Miking a digital piano ? How to arrange the mics ?

OK. Now I recorded direct "Line In" I guess it's called. I don't think there's a dramatic difference in the two. Maybe you (the collective "you") will disagree. I will be recording with microphones in the future. I also plan to have, at different times a bass player and percussion/drums recording "live" in studio (my living room) with me.

I also want to skip the whole "loops", MIDI, virtual instruments thing. I've collected a variety of percussion instruments and will be experimenting with the multitracking percussion. Perhaps in combinations that no human ears can tolerate in any pleasant way, but so be it if that's the case.

It may be that my mind's ears are not as attuned to the audio subtleties of the differences. My ears are much more attuned to harmonic and melodic movement. I hope to learn something about eq'ing aind mixing in the foreseeable future.

You can see what you think. Thanks.


https://soundcloud.com/david-goethe/killrjoewav

https://soundcloud.com/david-goethe/kllr2wav
 
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Your monitoring situation might be keeping you from noticing much difference. That doesn't mean it isn't there. Your mics will be appropriate for the it her instruments.

Make sure, with percussion instruments, that you keep the recording levels far away from clipping. Some have very sharp and very large transients that can clip the recorder, possibly without registering on the meters.

I know someone mentioned midi, but don't think anyone mentioned loops and such. Midi simply records your performance without the sound. This will allow you to apply your performance to another sound. There are some awesome piano sound modules and vst instruments that will most likely be much better than the built in sounds on your piano. Midi does not mean "fake performance". Although you can edit it, you certainly don't have to.

I could be wrong, but I'm getting the impression from your posts that you are worried about authenticity. There is nothing inauthentic about plugging directly in, that is the way it was designed to be recorded and/or interfaced with a PA system.
 
Direct sounds much, much better.

Yeah, with MIDI you don't necessarily need a computer and it would still be you performing. If you've got 5-pin DIN MIDI output you can connect to a hardware sound module that's full of different piano sounds. You might not be able to hear them through your piano's speakers but it would give you more tonal options for recording.

Computers are taking over this function for a lot of people so there are quite a few sound modules available used. You can get specialty modules packed with variations of one kind of instrument like piano, string, organ, percussion etc., and more general modules with some of each.
 
I was just able to listen to the tracks in the studio (I was posting from my phone before). If you can't hear the night and day difference between the two, your listening environment and equipment must be very, very compromised.

The direct sounds like a piano, the miked version sounds like a recording of a piano played through a boom box.
 
Farview said:
I was just able to listen to the tracks in the studio (I was posting from my phone before). If you can't hear the night and day difference between the two, your listening environment and equipment must be very, very compromised.

The direct sounds like a piano, the miked version sounds like a recording of a piano played through a boom box.
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sorry but Farview is dead on.the difference between the two is striking. the direct is much better. the miked version sounds like shit. :wtf:
 
Even on my phone with ear buds the difference is like night and day. The direct recording sounds better.
 
There has been a couple of threads like this, lately. What about the guy who wanted to mic the body of his semi-hollow guitar?
 
I think that the OP got it in his head the miking would somehow make the digital piano appear more acoustic/live...then he went and dropped some serious cash on a pair of AKG C414 mics...and now he's painted into his corner and compelled to use those mics no matter what anyone says here. :)

Sometimes....you just have to let go and accept the reality.

The mics are certainly not a bad purchase...there's plenty of other uses for them, and if they were purchased just to mic the piano and you come to your senses and realize that miking a digital piano is pointless and generally worse than going DI, and you decide you don't need the mics...you can get all your money back on eBay. Those mics rarely lose value.
 
miroslav said:
I think that the OP got it in his head the miking would somehow make the digital piano appear more acoustic/live...then he went and dropped some serious cash on a pair of AKG C414 mics...and now he's painted into his corner and compelled to use those mics no matter what anyone says here. :)

Sometimes....you just have to let go and accept the reality.

The mics are certainly not a bad purchase...there's plenty of other uses for them, and if they were purchased just to mic the piano and you come to your senses and realize that miking a digital piano is pointless and generally worse than going DI, and you decide you don't need the mics...you can get all your money back on eBay. Those mics rarely lose value.
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Yes, I went and priced them, that is some serious coin. They do look like nice mics, not a bad mistake for using on other instruments which he said he was going to do.
 
Nothing wrong with having a pair of 414s. Very useful once someone comes to their senses. :D

Hey, I can't blame the OP for experimenting. Got a pair of good mics out of the deal too.
 
The mic'd version just sounds like someone has a blanket over the sound. The DI one sounds crystal clear.

I'm not sure why you're dead set on micing a digital piano, but I guess different strokes?
 
If he changes his mind, I'd happily make up the exact cables he needs for direct recording and swap it for the two 414s!

Heck, I'd even use my best cable and Neutrik connectors!
 
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