Recording piano

[Rich b]

Hi guys,
I just wondered if anyone could give me some advice on recording piano. Both upright and grand.
Also whether a condenser microphone is suitable.

many thanks
Rich.

[SuicideNote]

Open the grand up, throw your best condenser on about 1 foot above middle C. If you have the piano in a nice sounding room, put another mic somewhere in the room to capture the sweet decay. I've had good results with both 1 and 2 mics, depending on the song of course.

[Han]

It's not a simple instrument to record, depends also on what sound you're after.

Try the search button, there has been quite some discussion on piano recording.

[Brackish]

What I'd like to know is if it's possible to
get any decent recording from underneath
a grand, with the mic pointed upward
toward the bottom of the grand,
with the mic being near to the floor?
This would come in
handy for live performances with an
audience, where you
can't be setting up mic stands.

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Originally Posted by Brackish

What I'd like to know is if it's possible to
get any decent recording from underneath
a grand, with the mic pointed upward
toward the bottom of the grand,
with the mic being near to the floor?
This would come in
handy for live performances with an
audience, where you
can't be setting up mic stands.

I personally have never heard or read any reference to miking a grand from underneath. That doesn't mean it can't be done, of course. Though I'd think that miking what is essentailly the backside of the soundboard which is parallel to, and only a couple of feet from, the flat floor would result in a muddy, stale coffee of a sound.

The best way IMHO to handle the visibility situation, and one that is done very often, even in-studio where visibility is not an issue, is to use piezo or boundary mics inside the piano case. Just stick them to the inside wall(s) and they are invisible to the outside and yet still give good recording.

G.

[tangerine]

You could try this Open the grand up, Place a bass drum mic at the bass end place a smd at middle C. Place a PZM on a wall in the room and layer the three together.

[riffy]

Rich, here's some more on that subject.

[littledog]

For invisible live mic'ing, miniature condensers are often used. They can hang almost invisibly from the piano lid, be mounted as boundary mics, or even attached with magnetic mounts right to the metal harp of the piano.

DPA makes a stereo mic'ing kit that provides all these options (including two mic) that is very reasonably priced (at least by pro standards).

[Brackish]

Originally Posted by littledog

For invisible live mic'ing, miniature condensers are often used. They can hang almost invisibly from the piano lid, be mounted as boundary mics, or even attached with magnetic mounts right to the metal harp of the piano.
.

Are you referring here to lav mic's, like are worn
on a tie clip?

[littledog]

These mics could double as lav mics, although the attachments that they include in the stereo kit are clearly provided with instruments in mind.