I am a sucker for world music and world musical instruments. I’d say that most people in the US would be able to identify the musical instruments used in pop music; like the electric guitar, bass guitar, drumset, piano, and saxophone (if you’re a Huey Lewis fan). I think that even less people would be able to identify the instruments used in a Wind Band or an Orchestra.
However, when someone comes along and introduces us to a completely different sound than we aren’t used to, it is a great way to expand our musical horizons. Recently, I have been partaking of what David Ramos has been offering through his YouTube channel. David plays the Ocarina (among other things). His early videos are very informative and explain some of the music theory behind the Ocarina.
Most of us are familiar with the Ocarina because it appears in the Zelda videogame franchise. David’s music is influenced by the videogame heritage of the instument, but is not limited to it. He plays song from videogames, movies, and has a few originals of his own. I think its great that the internet has allowed people like David to make instruments like the Ocarina accessible to a larger audience and show what they can do. Keep up the great work, David!
For those of you who are brave enough to venture into playing the Ocarina, Smule has a great Ocarina app for the iPhone.