jazz piano mic

For a jazz piano? I'd probably go for the most natural. However, to get that, need to know more about the situation; such as the type of room (dead or live, aprox. room size including ceiling height, good or bad sounding room, etc.). I could suspect a nice live, large, high ceiling, good sounding room considering it's a jazz combo, but I also know those in this group are mainly recording at home.
 
Another thing, when you say it's going to be "in a jazz combo setting", I then assume there will be other instruments playing in the same room at the same time. Is this so? Also, is this going to be a live performance with an audience you intend to record or put together with the imposed task of recording?
 
The recording is going to be done in a medium sized rehearsal hall. Acoustically, it is pretty good. The ceiling is pretty high up. There will be a drummer, bass player, and either a sax or trumpet player playing with the piano player, all at the same time. There will be no audience present during this recording.
 
First off, I'd recommend stereo for a piano no matter what; any style or recording situation. Second, I'd recommend condensers (small or large diaphragm). And third, you never really said how much you're willing to spend. So, I'll give you a lot of ideas. First, in the small diaphragm area, there's the Earthworks QTC1 omnis for around $2kUS for a matched-pair, the Neumann KM184 cardioids for $1.6kUS for a matched-pair, the Crown CM-700 cardioids for around the $0.5kUS for a matched-pair, the Elation 201s with inter-changable caps for $0.849kUS for a matched-pair with 1 cap or $1.199kUS for a matched-pair with 2 caps (your choices are Omni, cardioid, and hypercardioid), and the Oktava MC012s with inter-changable caps for $0.619kUS for a matched-pair with 3 caps (omni, cardioid, and hypercardioid). I recommend buying Elations and without a doubt, any Oktavas from The Sound Room. www.oktava.com

If you don't buy a matched-pair, at least try to buy a pair you are going to be used in stereo miking at the same dealer and same time. The above applies to the mics such as the Audio Technica AT4041 cardioids for around $0.2xxkUS each, the AKG C1000s cardioids for $0.2kUS each, and the Shure SM-81 cardioids for around $0.3kUS each.

Next, there's the large diaphragm area. You could go with the Neumann TLM-103 cardioids for around $2kUS for a matched-pair, the AKG C414 B/TL-II multipatterens for around $2kUS for a matched-pair, and the Oktava MC319 multipatterens for $0.629kUS for a matched-pair (only from The Sound Room).

As far as these next ones, they do not come in matched-pairs, but they should be OK if you try to get as close as possible, consecutive serial numbers. There's the AKG C414 B/ULS multipatterns for around $0.8XXkUS each, the Audio Technica AT4050CM5 multipatterens for $0.6kUS each, the Audio Technica AT4033 for around $0.350kUS each, the Rode Nt2 dualpatterns (cardiod and omni) for around $0.500kUS each, and the Rode Nt1 cardioids for around $0.350kUs each.

Lastly, also check-out the Beyer mics. There web-site is www.beyerdynamic.com I would have listed them, but I'm not too familiar with their lines. I own 4 Beyer MCE 93s which are mid-la that I use for toms and are great-sounding instrument mics (in my favorites list for miking acoustical intruments).

Out of all those, I'd probably go for the Earthworks QTC1s out of them all, the Oktava MC012s or Elation 201s in the small diaphragm area, and the AKG B/ULS' in the large diaphragm area; even over the matched-pair of AKG B/TL-IIs (I find them too shrill for most things). Although, the matched-pair of Neumann TLM-103s are pretty nice too; they are my large diaphragm condenser workhorses in my studio.

I hope I didn't just add to your "I don't know which mic to buy" confusion.
 
Very good post by Recording Engineer, thanks a lot.
One more question, can you please compare BG4.1 with the Crown and Oktava mics. Are they sold as a matched pair also?
I would also like to hear from Fishmed about BG4.1 too.
 
The Shure BG4.1 sell around $150 each. Some places sell them for less than that. They are small condenser mics. You can install a AA battery in each mic if you do not have phantom power. There is nothing real special about these mics - just economical. They sound good, but they are not real hot mics (that may be a good thing since you may record while there are other live instruments near by). Of course Neumann mics are great. I have a Beyer MCE 90, and it sounds real smooth. I would like to eventually get a second one for a matched piar. They run at $700 a mic. I am sure the MCE 93s sound equally nice.

[This message has been edited by Fishmed (edited 12-13-1999).]
 
Listen to Fishmed about the BG4.1. In my opinion, I'd take an Oktava or Crown over it any day. I even prefer an AKG C1000s over it. Look around for a nice mic shoot-out in Electronic mag coming in Jan or Feb issue. It will compare Oktava MC012s, Elation 201s, and quite a few others which I can't remember.
 
Back
Top