Ocarina help?

[Alleine]

I recently got m'self an ocarina, and was hoping to use it to play music of the Legend of Zelda variety. Unfortunately for me I have only ever played a brass instrument, and therefore I am at a loss as to how the heck certain things work.
For instance, when I try to play a few notes that decide to jump an octave up, and I can't seem to get them back down. It is really quite vexing when all I used to do was make a few lip adjustments in exchange for the correct sound.


If any of the fine musicians in the Playground would be so kind as to lend me some guidance, I would be much indebted to them.

[Rawhide]

This may help? (http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=9DbSBYlMsr8&feature=channel_page) (Note that he has other videos, that's just a starting point)

What type of ocarina do you have?

[Flame of Anor]

All I know is that you put fingers over the holes and take them off, and if you blow harder it gets higher. Good luck, though!

[Alleine]

and if you blow harder it gets higher

See that's what I thought, too. Apparently I was wrong.
*grumble* Freaking not-brass instruments not making any gorram sense *grumble*

And Rawhide, that was useful, but not quite what I was looking for.

[Rawhide]

I know it wasn't quite right (I linked it as a starting point, he has instructional videos too last I checked), but I still want to know which ocarina you got. I would assume you got one that looks like it came from Zelda?

Also, there's this (http://www.fl-oca.com/eng/ocarina1.htm).

[Alleine]

I have the mini(unfortunately) zelda replica ocarina from stlocarina.com
I wish I had looked at exactly how small it would be. It makes fingerings much more difficult, and the notes much higher than I'm used to.

That link is much more to the point for what I'm looking for, and I'm also watching those other videos. Thanks!

[pyrozoan]

given that an oracarina as with most wind instruments, overblowing should cause the note to shoot up an octave. this is normal. (It's called a harmonic, wiki it.)

Either play everything up or just practice better breathing.