Hamlett Alto F Ocarina Review

This is a review of the Hamlett Alto F ocarina. Here are the basics:

Style: 11-hole ocarina, transverse or "sweet potato" shape
Maker: Richard Hamlett, USA
Website: Hamlett Ocarinas
U.S. sellers: Buy direct from Hamlett Ocarinas
Range: E4 - Bb5 including sharps and flats
Material: Ceramic
Cost: about $80
Dimensions: Length: 6.75 inches (171 mm), Width: 4.00 inches (101 mm), Height: 2.00 inches (50 mm)
Weight: apx 207 grams

Here's how this instrument looks:

Images courtesy of Richard Hamlett

About Hamlett Ocarinas

Richard Hamlett is an ocarina artisan who states that his goal is "...to provide a professional quality ocarina at an affordable price."

Mr Hamlett works alone and creates each ocarina personally. He does not stock inventory. Thus, your ocarina is handmade and made-to-order. It will typically arrive in your mailbox in anywhere from a couple weeks to a month after ordering.

To order your oc, go to the Hamlett website. You can choose almost any pitch for your instrument. And, you have a dozen different colors and finishes from which to choose. Pay via Paypal, any major credit card, or money order. Then select a shipping option.

Your ocarina arrives in a secure packaging that ensures against shipping damage. It comes with a removable neck strap, a fingering chart, and a certificate of authenticity signed by Mr Hamlett. The certificate is a nice touch: you have the lineage of your instrument right at hand to keep. I appreciate that because I intend to hand this instrument down to the next generation, and the certificate verifies its provenance.

Look and Feel

Many comment on the physical beauty of Hamlett ocarinas. Mine was no exception. I ordered it in white, a somewhat unusual choice that plays down the "pottery" look of many ceramic oc's. You can see it in the above photograph. I think it looks glossy and sleek, just like shiny ivory.

Mr Hamlett takes justifiable pride in his products. You won't find minor dings or scratches on these individually made instruments. Glazing is perfect around the holes. Quality control is consistently high, unlike some of the clay oc's you can find on Amazon.

Before ordering, I was curious if a ceramic Alto F might be a little too big or heavy to play for long periods. Not to worry. The instrument nicely fits your hands and anyone who plays an Alto C should find it very comfortable.

Sound & Playability

I own two plastic oc's that I just love: an Alto C Night By Noble and Soprano G by Mountain Ocarinas. Unfortunately, both are too loud to play for extended periods in enclosed spaces. And you really can't play them if you have housemates or nearby neighbors with open windows. They work best in outdoor venues or for playing in front of a large audience where you need sound projection.

So I choose an Alto F ceramic because I was looking for a quieter instrument than my high-pitched oc's. Of course, not all lower-pitched instruments are quieter. But most are, and I was hoping the Alto F would play more comfortably in my favorite stairwell.

I wasn't disappointed. The Hamlett alto F has a soft-spoken, mellow voice that benefits from a lively location having a bit of echo. How to describe it? Pure, haunting, soulful. I've never found a better sounding low-pitched ceramic in all my wanderings around Youtube.

My friends agree. The Hamlett Alto F's wonderfully melodic tone makes a perfect musical vehicle. Be aware, however, that any lower-pitched oc like an Alto G or F tends to swallow very rapid note transitions due to their larger air volumes. So trills, flips, and other quick fingerings are not quite as distinct on larger oc's as they are on smaller instruments. I find my Alto F well suited to melodic lines, or to playing the lower "bass part" in ensembles. But it's less appropriate for playing tunes that rely on fancy fingering, for example, some of the very quick folk tunes from the British Isles.

11 vs 12 Holes

Mr Hamlett makes both 11- and 12- hole ocarinas, though he favors 11. In his article "How Many Holes?", Hamlett explains why he believes 11 spot design is superior. As he states, "[Eliminating the 12th subhole] makes an enormous difference in the strength and clarity of the ocarina through the entire range, not just on the high notes."

My 11-hole Alto F achieves clear high notes that are not airy or breathy sounding. No acute bend is needed. The instrument has a fairly consistent breath requirement throughout its entire range, and I can't find a note that doesn't sound full and mellow. If you're chasing after the best-sounding oc you can find -- like me -- you really should check out Mr Hamlett's instruments.

Sound Samples

Here's Mr Hamlett playing his Alto F and his other ocarinas at his Youtube home page.
Here's Miagete played by Chris Gale on a 12-hole Alto C.
In this video, Mark Chan plays Roar (a Katy Perry Cover).

Summary

With a Hamlett ocarina, you choose from a wide variety of pitches and finishes to design your own customized ocarina. You get a precision, handmade instrument that plays, feels, and sounds about as good as any ocarina can. And it comes at a very reasonable price.

I'm pleased with my Alto F oc and would recommend a Hamlett ocarina to anyone. With so few ocarina makers in the U.S., we're lucky to have these fine instruments available.