Recording Upright Piano with Limitations - Advice Please

[gvdv]

Hi,
In a little while I am going to be recording an upright piano in an apartment as a favour to an acquaintance.

In addition to the above, there are some other challenges/limitations in the situation, and I would greatly appreciate some advice about how to go about this to make the recording as successful as possible.

The challenges and limitations of the situation that I can think of are:
1. The piano has to be recorded in the apartment
2. The piano is positioned in a vestibule, against a wall
3. The vestibule is too narrow to pull the piano out and angle it in order to position microphones behind the piano, and/or to prevent reflections coming off the wall
4. I am sure that the owner, for whom I am recording the piano, will not let me remove any panels from the piano to improve sound/access to the piano
5. The choice of recording equipment I will have will be between one of two audio interfaces: a Boss Micro Br 80, which has two built in (can be set to stereo) condenser microphones, or which can have one microphone plugged into the unit; and/or a Zoom R 16, which also has two built in condenser microphones, or can which can have two mics. plugged into the unit

Given the above, what would you recommend as the best way of going about things in order to get as good a recording as possible out of the situation?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you may have.

 

[Bobbsy]

A favourite way for me to record uprights is to open the hinged top and use 2 small diaphragm condensers, each about a third of the way from one edge of the other, aimed straight down from roughly level with the top of the piano. If you can borrow or rent two SDCs (around here sound hire places have them for about $15 a week for good AKG ones so it's not a bank breaker).

However, if you have to use just what you have, I might try the two Boss or Zoom mics in that sort of position (they'd have to be central and moved up and down until you're happy with the sound--and over to you to figure out how to mount them!).

 

[miroslav]

To date...the best recording I ever got out of my upright console piano was as follows.

I opened the top completely...removed the front panel and propped the lid up so the stings/hammers were exposed.
I opened the bottom completely...removed the huge panel so the strings and back soundboard were exposed.

Placed a stereo spaced pair about 3-4 feet apart, on either side of the bench, about 16" off the floor, and about 3 feet back from the open soundboard.

I placed the third mic about 12" above the top of the piano, dead center.

I know the top mic was set to a cardioid patter...and I think the two bottom mics were set to figure 8 or cardioid...I would have to go check my session notes to be sure, but you just try it both ways if you have the option and see what you like.

That setup gave me a fantastic stereo piano sound...the two bottom mics providing the big image, and the top mic on it's own track, I used to just fill in that center. I had the option during mixing the adjust the level between the two mics providing the L/R stereo image, and the top center mono mic...so it's possible to go more of a center forward mono sound or a more wider stereo sound...you have lots of mixing options.

Of course...this was for a song where the piano was supposed to provide a big airy image.
If I was just doing some backing/accent piano stuff...I would probably opt for a single mic, and work that into the mix....so it really depends on what you need.
Oh...the piano was/is up against the wall...I never bother moving it away from the wall.

 

[DM60]

A favourite way for me to record uprights is to open the hinged top and use 2 small diaphragm condensers, each about a third of the way from one edge of the other, aimed straight down from roughly level with the top of the piano. If you can borrow or rent two SDCs (around here sound hire places have them for about $15 a week for good AKG ones so it's not a bank breaker).

However, if you have to use just what you have, I might try the two Boss or Zoom mics in that sort of position (they'd have to be central and moved up and down until you're happy with the sound--and over to you to figure out how to mount them!).

I used this method and it works pretty good. I put the mics on a shelf that the string structure attaches to. Adjust the mics to get to get left and right balanced and away you go. No room issues, sounds pretty good (I mean everything is perspective) and there is not a lot of setup required. No panels to remove or instrument to move. Pretty straight forward. You may have to play around with the mics to get the best sound, but be realistic about it.

 

[danhedonia]

various thoughts

Bobbsy's idea on mic placement is good, seconded. If you wanted to go in a very different direction, you could aim to work with the effects of the space -- you could do something like drop Sennheiser 609s down the back of the piano / whatever budget and time allow. Maybe pair with an overhead, or etc.

Missing from OP is articulation of type of music, aim of recording, etc. Without any sense of aesthetics, hard to guess what you / person is after.

Last thought though is this: person sounds 'difficult.' Your post has a lot about what you won't be permitted to do - and yet this is a 'favor' you are doing them. When I consider that plus the data you shared, I reckon this person is going to expect you to be able to get the sound of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" while fussing at you. Suggest you have a fact-based conversation to set expectation levels.