How Does He Do It?

[jhatpro]

I'm always transfixed when I hear Sergei Nakaraiakov. How does he play so effortlessly?

I do notice in this video his neck muscles are really working. Also there's a lot of movement around his embouchure as a result I suppose of his blazing multi-tonguing.

Anyone have deeper insights/observations?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLZWfxVHz9E
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[mike ansberry]

I feel the same way when I watch and listen to him. I also get that feeling listening to Joey Pero play Bach Partitas on cornet. HOW DO THEY DO THAT? It can't be just that they practice a lot. I have been through times in my life when I was on the horn for 6 to 8 hours a day. There is either something freaky in their genetic make up or they know something we don't.
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Music is a fire in your belly, fighting to get out. You'd better put a horn in the way before someone gets hurt.

[jhatpro]

Here’s another guy that scares me.

https://youtu.be/elo0SPMo6qg
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[area51recording]

Both of those guys are fabulous! One thing I notice from both, but especially from Sergei, is neither one of them acts like they are taking in huge amounts of air to play the way they do (Sergei looks like he's barely breathing at all) but it seems like they both have a fine control over the air they DO take in. The fact that they are both apparently super efficient players in the embouchure dept. doesn't hurt either.......

[jhatpro]

Good observation about air. I've begun to suspect that I try to take too much air in and end up over blowing.

Another thing I noticed about both is their apparent total relaxation. In the Sergei clip he's in a no pressure master class situation which is easier no doubt. But I've seen other clips of him playing with orchestras before large audiences and he seems completely at ease.

As for Antonsen, he's so loose he even fools around at the end with that one finger fingering bit - and earlier when he's scratching his eye and the conductor is giggling. No performance anxiety there. Just perfection!

Me, I've kacked enough notes in performance to fill a book by themselves.
_________________
Jim Hatfield

"The notes are there - find them.” Mingus

2021 Martinus Geelan Custom
2005 Bach 180-72R
1965 Getzen Eterna Severinsen
1946 Conn Victor
1998 Scodwell flugel
1986 Bach 181 cornet
1954 Conn 80A cornet
2002 Getzen bugle

[Jaw04]

These technical wizards are just super focused on everything they play, coordinating everything to the highest level, not accepting anything less than perfect, and developing the efficiency that goes along with that precision.

It can be beneficial and fascinating to look at their embouchures and breathing, I do it all the time, but since everyone is so different physically I would focus more on the sound of their articulations, the sound of their phrasing, their tone, etc if you want to emulate their playing. EDIT: The breathing thing is a good observation. I've watched videos of myself and noticed my breathing was more effort physically, too much of a wind up motion, than I see from pros of this level. It has been beneficial to make that comparison and try to breathe more neutrally.

I am very thankful for these kind of artists as a benchmark for what is possible. I like to tell myself, if they can do it, it is possible for everyone. Don't accept your current limitations and keep striving.

[deleted_user_02066fd]

[deleted_user_02066fd]

[krell1960]

[Robert P]

[Jaw04]

[Robert P]

[Jaw04]

[Eliot]

That first link provided some inspirational playing that lead to three other video clips.

Absolutely brilliant playing. Guess that represents practising for pretty much a lifetime for Sergi.

Thank you for sharing the link.

[GeorgeB]

The thing I notice about Sergei is how his embouchure has the look of a slight frown. There is another player, whose name escapes me at the moment, who also uses a frown and appears to play effortlessly. Maybe that has something to do with it.
_________________
GeorgeB
1960s King Super 20 Silversonic
2016 Manchester Brass Custom
1938-39 Olds Recording
1942 Buescher 400 Bb trumpet
1952 Selmer Paris 21 B
1999 Conn Vintage One B flat trumpet
2020 Getzen 490 Bb
1962 Conn Victor 5A cornet

[abontrumpet]

[Vin DiBona]

He is more talented than most, like all the other great players. Don't think so? Why can't all major league pitchers throw 100 mph? After all, they work very hard at what they do. It is a particular gift they have been given.
A friend who is a world famous lead trumpet player sat down with Sergei after some convention they were at and they had a very nice conversation.
Sergei told him that he simply cannot play very high nor can he improvise well. Because of these "flaws" he stays away from upper register stuff and any improvisational playing.
Great players are efficient in the use of air. Where they are truly working is not readily seen.
R. Tomasek

[HERMOKIWI]

There's never been a trumpet player ever, at any time, who was the best at everything in terms of playing trumpet. Nor has there been a painter or dancer or singer or any other artist who was ever, at any time, the best at everything in their general category of art.

Sergei is so good at what he does, so beyond what would otherwise seem humanly possible within the context of what he does, that he doesn't need to be good at anything else to be one of the all time greats on trumpet.

Van Gogh couldn't paint the same way Rembrandt painted but his paintings still sell for a gazillion pengos. So, I guess in the world of painting it doesn't matter that Van Gogh couldn't do what Rembrandt did.

It doesn't matter that Sergei can't play like Maynard or Clifford. He has his plate full playing like himself and, certainly, neither Maynard nor Clifford could play like Sergei.

So, how does Sergei do what he does at the level he does it? Beats me. It seems impossible but there he is doing it. It's wonderful watching him without trying to analyze it.

In fact, in terms of art appreciation, I think all art is more enjoyable by looking for the beauty within it rather than by trying to compare it to extrinsic and arbitrary standards, by trying to play the "Yeah, but where's the rest of it?" game. That game misses the forest for the trees.
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HERMOKIWI

[adagiotrumpet]

The pettiness on this forum sometimes amazes me. We read comments like "using a setup oriented towards agility". Does this come from first hand knowledge or idle speculation? "He can play Hayden, but can he play lead in a big band," (I paraphrase). Why the qualifiers?

If we were to go hear the San Francisco Symphony with Mark Inouye playing principal, many on this forum would go away thinking that he sounds great but I bet he can't swing or play jazz. If we were to go to a jazz club and hear him play, not knowing of his symphonic background, many on this forum would leave thinking he sounds great but he obviously can't play classical. Well guess what, he excels at both admirably.

How many, after hearing Wynton in his earlier years, thought that he could also be considered the world class trumpet soloist he turned out to be? Of coarse, being somewhat facetious, some would say after his performances as a major soloist, "yeah, but can he play principal in an orchestra?"

Sure, most of us excel in one or more particular areas. But why should anyone's playing abilities be qualified by what is perceived to be areas in which they may not excel?

[HERMOKIWI]