Recording piano?

[DakotaFloyd]

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but what are the best mic positions for recording an upright piano?

[drumsound]

This answer is only partially smart assed...

Where it sounds best in context!

I get good results with mine using an XY over the players head sometimes. Other times its better to lower the mic(s).

I often take off the front top and sometimes bottom panels to make the thing louder and fuller.

A room mic can also be a good thing.

[Marc Alan Goodman]

Upright piano is definitely one that's very dependent on the context. Plus, everybody seems to do it differently!

If you're looking for a modern/sesh piano sound a good place to start would be a stereo pair behind the piano, pretty close, one pointed at squarely at the lower end and one squarely at the top end. Then blend that in with a room mic to taste. It's EXTREMELY close sounding

The XY pair over the players head is better for a more natural stereo sound, and works especially well if you follow Chris' advice to try opening the top or front of the piano.

Good luck!

-marc goodman

[klangtone]

I've had most success with the ubiquitous Oktava MC-012's not so much as an XY, but more like an AB. I put them about 2-3 feet above the open top, pointing down at the hammers and strings, angled a little bit in maybe, and spaced about 3 feet apart. Something like that. Run them through a nice tube pre and possibly add a mono or stereo room mic, and whalla!

Roy

[tommy]

Lately im a fan of micing the back sound board with 1 close mic centered. Ive used ribbons, condensers and 57s with really great results. 57s are really interesting on pianos. Very honky tonky. I usually high pass a good deal on the way in too.

[themagicmanmdt]

It depends - is the piano a major instrument in the song, or a minor one?

I don't have many ideas for making it the centerpiece, but a nice cardioid condenser over the opened top of the upright, about 1'-2' sounded really nice. You don't want to back the mics up too far for room sound, since you'll lose the sustain of the notes (that'll take some limiting and compression to bring back up, unless that's not a big deal).

Don't put the mics too close - around where the players head is nice - keep it sounding real.

[hivestudios]

Uprights project most of their sound out the back.

I'd recommend pulling the piano away from the wall... if it is against one. Even if you're micing it from the front, let that thing breathe a little.

I've had great sounds from micing an upright from 10 feet behind it... then it sounds like a piano in a room... and not like you've wedged your head againt the harp.

Micing from behind also reduces a lot of the mechanical noise.

Although sometimes it's great to get all those groans, squeeks, snaps, and pops.

[DakotaFloyd]

I'll probably experiment around a little bit with what all of you have said...Thank you very much! If anyone else has an techniques, feel free to post them.


Oh, and in response to magicman...It's the major instrument in the song I'm recording this weekend.

[Red Rockets Glare]

My upright is against a wall. I have a PZM mounted to the wall that picks up the soundboard, and then I either use a LDC near the players head, or pencil mics in a spaced pair a foot or two above the hammers.

[Russian Recording]

upright can be tough. context is important.

for a dense rock mix, ive had the most luck by flipping up the front lid so the strings and hammers are exposed.I then place a spaced pair of SD condensers (Josephson c42) in front of the piano, and aim them bewteen the top of the string and the hammers, one aimed at the low stings and the other at the high strings. Placement is dependent on where the player is playing. The mics angle in, sort of pointing "accross" the strings to even out the pickup pattern and prevent single notes from sticking out, and are about 1-2 feet from the piano.

I like to use a fast stereo comp (Langevin Elop) and barely touch it. This method provides a natural but dry sound that cuts through a dense mix nicely. Sometimes Ill add a room mic.


For a more natural sound I've had a lot of luck positioning two omnis (Earthworks) TC-30Ks pointed at the soundboard, spaced by about 3 ft, and about a foot from the soundboard. Sometimes further. This provides a more natural, rounder tone but can get lost in a dense mix.

I will second the recommendation to pull the piano away from a wall.

good luck,
mike

[jspartz]

This is a helpful thread. I am recording a church choir and they sing with an upright (right next to them). So I have been thinking about how to approach recording of the upright as well. Based on the thread, I think I will mic the back panel and hang an isolation blanket (sleeping bag maybe) over the back to help isolate it from the vocals. Once again. Thanks for the thread.

Jason

[syrupcore]

I'll second moving it away from the wall. Obviously depends but it never really sounds right to me.

[Kasey]

if you're going for a full rich sounding piano (a bit more classical i suppose, as opposed to honky tonky or pop) i've had wonderful results by opening the top of the piano and the removing board beneath the piano, then micing the top with an XY pair of small diaphragm condenser, and the bottom with a large diaphragm. pull the piano away from the wall if it's against one, or at least put it at an angle to the wall. also a wooden floor doesn't hurt.

[smalldrums]

This is great advice! I just have one question about mic placement when recording an upright piano. Say I have an earthworks omni and an akg cardioid cond. I'm thinking about using an overhead mic and a mic placed behind the piano. Do you think I should use the omni for the overhead? Or for the backside? I am thinking it would probably sound better on the backside, and obviously when i get a chance i am going to experiment with placement. Just curious if anyone else has tried this before.

[Marc Alan Goodman]

Sounds like either setup could be good depending on the context. Let us know which one works out for you.

-marc goodman