Audio Recording Techniques : How to Mic a Piano

[SuperMICHAELCA]

why not hoock it up like i did mine its on the back

[gotitans999]

the mic he used is $800 x 2

[yousurfer2]

sounds better than most yt vids!

[ThunderDonkey]

I absolutely hate it when people only explain and not show us how it actually sounds.

[shinjiemisato]

Ow one more question: Do you have a good sugestion for balanced and relative cheaps condenser microphones for micing a piano? (less than 150 usd considering i don´t have a mixer with phantom power) i would really appreciate a good mic sugestion, my Sony DCM70p isn´t cutting, it lacks bright.

[shinjiemisato]

This video was very usefull, i'll help my aund who is a professional piano player but tottaly amateur in computers and eletronics to do good recordings in her home Steinway O! If it was possible i would like to make 3 questions for you: 1) How about Grand Upright pianos? (around 150cms) I have had a little difficulty balancing a brighter sound without picking too much hammer noise, what is the ideal position for the mics? And isn´t harmonic cancelling in those positions you suggested a prob? tx!

[super7174]

ironically, this video had really bad plosive pops.

[enyeny7077]

thanks

[SimonCU]

To be honest...Card mics positioned above the harp of the piano is a technique used for Jazz and other non-classical piano recordings because it needs a dry sort of feel. For classical piano prof sound engineers tend to place mics (this time Omni-directional) a few feet away from the piano with the piano lid opened in a A/B stereo mic position. Classical piano recordings sound different from non-classical piano recordings so the technique in using the equipments are different.

[MyOnlyFarph]

Why do people have these videos and then not show a sample of how it actually sounds??

[repietza]

I thought it was better to use omni directional microphones to record acoustic pianos? Frequency response in directional mics tended to drop off at the low end that's why they are generally not used for pianos. Also directional microphones tend to "spotlight" when close micing, exagerating the level of one aspect of the sound at the expensive of others.

[DrMarkyC]

If theres one thing I've learnt its that there isn't a right, wrong, better or worse way to record, its dependant on many factors, I've read stuff online on "how to" do it, gone and replicated it and it sounds completley differant or just crap. PLus those TL2's have a supreme flat frequency respone from the higher mids all the way down to the lower bass.

[SimonCU]

@repietza

It depends on what music you are recording...The guy in this video is talking about recording Jazz or other non-classical music. In Classical music the technique is totally different.

[repietza]

Since when does musical genre have to anything with the type of mic used? I was simply noting that scientifically speaking, omni mics are the best choice for accurately capturing the sound produced by an instrument as large and as complex as a piano. I dont think it matters if it's jazz, classical, rock or pop. Although cardiods might be a good choice for smaller instruments, using one on a piano will not give you an accurate sound. Now if the guy is trying be a copycat, it's a different story.

[litech]

@repietza

Choosing a microphone is a part of the production process. Everything you do in the process will affect the sound. You can always tweak a good and dry piano recording to fit the sound of the genre, but sometimes - choosing the right microphone will do the trick instead. I have recorded a piano with a one sm 58. Then I panned it to the left and played the piano again, and panned that track to the right. This was for an shoegaze recording. Would this suit a jazz sound?