miking a upright piano?

[computerfreak]

In a little bit Im going to be recording a few songs for a friend on a upright piano. I have some ideas on how to Mic it but I want to know what everyone else thinks.

So what I was thinking is combining some techniques Ive read about to get a overall good stereo sound. The piano will be the main or only instrument in most of these songs so I want it to sound really good. I have 2 mxl instrument mics, a mxl large diaphragm condenser cardioid, and a rhode multi pattern large diaphragm condenser. If you want actual model numbers just ask. What I was planning on doing is a-b ing the piano overhead about 1ft away from the strings with the instrument mics, then putting the rhode under the piano with the cover off to get a more mellow sound. And using t the mxl as a room Mic or putting it behind the piano. What do you think?

Aslo my options for recording space is medium sized room with not to much reverb but deffinatly there or a smaller room that sounds pretty dead... both carpeted and dry wall I think. I was thinking the dead one because I can use a emt 250 or something in cubase for good controlled reverb. Thanks for any tips or comments!

 

[moresound]

Try this - you just may like it!

Use just the Rode microphone in the omni setting and place it a few feet away and centered on the sound board in the back of the piano.
But remember that positioning is just a starting point ... fool around some with the positioning of the microphone till you are happy with the way the microphone is reproducing the full sound of the piano.

 

[Massive Master]

Outside of the board is a must IMO/E... You can capture the ambience, sure -- But the meat is going to come from the soundboard. I usually throw a LDD (421's are wonderful for that, but 7b's and RE-20's work well also - Even a 57 does the trick) about a foot off the floor, maybe 6" away from the board, close to the center. Overhead, you can open the lid (there's usually a support of some sort that can hold it open only a couple inches - might be just the ticket), try it closed, put one on either side of the pianist's ears, blah, blah, blah...