Bolero of Fire

I've decided to work on a little project. I think that it will be a lot of fun, and that you might like it. That project is fleshing out some of the songs from the game Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time.
Sure, it has been done 1,000's of times before, if not more, but I'VE never done it. I'll be adjusting them slightly to add my own little flavor to it. Nothing too fancy, of course.

First up, Bolero of Fire. I personally really love this one, its one of my favorites. I'll tell you this, it was very hard to learn. I used my double Ocarina, "Mori", and switching between the chambers so quickly is very difficult for me. Sure I'm learning, but slowly. For now, I hope you enjoy.
I used MuseScore (free download) to create the back track, my video camera, and just Windows Movie maker to put it all together.
Its my first video of this sort, so be nice. Plus, hopefully you enjoy it. :]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d30ZZ24RAF4

Ps. I'll be redoing the Song of Storms in a similar manner

Song of Storms

Today, it rained. It rained a lot. I figured this would be the perfect time to try and record the Song of Storms, from OoT.
Here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4VRtkOXZ3M
Please realize that I am no professional, and that I do not have very good recording equipment. I do what I can, however.

That leads me to another point. I was thinking of adding to it, and perhaps adding a poem to be read along with it. Not lyrics, but rather a poem to accompany it. A spin off of the original. Any poets out there? Let me know if you have any ideas regarding it, and I'll see what I can do to add something to the song. Thanks for reading!

Farewell to the Rain

Today is a bittersweet day.
Today, I say goodbye to my STL plastic Ocarina, 'Ame' (Rain). Ame was given to a friend interested in Ocarinas, but due to circumstances had no way to get one. He would watch me play, and his eyes would lock on the Ocarina. I would sit and play a song, and after keeping completely silent, he asked me to play some more. So again I played a song, and he couldn't look away. At that moment, I was pretty sure that he was the one that would have Ame.
So, it is with a heavy heart that I pass Ame on to Richard. But his eyes said what his words couldn't, and I knew that he was hooked. Today I stopped by his house and offered to show him some things on the Ocarina, and he dropped what he was doing and we went inside. When I gave Ame over, his eyes lit up brighter than I've ever seen them, and his smile nearly tore his face in two. So for the next few minutes we played together as I showed him how to begin learning. It was the first time I've played with someone, even if he was new to it. It was sad to see Ame played by someone else, but I'm positive that Richard's love for the Ocarina will ensure that he treats Ame well.
Maybe I'm thinking too much about it, but still I will miss Ame. My other Ocarinas will help, of course, but one can't help but remember.
Thanks for reading. :]

Requests

As you may have seen from my Flickr page, I am taking requests for songs that you would like me to play on the Ocarina.
There is a lot to that statement, really. You see, on Ocarina I would love to either (1) Learn a song that you would like to hear, (2) Accompany an original piece that you submit, (3) or write a song with a specific theme, title, idea, so on and so forth.
So if you have any ideas, please drop them via comment or email to ocarinassong@yahoo.com
Soon I will have a Youtube Channel up for the different songs that I will be playing. But as of now, I have no songs, so I can't add any. :]
Again, I hope you enjoy, and I hope that it is at least SOMEWHAT interesting.

~T

A New Song

From Zelda Moon, Via Flickr

 

Introduction:
Ocarinas (ock-uh-REE-na) seem to be relatively unknown, but in my personal opinion are some of the most wonderful sounding instruments out there. Due to its enigma status, there is little about them on the web, especially when compared to other instruments, particularly strings. So I started this blog in hopes of inspiring ocarinists, those who are curious, and sharing what I love.
Shapes, sizes, types, colors, sounds, weights, textures...Ocarinas vary in so many ways, and all collectively add to their over all uniqueness. From piercing, shrill, and sharp to haunting, deep, and soothing, the song of the ocarina holds a beauty that few instruments share. This blog talks about Ocarinas, and shares my thought of them. This is also where I'll be sharing my experiences while I learn to play this unique little fellow. For instance, 'As the Ocarina Sings' page will hold a list of songs played on Ocarina. I always take requests, and am looking for guests Ocarinists. Email me at ocarinassong@yahoo.com to drop requests, or leave a comment.

Later, I'll introduce you to my personal Ocarina family. I have three at the moment (and one more on its way). :] I hope you enjoy the enchanting world of ocarinas as much as I do.

~T