really good tune out of than a full-size one. Makes a fine whistle for my dogs, too.

this item came quick and sounds ok but it is not the same one as the piture the price is good but you probably wont get the one you think youre going to get

this is a very great purchase and I was unsure wether to order this or not but I now know that this was an amazing purchase be aware it's about the size of your thumb.Its very high pitch even higher than a soprano its a sopranino 6 holes !its also not wood like I thought It was but overall great purchase satisfied!!!!

a little to loud for my taste but very well made...

Way too high and hard to play. And I can play good ones. I don't mind the high pitch - though it is really annoying - but it just doesn't play well. Sorry. :(