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- | =====A Commission To Set Standards for the Ocarina===== | + | =====Forming |
Starting in 2021 I have had discussions between me and several other makers on the TON (The Ocarina Network) forums, three different ocarina groups on Facebook (TON, Ocarina Makers, and Global Ocarina Community) which have led me to want to form a commission to set standards for the ocarina. In the current state of affairs there is a great deal about the ocarina that is inconsistent. There are few standards that are maintained in the written sheet music, there is no standards naming convention that is held between makers and there is no well defined sense of how to classify and recommend different types of ocarinas. This goal of this commission is to create standards that many contributing members of the ocarina community agree to that can in hopes be more widely adopted and used to make it easier to understand, read sheet music for, and compose for the ocarina. | Starting in 2021 I have had discussions between me and several other makers on the TON (The Ocarina Network) forums, three different ocarina groups on Facebook (TON, Ocarina Makers, and Global Ocarina Community) which have led me to want to form a commission to set standards for the ocarina. In the current state of affairs there is a great deal about the ocarina that is inconsistent. There are few standards that are maintained in the written sheet music, there is no standards naming convention that is held between makers and there is no well defined sense of how to classify and recommend different types of ocarinas. This goal of this commission is to create standards that many contributing members of the ocarina community agree to that can in hopes be more widely adopted and used to make it easier to understand, read sheet music for, and compose for the ocarina. | ||
- | ====Identifying issues that the ocarina | + | The goal of this paper is to start a discussion about setting standards for the ocarina. I will make an argument here that it is in the best interest |
- | Below is a non-exhaustive list of issues | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ===Recommendations for instrument choice=== | + | |
- | There are many questions we should | + | |
- | How are composers | + | |
- | How well should an ocarina | + | |
- | Should certain | + | |
- | ===Naming conventions=== | + | I will also present |
- | Currently there is little standardization for what the naming convention for an ocarina | + | |
- | ===Written sheet music for ocarina=== | + | Below is a non-exhaustive list of issues |
- | Currently there is not enough standardization for what ocarina sheet music should look like. \\ | + | |
- | Where do we define should be the position of the tonic? Below the staff or in the staff? \\ | + | |
- | Should we consider the ocarina to be a transposing instrument? What are the drawbacks to it being read at pitch vs transposed? \\ | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ===Composition organization=== | + | |
- | Many other instrument communities have well defined libraries | + | |
- | ====Proposed solutions for those issues==== | + | ====Standardize Ocarina Naming Conventions==== |
- | Here is a rough outline of proposed solutions | + | Currently there is little standardization for what the naming convention for an ocarina is. When a composition calls for a tenor ocarina what could they mean? What about a soprano or an alto? Composers, orchestra arrangers, and conductors prefer there be exacting details when writing a part and the fact that an alto or tenor ocarina can indicate several sizes, types of instruments, |
- | ===Setting standards | + | ====Set Recommendations |
- | Right now the term ocarina | + | Much like the issue of finding clear and concise naming for different types of ocarina we should also start to make specific recommendations for the kinds that are used. As it stands composers do not know what range the ocarina |
+ | It is safe to say that many composers are demanding, and the majority of instruments that someone can compose for have a larger pitch range it can play, a larger dynamic range, and that have much less restrictions than the ocarina. We should be making recommendations for composers to put the best form of the ocarina forward so that they can have the easiest time composing as possible. | ||
- | ===Setting standards | + | ====Standardizing Written Sheet Music for the Ocarina==== |
+ | Currently there is not enough standardization for what ocarina sheet music should look like. | ||
- | ==Pitch range naming standards for 10 hole system ocarinas== | + | Where do we define |
- | This includes 10 hole, 11, 12 and 13 hole ocarinas. I consider all of these instruments to be in the same class as the majority | + | Should |
- | Should | + | Should ocarina parts just have notes on the page and the player decides which ocarina |
- | Is a class system divided two to an octave like other instrument families | + | What are the drawbacks to it being read at pitch vs transposed? |
+ | Should bass ocarina parts be written in bass clef? | ||
- | ==Pitch range naming standards | + | These are all questions that a composer may ask when writing |
- | Ideally | + | |
- | ==Pitch range naming standards for double, triple, and quadruple ocarinas== | + | ===Setting Digital Standards === |
- | Should these instruments also be sorted | + | If you open Musescore, Sibelius, or any other digital composition software you may notice that the ocarina, if listed at all under woodwinds, is wonky. The sound profile is rarely accurate sounding to the instrument, they may list the alto as a soprano, and the software will think the instrument' |
- | Should | + | This would be a huge improvement for the future of composing for the ocarina, because |
- | ===Setting | + | ===Create and Release Good Digital Samples === |
+ | We should make a sample library for the ocarina that does justice to the instrument. We can make various formats to use different VST technologies. This will allow the ocarina to sound correctly in composition software. If we do a good job at making one of these then we can promote composition software companies to use these sample libraries to better allow composers to work digitally with the ocarina in that software. Again, just like setting the standards for how the sheet music should work, having a good sounding ocarina in this software will do a lot to enable composers to work with the ocarina, and could do a lot of good will in making writing for the ocarina a pleasant experience. | ||
- | ==Standardizing the tonic position== | + | ===Markings Used for Extended Technique=== |
- | Where do we define | + | The ocarina is capable of an incredible diversity of extended techniques from seamless portamento, flutter-tonguing, |
- | ==Ocarina | + | ====Set Standards for Ocarina |
- | Should | + | There is no one more equipped to present recommendations on how to play the ocarina than from ocarina players themselves. There have been several examples of ocarina players releasing books on how to play the ocarina, but all of these have been the recommendation of a single individual. There is great potential to forge much more comprehensive standards if we work together to create them. These standards can be far more universal and have a huge effect on the kinds of ocarinas |
- | ==Markings used for extended technique== | + | This situation is very similar to the development of the recorder as an educational instrument. The recorder has had a benefit that we have lacked, in that recorder societies have set standards |
- | Should we make a set of sheet music markings | + | |
- | What about microtonal techniques? | + | |
- | ===Agreeing on standards for ocarina education=== | + | ===Design Grade Level Coursework=== |
+ | We should create the educational framework for each grade level that a student might learn ocarina at. This way a clear and concise progression can be set out for learning the ocarina. Many of the lessons when learning a new instrument should be set as learning one set of things and then another, and with these standards we can specify the best route of learning general musical lessons as well as for the ocarina specifically. | ||
- | ==make a library | + | ===Create |
+ | One of the main ways that students are evaluated is to perform specific works that are graded off of difficulty. Creating a canon of known works for the ocarina that have varying levels of difficulty will allow us to set clear standards of learning at each level and allow more ocarina music to be in the instrumental canon. Etudes and exercises for the ocarina that are in this canon can be some of the most played pieces for the instrument and generally become well known favorites of people who learn the instrument. For instance the Bach cello suites are part of the cello learning canon and represent some of what has become the most beloved music written for the instrument. | ||
- | ==Agree some some educational standards to get better ocarina players== | + | =====Forming an Ocarina Society ===== |
- | ===Compositional guides for composers=== | + | Many of the issues discussed above could be solved by forming an ocarina society. Additionally there are some great organizational benefits |
- | The commission should seek out to make a compositional guide for a composers who are not yet familiar with the instrument. it is unreasonable | + | |
- | ==Define what an ocarina should be expected to be able to do== | + | ===Starting a Newsletter and Journal === |
- | No such thing as paying louder then fuerte | + | Currently there is no location available to publish ocarina related research, book reviews, criticism, announcements of performances and compositions, |
- | ==Define what ocarinas | + | Additionally forming a journal can allow us to publish ocarina compositions, |
- | should we recommend 12 hole and doubles as the choice models for professional playing? | + | |
- | ==Discuss what kinds of ocarinas are common and uncommon== | + | ===Create a Library |
- | Which models | + | Many other instrument communities have well defined libraries of compositions on the instrument. One such community is the recorder community with various recorder societies maintaining lists of original compositions for the instrument that can easily be found and searched by players of the instrument. This is to great advantage in the community because it allows for composers to be found by players and more works to be performed. If someone owns an obscure type of recorder, say a garklein recorder, they are easily able to find resources for original compositions and arrangements to play on the instrument. Such societies and libraries should also exist for the ocarina. Having |
- | ==Define what should be expected with player competence | + | ===Create a Library of Method Books and Playing Guides=== |
- | What kinds of music can be played | + | To go along with the creation |
- | ===Organizing Compositions, | + | ===Create a Library of Ocarina |
- | This would entail forming | + | There is tons of information online for how to make an ocarina. Unfortunately some of that information is also dated, important details are kept secret, and some of it is outright false. If an ocarina society |
+ | Create a Place to Keep Ocarina History | ||
+ | We are seeing the moment that a US ocarina museum is about to be a reality and one where we are finally making sense of the past of the ocarina. Sadly this is also the same moment in time where historic parts of the community are becoming less accessible and where the majority of discussion on the instrument is being relegated to online spaces that are not owned within the community. We can take this opportunity to keep this history within the ocarina community and build a space where the important parts of our history are kept public and easily accessible. This will ensure that we can maintain a truthful history and continue it into the future. | ||
- | ==Should we form an ocarina society?== | + | ===Create a Campaign to Promote the Ocarina=== |
- | Think of this like forming | + | We as a community should start to promote the ocarina |
- | ==Making | + | We currently have a big problem with the ocarina |
- | Ideally this would be a spreadsheet or table with the instruments called for as different cells that can be sorted for convenience. There can also be a set of links to works and to authors. | + | |
- | ==Making a list of all arrangements for ocarina== | ||
- | This is a much more complicated task as there vast majority of music for the ocarina is arrangements. There are additional issues with sorting authorship and defining the instruments called for in this category as much of the tablature does not define the exact instrument intended. This also includes a great deal of tablature for the ocarina that is very basic in nature and act more like sketches of musical works then like fully fledged sheet music. The tablature work may need to be sorted separately then sheet music arrangements for the ocarina. | ||
- | ==Make reader friendly ocarina resources== | ||
- | Links or printed resources for things like how to make ocarina guides, buying ocarina guides, and ocarina learning resources that can be easily distributed, | ||
- | ==Work towards internal publishing for ocarina== | ||
- | If there is a centralized society we can also have a centralized website and work towards publishing ocarina scores, learning resources and a newsletter, and even a journal. \\ | ||
- | ==Starting a campaign to promote the Ocarina== | + | ====NOTES==== |
- | If there is an ocarina society we should start to promote the ocarina | + | {{tag> |