Thomann 12H Concert Ocarina C1 long

Hermosa ocarina ....tiene un sonido dentro de su rango, preciso ,claro y bello..como un pajarito....el acabado es maravilloso....me ha sorprendido para lo larga y fina que es.....la dureza y resistencia que tiene el producto....pues al tenerla en la mano pareciera que va a ser más frágil....se toca de forma cómoda a pesar de su reducido tamaño....pero al ser tan alargada la hace muy manejable.... excelente...

I previously own the Focalink Plastic Alto C, the Stein Double AC, Hind Tenor Inline F and Rotter (the same brand as this one) C5. This ocarina is significantly smaller and therefore more brightly pitched than any of those, I was quite surprised by the small size. However the fingering is not a problem since it is the longer edition, I've heard that the small C1 is a bit trickier to finger.

Another difference compared to the above ocarinas is that it uses an italian fingering system, meaning that the left pinky is lifted before the right thumb (to produce an E). This is not a big deal even if you're used to asian fingering.

I find that it plays really nice by itself and sounds like a happy bird or perhaps a whistle (think 'a fistful of dollars' or 'the good, the bad, the ugly') but that it is somewhat difficult to play in tune with other instruments, although it is easier than low breath ocarinas such as the Hind.

Being a clay ocarina, condensation is not an issue (that is the accumulation of spit inside the mouth piece, blocking the windway) since it is absorbed by the clay. It has a little metal ring for attaching a neck strap, although the strap itself is not included. It comes in a little padded bag with some instructions.

I think that this would be ideal if you're either going for the bright and cheerful timbre, or if you have very small hands (perhaps for children).