Pleasant, repetitive music for the ocarina?
April 21, 2015 8:07 AM Subscribe
I got an alto ocarina on a bit of a whim. Recommend songs for me to play on it besides Zelda music!
What I'd like are some songs that do well when played repeatedly, where the song doesn't have so much of a dramatic arc that it feels jarring to start over again from the end. I want to play them repeatedly to get better at the instrument, and memorize them so I can make a bit of music when the mood strikes me. Video game music is probably good for this, but I'm self-conscious about playing music from games I haven't played yet. So folk/traditional songs are the direction I'd prefer to go, genre-wise.
I've been playing around with this tab composer and feel pretty good about translating any music into tabs by ear. So I don't need music specifically written for the ocarina or tabbed out for the kind that I have. My ocarina is a 6-hole alto in the key of C--it has about an octave and a third range starting at C5, but sounds best to me towards the lower rather than higher part of its range (and I can squeeze a low B out of it by playing more softly). So songs focused there would be appreciated!
Blowin' in the Wind and Oh Shenandoah are a couple of songs I've tabbed out so far and like.
What I'd like are some songs that do well when played repeatedly, where the song doesn't have so much of a dramatic arc that it feels jarring to start over again from the end. I want to play them repeatedly to get better at the instrument, and memorize them so I can make a bit of music when the mood strikes me. Video game music is probably good for this, but I'm self-conscious about playing music from games I haven't played yet. So folk/traditional songs are the direction I'd prefer to go, genre-wise.
I've been playing around with this tab composer and feel pretty good about translating any music into tabs by ear. So I don't need music specifically written for the ocarina or tabbed out for the kind that I have. My ocarina is a 6-hole alto in the key of C--it has about an octave and a third range starting at C5, but sounds best to me towards the lower rather than higher part of its range (and I can squeeze a low B out of it by playing more softly). So songs focused there would be appreciated!
Blowin' in the Wind and Oh Shenandoah are a couple of songs I've tabbed out so far and like.
Best answer: Here's a link to the whole thing on YouTube.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 8:34 AM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 8:34 AM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: My recommendation is to climb up a big tree and play the Totoro music.
posted by aubilenon at 9:12 AM on April 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by aubilenon at 9:12 AM on April 21, 2015 [2 favorites]
May not be so "peasant and repetitive" but the 'go-to' ocarina song for many years was Wild Thing by the Troggs.
posted by Rash at 9:51 AM on April 21, 2015
posted by Rash at 9:51 AM on April 21, 2015
Best answer: What I'd like are some songs that do well when played repeatedly, where the song doesn't have so much of a dramatic arc that it feels jarring to start over again from the end.
This pretty much describes a lot of traditional dance music. You could try Irish music - a lot of musicians start with the pennywhistle, which has many of the same limitations as your ocarina. The Session is a great source of Irish tunes, most available written out or as midi files. The downside is that most Irish tunes are pretty fast, and therefore intimidating.
Waltzes, on the other hand, are pretty accessible. The best source I know for waltzes is a series of (print) books, known as The Waltz books.
posted by mr vino at 2:36 PM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
This pretty much describes a lot of traditional dance music. You could try Irish music - a lot of musicians start with the pennywhistle, which has many of the same limitations as your ocarina. The Session is a great source of Irish tunes, most available written out or as midi files. The downside is that most Irish tunes are pretty fast, and therefore intimidating.
Waltzes, on the other hand, are pretty accessible. The best source I know for waltzes is a series of (print) books, known as The Waltz books.
posted by mr vino at 2:36 PM on April 21, 2015 [1 favorite]
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Bellamira and Emperor of the Moon
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 8:30 AM on April 21, 2015