Teacarina Ocarina Review

by Howard Fosdick © FolkFluteWorld.com.

Ever heard of a teacarina? It's an ocarina -- a playable flute -- that you can also use a teacup. That's right, it's both a musical instrument and a tea cup from which you can drink.

This review tells you all about the popular tea cup flute made by TNG in Taiwan.

First off, here's what they look like:

As you can see, the teacarina comes in a variety of ceramic designs. The one in the middle displays the Chinese character for "autumn." You can also specify any of the other three seasons, or buy a complete set of all four seasons for your next tea ceremony.

The Instrument

I bought the beautiful ceramic blue tea cup from STL Ocarina pictured at above. Whichever design you choose, all are the same musical instrument at the same price.

The oc comes securely shipped in a sturdy, reusable cardboard box, tucked in tight with bubble wrap. The chances of shipping damage would appear to be extremely low. The product comes with a fingering chart. I kept the box for when I want to store or securely transport the instrument. It's handy.

The STL Ocarina website presently lists the teacarina as a "4 hole ocarina" having the range of "8 diatonic notes." But the TNG teacarina they sent me has 4 holes on top and 2 thumb holes beneath. Most people would refer to this as a 6 hole ocarina.

6 hole ocarinas play a range 10 whole notes, from C5 to E6 (though I have trouble hitting the highest note on the teacarina.) As any oc player can tell you, those extra high notes are useful for playing a wider range of songs. So the difference matters. You can certainly play 9 whole notes on your teacarina, and even 10 once you develop the skill to nicely hit that highest note.

Playing It

A playable tea cup is something special. I initially bought one for its novelty value. You'll notice it intrigues onlookers right off. Everyone asks about it when you finish drinking your tea... and then play a song with your cup!

Given that I was buying a novelty, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the teacarina sounds as good as any alto C I've played. Here's a video that gives you a good idea of its sound. Very pretty. You can find several more sound samples on Youtube.

I find all notes are easily playable and in tune -- except that topmost note, E6. That one is often airy on any 6 hole oc, and the teacarina makes it a bit harder to hit than most.

Given the shape of the oc -- a tea cup -- holding it initially feels a little less natural than the typical 6 hole ocarina. But you quickly get used to this and develop playing abilities equivalent to what you have with any so-called "pendant" or "seedpod" style ocarina.

If you've never played a 6 hole ocarina before, its fingering pattern will take you several days to learn. Having played only transverse or "sweet potato" ocarinas before, I found it little trouble to pick up 6 hole fingering as well. So if you're interested in the teacarina, don't let the fingering turn you off. It won't take you but a few days to learn. Not to mention that it also opens up the whole world of other 4 and 6 hole ocarinas to you.

As a Tea Cup

The teacarina is a real, usable tea cup. As both a tea drinker and oc player I enjoy drinking from it. The product is machine washable and microwave safe, so it's as useful as any other tea cup in your cupboard.

You'll like its looks, too. How nice to drink from a true ceramic cup rather than the plastic mugs many of us use otherwise.

Purchasing

You can buy a TNG alto C teacarina either directly from STL Ocarina or through Amazon. Prices vary a bit by where you buy the oc and whether that cost includes shipping. Shipping included, you'll probably pay $30 or maybe a bit less for a teacarina.

My Opinion

I've had a lot of fun with this product. A cup you can play! It's attention-getting, for sure. What I like the best is its sound. This is not some inferior novelty. It is a lovely sounding 6 hole ceramic oc. It's a great deal for the price.

***** SUMMARY *****