Basic Working 12 Hole Ocarina (Remix of Karuuv's Remix of nimaid's Design)

thingiverse

I have increased the diameters of the finger holes, so that the instrument is more in tune. I have also added indents on the two middle finger holes, so you can slide your finger between the two more easily. I normally print this at 89% the normal size, so that the lowest note is a C, instead of an A. To get the lowest note to be an A, I print this at 106%. I have done a huge amount of work to get this instrument to this point, but I am designing an ocarina from scratch, so I will tell that story in the summary of that Thing. To get the instrument to play smoothly, make sure the wind channel is perfectly rectangular, and completely free of blockages. Use a half-round file to very carefully sharpen the sharp edge of the voicing window. File each side of it until you only just see a burr appear, and make sure it stays centered in the airflow by pointing a light at it and looking at it through the wind channel. I have found that, if the lowest note is slightly too flat, you can file that edge of the voicing window slightly further from the end of the wind channel, but you have to make sure that you maintain the same elliptical curve, and that the edge stays centered in the airflow. Use the same half-round file to file the holes' diameters to be slightly larger, using the PanoTuner (yes, that's spelled correctly) app to check the tuning as you go, until the tuning is perfect. The two thumb holes are more undersized than the other 10, so those will require a little bit more filing. The keys to getting all of the notes to play correctly are using steady breath pressure, sitting or standing upright, so that your diaphragm and lungs aren't crushed, and holding the ocarina at the right angle to blow straight down the wind channel.