[locutus]

I have had better luck with positioning the mics more off the tail end of the piano, like Plush's "butt end" solution or more precisely, similar to the Simon Eadon configuration described by RecordingDavid.

Even with the same room/piano/player, I felt I had less mud to deal with. (Unfortunately the pianist insisted on the straight out configuration.) Off the tail end I felt I had less mud and harshness, better presence and cleaner lows. However my conclusion for why this produced less low-mid buildup was that the mics had little distance differential to the side walls. (Mic axis closer to parallel to nearest wall.) Right answer, wrong reason?

Clearly, the distance to hammers, and axis of string vibration is a potential factor. But in relation to Mark's point about sound board reflections, how would tail end positioning affect the low-mid mud? Or why?

I fully acknowledge the great results produced by Plush and others with the multi-mic techniques. There certainly seems to be some advantage in tackling this issue. But something of the purist in me insists that there must be a way to produce a great piano recording with just a single pair. Others have done that, too.

I may border on the academic rather than practical side. But I believe understanding the whys is essential to not falling into a cookbook approach, and always pursuing a better sound.

Nathan