Xun Chinese Ocarina

thingiverse

This is my take on creating a playable Chinese Xun that's printed out of the printer. The Xun is an ancient instrument still used today, similar to an ocarina but without the fipple. Instead, it generates tone by blowing gently over the edge of the upper opening, like blowing over a bottle. It's essentially a perfect Helmholz resonator, and I modeled it according to its physical formula and optimized it. I've uploaded a 10-hole version and an 8-hole version. Playing higher notes can be tricky, so if you're a beginner, I recommend printing the 8-hole version first. I've designed two sizes that correspond to C major and E major. The E major is small but playable, while the C major is larger and easier to play. The sound is remarkably similar to my original clay Xun. One issue I faced with other 3D printed Xuns is that it's often hard to produce a tone when opening one or more holes. Sharpening the edge of the windway can overcome this problem. I've specifically designed the blow hole interior with a sharp edge, making them highly playable without this issue. However, due to printer resolution, this edge may still require some sharpening after printing. Playing the Xun is not easy; it requires adjusting the tone by varying the blow angle. A certain technique is needed to get the right sound. The fingering involves opening one hole after another with your right hand from bottom to top, then left hand from bottom to top, and finally left thumb followed by right thumb. This gives you a major scale if you adjust the blow angle correctly (move your chin away from the top and let the air stream hit the edge very horizontally). Check your tones with a piano or tuner at first. Give it a try!