How to Play “Last Christmas” on the Ocarina (Holiday Chorus Tutorial)
Looking for a festive song to add to your ocarina repertoire? “Last Christmas” is a holiday classic that translates beautifully to the ocarina’s warm, expressive tone. In this guide, you’ll learn how to play the chorus of “Last Christmas” on the ocarina, step by step, so you can bring some seasonal cheer to your practice sessions (or holiday gatherings).
This tutorial is demonstrated on the Ice Tenor Ocarina in G major from STL Ocarina. A full performance of the song is also available via the link in the video description for those who want to hear how everything comes together.
A Quick Note About Ocarina Keys (Why Yours May Sound Different)
Ocarinas come in different keys (for example, C major, G major, F major, etc.). In this lesson, the demonstration instrument is in G major. If your ocarina is in a different key, your version of “Last Christmas” will sound higher or lower than the demonstration.
That’s totally normal.
The important thing to know is this:
If you play the same fingerings, the melody will still be correct on your ocarina—just in a different key. You don’t need to change anything about the notes you’re playing. This is one of the nice things about learning songs on the ocarina: the shapes stay the same even when the pitch changes between instruments.
Learning the Chorus: First Section
The chorus opens with a simple, memorable phrase:
G – G – F
Once you’re comfortable with the timing, the melody continues with:
C – G – G – A – F
Played together, these notes form the opening idea of the chorus. By this point, you’ve already learned a significant portion of the melody—about a quarter of the chorus—so you’re off to a great start.
Second Section: Building the Melody
The next phrase expands on the opening:
D – D – G – G – F
This is followed by a short ascending and descending motion:
D – E – F – E
When you put these together with the opening, you can hear the recognizable shape of the “Last Christmas” chorus begin to take form. Practice this section slowly at first, then gradually increase your speed once the fingerings feel comfortable.
Third Section: Introducing Accidentals
The next part adds a bit of color with accidentals (notes outside the main scale), which can feel tricky at first. Take this section slowly and focus on clean finger placement:
D – A – B♭ – A – G
Because B♭ uses a different fingering than B natural, this is a good moment to pause and make sure the note speaks clearly. Once this phrase feels solid, you’re most of the way through the chorus.
Final Section: Bringing the Chorus Home
The closing phrase of the chorus ties everything together:
F – E – F – F – E – F – E – C
Played smoothly, this final line resolves the melody and sets up the repeat of the chorus. At this point, you can play the entire chorus from beginning to end.
Playing the Full Chorus
Once each section feels comfortable on its own, try playing the entire chorus of “Last Christmas” in one continuous pass. The chorus repeats in the song, so getting this one section down gives you a complete, recognizable performance you can share during the holidays.
There’s also a full performance video and complete sheet music available via the links in the description if you’d like to hear the entire arrangement or follow along visually.
Final Thoughts
Holiday songs are a great way to keep practice fun and seasonal, and Last Christmas is a perfect choice for ocarina players of many levels. Whether you’re playing for friends, family, or just for yourself, this chorus captures the familiar warmth of the song in a simple, singable melody.
New ocarina tutorials and reviews are released every month, so be sure to subscribe for more seasonal pieces and everyday practice ideas. Happy holidays—and happy playing 🎄🎶