Are these cross fingering patterns universal?

[CelticMusicLover]

Hi! I found a fingering chart for the gemshorn which includes cross fingering patterns. Are they "universal", or do they only work on Pavel Číp's gemshorns?

[Kypfer]

A Gemshorn is effectively an ocarina-type instrument (there's a special name, "helmholtz resonator"), so the fingering could be fairly random, depending on the placement of the holes. In practice, most instruments seem to follow the "logical sequence", as does this one, similar to a "Tonette", "Song Flute" or "Flutophone", all of which are 9-hole instruments.

An interesting variation, if you've not seen them, are the Mountain Ocarinas at http://www.mountainsocarina.com/ ... using the same fingering pattern, but with both hands "in parallel", one either side of the instrument.

[mutepointe]

There are folks who don't believe that the universe is universal. I doubt a fingering chart could make the grade either. Maybe it's like how clothing is described these days, "One size fits most."

[Tim2723]

Indeed, you might find that those fingerings aren't universal even for all of Pavel Cip's gemshorns.

[Yuri]

On an open-ended woodwind instrument the basic fingering is dictated by the fact that the shorter the sound wave, the higher the note. So essentially you are shortening the wavelenght by progressively uncovering the fingerholes from the bottom up. (Let's not go into cross-fingering, as it complicates matters, but does not disprove it.)
In a closed woodwind the total area of open space is the biggest influence. So, the larger the sum total area of fingeholes open, the higher the tone. In theory you can put the fingerholes anywhere, as long as they follow a pattern of small to large size for consecutive ones. (Having said that, it is a guideline, rater than a concrete-cast rule. There are other factors influencing it all, but the most important is still the one above.)