The Ocarina is many thousands of years old. (See "The Wind Jewel'' folk tale 'The Firebird's Egg'.) From the Aztec, Maya and Inca people ('Runa') of central America the ancient five note 'globular flute' arrived in Italy five hundred years ago where it was transformed. The instrument's Italian name has been adopted worldwide since the last century when Guisseppe Donati of Budrio at the age of 17 discovered the cromatic range in something which had been a children's toy for around 350 years in Europe. (See 'The Wind Jewel'extract 'The Ocarinas of Budrio' by Dr. Aldo Adversi, 1964)."LOcarine di Budrio" Italian copyright holder is Giancarlo Bongiovanni(Bologna)

The handmade tradition was continued and enhanced by Takashi Aketagawa in Japan who 70 years ago also became fascinated by the pure tone of the ocarina and developed systems with extra holes and some beauty of tone and form, Around 30 years ago the Ethno- musicologist John Taylor created the first four hole ocarina to play a Western diatonic scale, etc, Some years later, Barry Jennings developed John Taylor's four hole tuning further to become 'Firebird"Equal Balance Tuning' _ with up to seven holes to play an octave - plus up to six semi - tones cromatically.

Waterproof. Protect from scratches or impact, Use cord to suspend from loop: Clear wind channel obstructions by blowing or shaking, by sucking, or with a needle threader, hook any obstruction back out away from the fipple window.

Black Holes are closed-white open. Blowing is from below. Some 'Firebird' ocarinas have a semitone hole under the mouthpiece to be closed with lower lip: it is always open unless shown Thumb holes closed except when shown open.

The greatest variety of shapes and sizes, keys and tuning systems made Every 'Firebird' instrument is unique, made, tuned, burnished, fired to a natural non- glaze finish and marked with Key letters,pitch stamps and also 'Firebird' Maker's Imprint.

Instruments include Shakuhatchi, Nay, Cana & classical Indian bamboo flutes, wood / gourd reed instruments, Oud. Kemençi, Koto, Pipa, Tambur, Sehtar, Lyra, Madagascan Harp, Xylophones, Pipes, Gengongs, also various Drums.

Black Holes are closed-white open Blowing is from below.

Some `Firebird' ocarinas have a semitone hole under the mouthpiece to be closed with lower lip:

it is always open unless shown.

Thumb holes closed except when shown open.

Balance the ocarina between lips and the third fingers using the outer parts of the lips to grip ,

with tongue tip behind upper teeth - ta, ta, ta. `Push' breath gently to sound note,

stop breath between notes to separate them.

Holes are covered with flat of fingers - not tips.

Breath which sounds (all holes open) note clearly is correct for all notes sounded with the same pressure to be in tune.

By tilting ocarina upward so the `fipple window' is closer to upper lip

all tones may be lowered.

This technique is used for some tunes and for all cromatic playing.