Where do you mic a grand piano?

The type of piano dictates microphone placement. Grand Piano: For the upper strings, position the microphone approximately 8 inches from the piano hammers (to reduce mechanical noise) and 8 – 11 inches above the strings, with the Pan position set to left of center.

How do you amplify a grand piano?

For amplification Achieving this is easiest by positioning multiple microphones above the sound board relatively close to the strings. Keeping your source-to-microphone distance small improves your gain before feedback.

How do you mic a grand piano live?

A real common method of miking a piano in a live setting is to use a PZM (Pressure Zone Microphone), which is a flat mic that people will tape or velcro to the underside of the lid. You can even use a PZM in a situation where you’re opening the lid as well.

How do you record a piano?

One way to record a piano is to attempt to capture its sound within a suitable room acoustic, as naturally as possible using ambient microphone techniques. These days this approach is primarily used for classical music recordings, where the intent is effectively to recreate a ‘best seat in the auditorium’ sound for the listener at home.

What are some tips for recording a low end piano?

Another tip is that boundary‑effect bass boost, while not giving the most natural sound for classical recordings, can bail you out if the low end of the piano in question is lacking weight.

How to use a Stereo Boom for recording a piano?

The height of the stereo boom is quite low, 1.2 m to 1.5 m above the boundary on which the piano is placed. By pointing the microphones to the open lid of the piano, the sound reflecting on the inner side of the lid will be brightened up and a beautiful depth will be added to the recording.

How to choose a microphone for recording a piano?

To achieve this goal, the microphones need to be placed closer to the piano, maybe even inside the open lid, over the strings or the hammers. Only here is it possible to capture the attack and roughness of the versatile king of instruments. To distinguish the room reflections and the reverberation, the use of directional microphones is recommended.