Best type of mic for piano?

  • Thread starter Thread starter kgirl72
  • Start date Start date
Vagodeoz said:
.... if you can afford it... :)
Click to expand...

There are options in the budget range. I'd guess that the MSH-1's are a better option that the Behringer C2's (this based not on actual use, but of what I've read AND heard of the MSH-1's). Before I'd touch their LDC's, I'd look into MXL or Studio Projects. I'd guess that most of what Behringer offers is a reverse engineered version of something that would sound better in the real thing - and for not an incredible amount of $$$ more :):)

As an aside (kind of), I'm curious how my CAD M177's would sound on a piano. I've got a pair of them. I'd guess M179's might be better suited as they are multi-pattern, but I love my M177's. Very versitile and relatively inexpensive (they can be had for $80 or lower brand new - each).
 
kgirl72 said:
Hee hee, I can't *afford* any of it, but I still buy it. Apl, I got two mics, and two of the shockmounts. Rather have those than the clips.
Click to expand...

I'd be curious to hear of your results. Have fun. :)
 
warble2 said:
There are options in the budget range. I'd guess that the MSH-1's are a better option that the Behringer C2's (this based not on actual use, but of what I've read AND heard of the MSH-1's). Before I'd touch their LDC's, I'd look into MXL or Studio Projects. I'd guess that most of what Behringer offers is a reverse engineered version of something that would sound better in the real thing - and for not an incredible amount of $$$ more :):)
Click to expand...

Well, if I remember correctly their motto is something like "double the features at half the prize", and so far they have proven me so. LDC with dual diaphragm, switchable polar pattern between cardiod, omni and figure 8, -10 dB pad (pretty useful), high pass filter, shockmount, windscreen and fancy case for 130$. That's pretty f*cking cheap (even for Bolivian economy), and the mic sounds great!
I know many people say that they break easily but I have 7 behringer mics and a mixer and I take good care of them and I haven't had a single problem yet.
Also you must consider the fact that 80% of the sound equipment that reaches Bolivia es Behringer :) the rest is Shure and maybe Yamaha and Peavey if you are lucky.
And I really doubt those Naiants will ship to south america, or doing it in a way that the shipping is not more expensive than the equipment itself, like in most of the (stupid) stores.

PD: Just in case, no... behringer doesn't endorse me.................. yet!:rolleyes:
 
Vagodeoz said:
Well, if I remember correctly their motto is something like "double the features at half the prize", and so far they have proven me so. LDC with dual diaphragm, switchable polar pattern between cardiod, omni and figure 8, -10 dB pad (pretty useful), high pass filter, shockmount, windscreen and fancy case for 130$. That's pretty f*cking cheap (even for Bolivian economy), and the mic sounds great!
I know many people say that they break easily but I have 7 behringer mics and a mixer and I take good care of them and I haven't had a single problem yet.
Also you must consider the fact that 80% of the sound equipment that reaches Bolivia es Behringer :) the rest is Shure and maybe Yamaha and Peavey if you are lucky.
And I really doubt those Naiants will ship to south america, or doing it in a way that the shipping is not more expensive than the equipment itself, like in most of the (stupid) stores.

PD: Just in case, no... behringer doesn't endorse me.................. yet!:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Sorry you are limited to what you can get your hands on. I'd say your missing out IMO. I've had great luck with products such as Studio Projects mics, MXL mics and the like. More bad luck than good with Behringer products for me.

I didn't suspect you were endorsed by Behringer. :D I figured you were just satisfied with what you've used from them. Brings to mind the old acronym YMMV (your mileage may vary).
 
Vagodeoz said:
And I really doubt those Naiants will ship to south america, or doing it in a way that the shipping is not more expensive than the equipment itself, like in most of the (stupid) stores.
Click to expand...

This is not true.
 
Head on over...

I've got a sample of what I've been messing with today. The levels are really low though, that little machine I have clips really easily!

I put it in the mp3 clinic.

PS No fighting in my thread...:D
 
Thanks Bushmaster...it cleared some stuff up for me. But I had trauma while recording, which can be read about in the mixing clinic thread.

Anyone know if one 7 pin mic cable will work with any mic? I'm finding that rode doesn't sell them, but sp does...and actually it's the only one I've found. I ordered it, so I hope it works. Now I need a new shockmount for the one that broke
 
kgirl72 said:
Where would you put the NTK? In the middle? I've been micing the soundboard, as I read in some Shure thing that it is the most natural. Maybe that's not what I want. As far as the C3 and the T3, I really like the T3 better; it's got a tube, and just sounds better at least on my voice. I would bet the T3 and the NTK sound better together...but that's just a hunch.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right to use your ears.

The way I would start out is using one mic for the high strings and one for the low. Then I'd put the third mic a little farther from the piano or back of the piano a little ways off the soundboard, as you mentioned. The important thing is that the third mic is not a close mic, its purpose is to capture the piano as a whole.

What you would do (since you don't have a stereo pair) is you'd use the third "overall" mic to blend together the sound from the other two non-matched mics. Blending in the third mic like that should even out some of the tonal variations you'll hear from the other two.

As far as those mics you ordered, I'm not very hopeful that $25 mics will be worth it for recording the piano. Make sure you listen to them very closely in comparison to your other mics, and don't be afraid to send them back if you don't like them.
 
Yeah, $25 apiece seems too good to be true. He recommends them for piano, though.

I'll keep messing, but now I have to wait for my new mic cable (7-pin) and shockmount...so I can use both SP mics. Geez.

I also ordered some desktop stands as they can be used on the strings underneath. Hope they aren't too tall!
 
Well, I have messed around with them a bit...not sure I'm micing them right yet, but i will post samples again when I can get my silly card reader program to work right. My recorder records to smartdisc. I tried to convert to a wav file...a 3 minute file that was taking hours to convert. Something ain't right. But, I can say that now I have a stereo pair of SOMETHING. Cool. I ordered some of those little desktop stands, so I can try micing underneath the piano. My tuner suggested that.

Oh well, I'm a ramblin' woman. See y'all!
K
 
So, are those naiant mics worth it? I'm considering seriously to order a msh-3.
Anyway kgirl, I recorded an orchestra with a piano, I used a Nady RSM-2 ribbon to mike the piano. Here it is if you wanna hear it.
 
kgirl72 said:
Maybe I shouldn't be micing from the soundboard. I just got it tuned and have all the panels off the piano.
Click to expand...
I think you're onto something here :)

Most uprights don't sound that great with the panels off. Sure, they sound louder, but they also tend to sound harsher.

Also, don't mic it so closely, give the sound some room to "grow". Also, if you mic too closely, the sound picked up won't be that even across the keyboard.
 
How close would you recommend, and is the lower panel a good place? Or should I be micing the top strings. I thought the soundboard was the best, but maybe not. I put another clip in the listening room and it sounds worse and more quiet than the last. I'm frustrated. Lemme know if there'l lots of noise. I hope not. forgive the silence in the beginning, I forgot to slide over the track I cut cause you could hear my feet. Haha. And, there are some mistakes, but i don't care anymore. Haha.

So, for all, there is another clip in the mixing clinic.
 
Another mix up. i think it clipped a couple of places. I was told not to go behind the soundboard, but I tried it anyway. Haha. I haven't tried higher up with my new mics, so I don't know what that sounds like. Basically I want it to sound right when I sing with it. Even though I'll likely be re-recording somewhere else, then this track is just a scratch...but I want a good scracth, lol.

How's the noise?

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top