The strange physics of a little goose

The resonator simulator

Tap the holes to open or close them. Every change plays the note this pot of air would sing. Then press Shuffle the holes: they move, and the pitch stays exactly the same.

What's going on

An ocarina is a Helmholtz resonator, like the bottle you blow across to make a hoot. The air in the opening acts like a little piston bouncing on the springy air inside. Opening more hole makes the piston lighter and freer, so it bounces faster and the note goes up. A bigger pot has a softer spring, so the note goes down.

f = (c / 2π) · √(K / V)

Here c is the speed of sound (343 m/s), V is the volume of air inside and K is the openings' “conductance”. For holes in a thin wall, K is roughly the sum of the hole diameters. This simulator uses that simplified model with an 8 mm voicing window. Real makers tune every hole by hand, and breath pressure moves the pitch too. That's why ocarinists control their breath so carefully.

Voice range finder

How much ocarina is in your throat? Hum your lowest comfortable note, then your highest, and we'll compare your range with a 12-hole Alto C ocarina (A4 to F6, about 1⅔ octaves).