Mics/Techniques For Acoustic Grand Piano

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T-Man

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Does any have experience or recomendations on recording a nine foot grand piano?
Equipment I own - a Tascam US122 hooked up to my laptop with Cool Edit 96 (soon to be Pro 2).
Equipment I need - mics, cables, stands.
Budget - $300-$400.
Room - mid size performance hall with great acoustics.
Alternate room - music store with carpeted walls.

Any thoughts or sucessful recordings would be great!
 
I know I reply this to every post about recording piano, but I can't help it, I'm a piano tuner and technician (Hence the name in tune audio), but make sure you have that piano tuned, and voice but a good, qualified technician, who has prepared pianos for recording before. A lot technicians will tell you they can get it ready, but some just can't. Talk to some other studios about what technician they use and if they have been happy with them. Because no matter what equipment your using or how your using, if that piano is out of tune even the slightest, or the tone changes between registers, the recording will sound like crap.

What type of piano is it? and where do you keep a nine foot grand?
 
T-man,

The links bennychico11 posted are good reads. You should learn a lot.

And I couldn't agree more about having a tech go over the piano. Tuning is important, but a tech will be able to take care of any mechanical noises that might be there. It will make a big difference.

The mics and techniques I'd recommend would greatly depend on the situation. We'd have to know more; type of music, solo or not, live performance, etc.

If you don't have mics, cables or stands, my concern for you is that your budget may not be big enough. Look into renting if you can.

And I'd steer you away from using Cool Edit Pro (now Adobe Audition) if you don't already have it. You might want to try Tracktion instead. Nice and affordable.

Be sure to clear some space on the hard drive and record in 24-bit!
 
AKG C2000's sound decent on piano. Shure SM81's are decent if you don't mind how thin they tend to sound on a piano. For mic placement I recommend having one face L, the other face R both approxmiately near middle C in a kind of "X" shape.

The neat thing with this kind of setup is you can stereo pan each mic respectively and achieve a wider sound.
 
Thanks for the info

bennychico11, Thanks for the links - very helpful.

In Tune Audio, Its the Yamaha in my university's recital hall or a Stienway in a local music store who's owner will do anything for the pianist and who has already hosted her recital in his store. I'm not sure what model it is, but it's the piano he loans to the Mobile, AL and Pensacola, FL Symphony when they have visiting artists.

Angie, where is the best place to find Tracktion?

Cloneboy Studio, I may be able to borrow some SM 81's. Is there anything I can do reduce thier thin sound at all?

Everybody, Thanks for the help, I'll try to let you know how it turns out and maybe post MP3.
 
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