Having the lid is open, closed, or taken completely off will affect the tone of the instrument. These mics are similar to the 414 (but betterheh). Audrey Martinovich has produced a detailed free tutorial on recording piano for different genres using different mic techniques including spaced Omni, mid-side, small capsule condensers in XY, ribbon mics in a Blumlein pair and large capsule condensers on the hammers. The grilles of the microphones will be facing away from each other, with the bases of the microphones close together or touching. My current favorites for stereo mics is either the AT4025 or the Shure VP88. However, now we've been gifted a nice grand piano and I'll need to mike that as well. People don't listen to the piano with their heads inside the lid. If you mic over the hammers, I would set to 414's to omni and space them. All 6 piano instruments and functionalities available in iGrand Piano *Legal detail iGrand Piano™, iRig® MIDI, and iRig® KEYS are trademarks or registered trademarks property of IK Multimedia Production Srl. Therefore, it’s important to think about how your piano track is going t… can't - the OM1 are very inexpensive, but punch well above their weight. 8 inches is a little low for my taste, you might miss some far low strings depending on the angle you use and the position in the piano. I’ve mentioned this before when writing on acoustic guitarand miking drums, but it’s worth mentioning again. ... I’ll move the microphone pair closer to the piano. This delivers a punchier sound, so it is often favored for rock and similar styles of music (see Fig. If you can't get the sound you want with two mics, move those mics. With the lid up, a mic or pair of mics can be placed just outside the lid facing either the strings (for brighter sound) or lid (for mellower, reflected sound) (see Fig. I found the Piano Miking Techniques for the Stage & Studio article by Jon Marc Weiss to be very informative & helpful. An X-Y or ORTF pair placed above the pianist’s head. Here are some placement options for an upright piano: One mic over treble strings and one over bass strings at a distance of 1–2′. The mount comes with two retractable flat aluminum black bars clamped together with swiveling plate on … One option is to open the top lid and to remove the front panel of the piano. Grand Piano. I have to tell you that this mic arrangement produces even balance across all notes and folds down to a perfect mono signal. Question. Over the open lid of the piano, place either a single mic, a spaced pair, or a coincident pair. With the kickboard removed (there is usually a metal latch holding it in place), one mic is placed at each end. Although the mics I normally use for piano are about $ 2,500 each, I would not sneer at the OM1; it's exceptional value for money - and within your budget. Place one microphone above the high strings and one microphone above the low strings. That's the top down/low stick position. One mic over treble strings and one over bass strings at a distance of 1–2′. ... Place two small-diaphragm condenser microphones on an XY stereo-microphone holder (bar). The mic is positioned facing the hammers and back about 8" and a little to the low string side of center. You gotta adjust accordingly, learn as many techniques as you can and experience will teach you which one to use when. There are many ways to record or reinforce solo grand piano with the lid open. I was hoping the simply re-use the existing microphone, if possible. Hi! Try adding a nice boundry mic underneath to that x/y setup. Some like honky-tonks. Mic’ing the Piano Directly Placing multiple Microphones close to the piano can help you gain a better control of the sound during the mixing process, and also gives you much better attack. In the world of microphones, the Helpinstill Piano Sensor™ is unique. Below are a few options for miking a grand piano: X-Y or ORTF pair at distance of 4–6′. I will be micing a Yamaha Grand with a pair of AKG C414's in a X-Y configuration about 8" above the hammers. The AB Stereo Microphone Technique, XY Stereo Microphone Technique and the Mid-Side Microphone Technique could all work depending on what you want. Best regards, You can use a variety of techniques to capture your instrument’s wide range of tones. 144). 145). If the sound is what you want but you need another dimension, another mic MAY add what you want, but I'd be more concerned about phase issues. Like anything, it really depends on the instrument. Should help with the low end. which-microphone-for-recording-grand-piano-and-piano-organ. Honor-Y Kids Toy Grand Piano With 37-Key Keyboard Stool and Microphone Little Princess Education Baby Toy Piano Support Ipad/Smartphone/MP3 for Toddlers Boys and Girls (Pink) 4.3 out of … On grand piano, try positioning a Blumlein Array roughly 1 to 3 feet from the piano’s right side, overlooking the frame, with the center of the two mics pointing towards the piano’s middle c. This method yields a wide stereo spread with terrific natural tonality. Try a little higher up like 1 ft or 14 inches. Give it a try. They sound very metal. The owner used to work for AKG, I believe. I really REALLY don't like the 414's, aspecially on grand piano. Spaced Pair is another popular method that booms one mic over the high You need omnis for a grand piano as they capture the bottom end that a directional mic. Even the phrase “Grand Piano” evokes a sense of majesty, of power, of complexity. Below are a few options for miking a grand piano: The piano has the greatest range of any instrument, so it’s best to use a microphone that has a wide frequency response. While both of these are fine instruments, they are not housed in a studio setting and ambient noises would probably be detectable on a very sensitive microphone. The only magnetic pickup made for piano, every unit is hand-crafted with the attention to quality sound and precision design that established a world-wide reputation, and made Helpinstill the first name in piano pickups since the very first unit was bought by Elton John in 1972. With the lid up, a mic or pair of mics can be placed just outside the lid facing either the strings (for brighter sound) or lid (for mellower, reflected sound) (see Fig. Of course the vertical position of the mic depends on where the piano is located in relationship to other instruments but this method works in all situations, top up or top down. Number of Views 441. The grand piano microphone mount from Mirizio offers a unique mic piano holder where it can be placed inside the piano even with its lid closed. Depending on how those two mics sound I might add a AT3035 on the bottom of the piano (for low-end freq's. X-Y stereo miking is the most common type of stereo microphone setup and the one that you’ll likely use if … When you buy products through links across our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. I've never had trouble with lid reflections causing phase issues. An XY pair of small-diaphragm condensers about a foot over the player’s head, pointing down but not directly at the keys, reveals a great jazz tone. To see what microphones we recommend for piano, check out our blog post on mic selection: Choosing the Right Mic. You don't mention what boundary mics you're using, but we recommend a cardioid condenser like the BETA® 91A. FAQ. Less is more. Or will 4 mics be too much? And try to listen to the piano with only one ear with other ear been covered up to find the sweet spot for placing sweet spot for miking the grand piano. These can be either spaced with one at each end of the soundboard or together in an X-Y pattern. ), and a AT4047 as a room mic. Alesis Melody 61 MKII | 61 Key Portable Keyboard with Built In Speakers, Headphones, Microphone, Piano Stand, Music Rest and Stool 4.6 out of 5 stars 13,038 $120.65 $ 120 . This position can, however, be problematic on an instrument with squeaky pedals. With an upright piano, the best results come from using close mic techniques. X-Y (coincident) stereo miking consists of using two microphones that are placed right next to each other so that the diaphragms are as close together as possible without touching one another. The Coincident Pair (XY) technique places matched mic capsules together but at an angle to each other, near the curved side of the piano. ... Two cardioids spaced a foot or two apart are placed at or around the unhinged side opening of a grand piano. I strongly recommend Mirizio Microphone Mount for pro studio, recording engineers, and live performance. An X-Y pair placed 2–3″ over the point where the high and low strings cross. The material and structure are excellent designed and well made. This … Bruce Swedien uses a pair of 414s in a modified Blumlein on his C7 at what looks like 12" over the brace 1/3 of the way down from the high end, over the hammers (see: (. Not only is the piano a polyphonic instrument capable of filling the frequency spectrum. Position 2 microphones from above (remembering to use 3-to-1 spacing), around 2-3 feet away. I've found x/y to be most effective with the lid completely off the piano. There are several ways to mic a grand piano for live sound reinforcement, but the method you have chosen is considered one of the best and works just as well for an upright piano. Phase will not be a problem with XY or even a spaced pair as long as you pan hard L and R. (And I think you should) I don't think you need to worry about low frequencies. Grand and Baby Grand Pianos There is no single correct way to mic up a piano. Mounting a microphone on a grand piano. The relatively short distance between the bottom of the piano and the floor should help keep the room from being much of an issue. Experiment with distance (the farther back the more room you will capture).