How the Ocarina Sings

Ever wonder how the Ocarina works? Well without getting too detailed, I'll tell you.  

How The Ocarina Sings:

1. The Ocarinist blows into the airway, and the air enters through the windway.
2. Air resonates and produces sound when it meets the labium. <--(Wind instrument piece)
3. The air vibrates throughout the inside of the ocarina. (The larger the inside, the lower the tone)
4. The Ocarinist covers and uncovers holes to lowers and raises the pitch.

The Ocarina, unlike other vessel flutes, has the unusual quality of not relying on a pipe length to produce music. Instead this means that (unlike a flute or recorder) sound is created by resonance of the entire cavity inside the Ocarina and the placement of the holes on an ocarina is largely irrelevant — their size is the most important. This means that Ocarinas can be many, many shapes. Some are made into birds, some are duel chambered, some even look like turtles.
Some Ocarina makers increase the range by designing double (or triple) chambered ocarinas tuned 1 octave apart. Some double ocarinas are not made to increase the range, but to play in harmony with the other chambers. The double and triple ocarinas can also play chords.
Different notes are produced by covering the holes, and by opening and closing more or less of the total hole area. The tone is then produced through the sound hole/embouchure. The tone can also be varied by changing blowing strength to bend pitch.

Of course, the best way to learn how the Ocarina works is to pick on up and try it out. :]