Dear members,

When I joined this group several years ago, I know very little about
ocarinas. I have benefited from the sharing and free-flow of
information here and would like to express my appreciation to
everyone.

When I decided to collect sweet potato doublets, I sought advice here.
I have the fortune of acquiring several sweet potato doublets: 2
Japanese models from Aketa (soprano F or T4F and alto C or T14C) and
an Italian model from Giorgio Pacchioni (alto C or C3).

I would like to take this opportunity to share what I have learnt. I
hope it will benefit members who would like more information or are
thinking of acquiring ocarina doublets. I am commenting from the
viewpoint of the ocarina player.

I shall compare the Alto C of both models:

"Aketa T14C"
(http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ocarinaclub/
files/Colin%27s%20Collection/Aketa-Doublets.jpg)

Aketa no longer produce the doublet. I bidded from Japan yahoo
auction.
This aketa doublet is 19.5 cm long, 11 cm broad and 4.5 cm thick.
It has 2 chambers, the left chamber produces the low notes, and the
right the higher notes

The left chamber is similar to a single chamber sweet potato ocarina.
It has 8 holes + 3 subholes. The 2 highest notes normally fingered by
the right thumb and left little finger are missing. This gives it a
range from low So (8 holes + 3 subholes covered) to high Re (all holes
uncovered). Because of the position of the subholes, one has to slide
the right middle finger, row the left little finger laterally and flex
the left index finger to produce the right sound.

The right chamber has 5 holes and 1 subhole (used for fingering sharps
and flats). Only the right hand fingers and thumb are used. The range
is from Mi flat (5 holes + 1sub hole covered) to highest Do (all holes
uncovered).

Total range is So-Do-Do-Do, slightly more than 2 octaves.

If the blowing force is carefully moderated, the transition from the
lower to higher chamber is hardly noticeable. The main difficulty with
playing this doublet is the need to change the fingering from one
chamber to another and also to switch to the adjacent mouth hole.

The advantage of the aketa doublet is its extended range that enables
more music to be played or transposed.
The chambers are asymmetrical, hence it is not suitable for
simultaneous playing of both chambers.
(This is unlike the English style double ocarina where both chambers
can be played concurrently. There are usually 4 holes in each chamber
which can be pitched in unison, 4th, 5th or octave apart. Hence a
"solo duet" is possible)



"Giorgio Pacchioni Alto C Doublet"
(http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/Ocarinaclub/
files/Colin%27s%20Collection/JP-Doublet.jpg)

I bought this off ebay. I believe Giorgio Pacchioni still makes this
on special order.

This doublet is 14.5 cm long, 10 cm broad and 5 cm thick. It is more
compact than the Aketa, possibly because of its globular shaped and
perhaps thinner walls.

The left chamber has less fingering holes. There are 9 holes and 1
subhole (fingered by left middle finger). It has a range from of low
Ti (all holes covered) to high Re sharp (all holes uncovered). High Re
(natural) is produced with only the left ring finger hole covered.

The right chamber has 5 fingering holes. The ring finger hole actually
consists of 2 discrete holes adjacent to each other. Covering of one
is used to make a sharp. The range is from hi Mi (all holes covered)
to highest Do (all holes uncovered).

Total sound range is Ti-Do-Do-Do, again exceeding 2 octaves.