Best Budget Mic for Grand Piano

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bf2008

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Hi Guys, this is a similar question to what I've asked in another thread but I'm looking for much simpler answers, no audio samples needed, although that would be ideal, check my other thread, https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=281532.

I need to record grand piano for classical music. What's the best budget microphone out there?

I list a few I've seen:

Behringer C3
Samson C03
Rode NT1A
SE Electronics SE1aST
AKG C1000
Samson C02
Behringer C2

What do you recommend?
 
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It would help to know your intended budget.


Perhaps, since this is a recording for entry into a competition, you should hire someone to make your recordings. Someone with experience and the gear already intow will be a lot more cost effective than trying to cob together some gear that might or might not sound decent on your piano.

Seems to me for the money to buy a couple of cheap mics, an interface or a recorder of some kind you could get three or four hours of time with someone with a real nice portable system, the knowledge of how to make your piano sound right and you get the experience of learning how to do this and a guide for what you might need in the future should you decide you want to pursue recording.
 
I'd pick Rode NT1A ( if you can get 2A, even better)
I dont know on a grand Piano, but it sounds real nice on acoustics
 
A pair of naiant omnis and a homemade jecklin disc will set you back less than a c-note. I've used them on several classical projects including sessions with piano solo and been happy with the results.
 
rmaier said:
A pair of naiant omnis and a homemade jecklin disc will set you back less than a c-note. I've used them on several classical projects including sessions with piano solo and been happy with the results.
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I have some older design Naiants and love them. They have a bit of self noise, but that is usually filtered out easily. Otherwise I use MXL 603s which, although versatile, are a bit sharp. Check the other thread for a recording using a set of Crowns.
 
can you guys post some of the naiant samples ? I've been looking to hear some.
 
Beyer MC930 ? or MC910

From that list probably the Rode or SE. Not specifically those mics, but I wouldn't feel comfortable / good about any of the other suggestions.

Crown Sass-P MK II - although maybe a bit difficult to use on that source.
 
Shadow_7 said:
Beyer MC930 ? or MC910

From that list probably the Rode or SE. Not specifically those mics, but I wouldn't feel comfortable / good about any of the other suggestions.

Crown Sass-P MK II - although maybe a bit difficult to use on that source.
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Hi. The Beyer is a little bit out of my budget. I'm looking for more inexpensive solutions.

The Rode and SE are very different microphones, which one would you recommend?
 
Paj said:
How/where are you going to set up the mics?

Paj
8^?
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Hi. I'll be doing the demos in my living room, around 6m x 6m, with decent accoustics, I think. Then I'd like to be able to record myself when playing live as well, in concert halls.
About positioning, I'll experiment on that once I get the mics.
 
Also guys, I was wondering... should I get a stereo pair, or given that I'm looking at budget mics, maybe just get only one mic but which costs as much as a pair of cheaper ones?
If I record in mono then, should it be a large diaphragm or small diaphragm (or the question of type doesn't change whether it's mono or stereo). I ask because I've been offered a good deal with one Rode NT1A.
 
bf2008 said:
Also guys, I was wondering... should I get a stereo pair, or given that I'm looking at budget mics, maybe just get only one mic but which costs as much as a pair of cheaper ones?
If I record in mono then, should it be a large diaphragm or small diaphragm (or the question of type doesn't change whether it's mono or stereo). I ask because I've been offered a good deal with one Rode NT1A.
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I would stick with a pair and first I would pick small diaphragm condensers. A pair because the signals from the bass and treble sides are so different it is hard to get an accurate close signal without more than one mic. I suppose it matters what style music you will be playing, but especially with a grand piano the transients are very quick and very complex; a small diaphragm mic will have an advantage there over a large diaphragm mic because it has a lower diaphragm mass to move and so a quicker transient response. You'll capture the shimmer and overtones better. Having said that, an ideal would be to use a pair of SDC and one LDC. If all you have is one mic, then consider using a single LDC at the foot of the piano - right at the bend where it will pick up the sound as it develops.

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=281532 - click on the mic picture in my post, go the the bottom of the resulting page and click on the download for a Chopin Nocturne recorded live using a pair of small Crowns.
 
Cardiod or omnidirectional

Hi. If I go the route of a single large diaphragm condenser, should I get a cardiod or omnidirectional mic?
 
bf2008 said:
Hi. If I go the route of a single large diaphragm condenser, should I get a cardiod or omnidirectional mic?
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Try omni. You'll pick up reflections from the room that may add some depth.
 
bf2008 said:
Hi. The Beyer is a little bit out of my budget. I'm looking for more inexpensive solutions.

The Rode and SE are very different microphones, which one would you recommend?
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It really depends on how you're wanting to capture them. I'd recommend a stereo pair. Even though piano is just one instrument, the span of strings gives it a sort of depth / directionality that you can't capture on a single mic. You can use a single mic for the room and get a recording, but it's just not quite the same.

There are cheap options, but I don't know if I'd consider them recommendations, you either love them or not. And if not, then they're not likely to grow on you like some of the more expensive options could. NT5, MK-012, AT4041SP, and others.
 
Shadow_7 said:
It really depends on how you're wanting to capture them. I'd recommend a stereo pair. Even though piano is just one instrument, the span of strings gives it a sort of depth / directionality that you can't capture on a single mic. You can use a single mic for the room and get a recording, but it's just not quite the same.

There are cheap options, but I don't know if I'd consider them recommendations, you either love them or not. And if not, then they're not likely to grow on you like some of the more expensive options could. NT5, MK-012, AT4041SP, and others.
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Hi. Thanks for the input. Have you got any recordings you could share an extract from made with any of these mics you recommend? Could you post them to my other thread? https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=281532
Cheers
 
Being a brass player, I don't think I've even heard a real piano in the past five years, much less recorded one. The synthesized ones aren't as terrible as they used to be and you just plug those directly, no mic needed. Most of those mentions are because I've heard them praised and/or mentioned in conjunction with piano. You could always check the studio auditions site on the jam session page, tons of samples there for various popular mics and sources. MXL 603's might even work well on the cheap.

Given a choice, I'd go with OMNI, particularly if you like the sound of the room. Cardioid's can take the room out of the picture, but you might need more than two to cover the full 88 keys depending on how/where you place them. It really depends on how roomy or in your face type sound you're trying to get. You could always save yourself some cash and hire out. Unless you're recording something that last 45 minutes, best of 20 type thing for the competition. You might even ask the staff of the competition to see what they're expecting. Or to find out what last years winner used. You might only need a Zoom H4n or something. Although you may want something better for yourself. Your standards, not theirs.
 
Shadow_7 said:
Being a brass player, I don't think I've even heard a real piano in the past five years, much less recorded one. The synthesized ones aren't as terrible as they used to be and you just plug those directly, no mic needed. Most of those mentions are because I've heard them praised and/or mentioned in conjunction with piano. You could always check the studio auditions site on the jam session page, tons of samples there for various popular mics and sources. MXL 603's might even work well on the cheap.

Given a choice, I'd go with OMNI, particularly if you like the sound of the room. Cardioid's can take the room out of the picture, but you might need more than two to cover the full 88 keys depending on how/where you place them. It really depends on how roomy or in your face type sound you're trying to get. You could always save yourself some cash and hire out. Unless you're recording something that last 45 minutes, best of 20 type thing for the competition. You might even ask the staff of the competition to see what they're expecting. Or to find out what last years winner used. You might only need a Zoom H4n or something. Although you may want something better for yourself. Your standards, not theirs.
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Thanks a lot for you post, mate! That site you posted is the most useful things I've found in all this research about microphones. A pity I haven't found yet a recording with piano, but well, finding the other ones very interesting though,
 
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