Potato Flutepotatoflute.com/packs/south-africa/thula-baba/ · 12-hole transverse ocarina
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Potato Flute › Song packs › South African children's & folk songs › Thula Baba
How to play Thula Baba on the ocarina
Pick another ocarina above to see its fingerings.
A free song from the South African children's & folk songs song pack. Free for now
Thula Baba ocarina notes with color coding & letters, sheet music, fingering diagrams, and interactive audio practice.
It uses 8 notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C′, D′.
The notes & rhythm
ABBGGDDBF#AGEAGAF#F#DDC′ABAGBABGGDDBF#AGEAGAF#F#DDC′ABAGBC′D′BBBAGAEEAGAEEAGEGDDBC′D′BBBAGAEEAGAEEAGEGDDAAAABAGDAAAABAG
Longer blocks are longer notes; a vertical line marks each bar.
Sheet music
Standard treble clef notation with letter guides below each note.
The notes as letters
A B B G G D D B F# A G E A G A F# F# D D C′ A B A G B A B G G D D B F# A G E A G A F# F# D D C′ A B A G B C′ D′ B B B A G A E E A G A E E A G E G D D B C′ D′ B B B A G A E E A G A E E A G E G D D A A A A B A G D A A A A B A G
Ocarina fingerings
Select your ocarina type to see the right fingerings. Filled holes are covered; white holes are open.
E · low E
F# · F#
G · G
A · A
B · B
C′ · high C
D′ · high D
Playing tips for Thula Baba
- Start each note cleanly with a gentle tongue stroke (whisper "too" or "doo").
- Seal every hole completely with the soft pads of your fingers, not your fingertips.
- The ocarina's pitch follows your breath: blowing softer lowers the pitch, blowing harder raises it.
- The low notes need the gentlest breath of all. If a low note warbles or squeaks, soften your breath and check that your lower fingers fully seal their holes.
- F# uses a cross-fingering: check that the holes around the open one stay firmly sealed.
Play Thula Baba in Potato Flute