Recording upright piano?

[donsolo]

Here's my technique.

I pull the front cover off.

So the player is looking at the hammers.

I put two LD condensors about 8in-1ft back directly on axis using boom stands to stay out of the way of the player. I put them about 1.5-2ft apart dead on about 6 inches above the hammers, move down for more hammer up and change axis downward for less directness
settles into the mix nicely. I do this with an older Yamaha upright.

I HEARD about this method through the grapevine, someone cited it being the method for Coldplay though he could have been a walking eagle...(too full of Sh*t to fly) he was a good musician but I don't know...

I like the result.

As for punchy-in-your-face piano, I like native Instrument's Kontakt 1 acoustic piano sample set. I didn't like the Kontakt 2 Steinways....

[Chaotic]

anyone here ever mess with a Yamaha CP-60 electro-acoustic upright?? I recently got one for free!! its in excellent condition. I havent used it yet though, since it needs to be tuned and I need to build a power supply for it. I planned on fixing it up and selling it, because Ive always wanted a nice Rhodes, but Im thinking of keeping it, because they're pretty rare.

[I Lurk]

Originally Posted by donsolo

Here's my technique.

I pull the front cover off.

So the player is looking at the hammers.

I put two LD condensors about 8in-1ft back directly on axis using boom stands to stay out of the way of the player. I put them about 1.5-2ft apart dead on about 6 inches above the hammers, move down for more hammer up and change axis downward for less directness
settles into the mix nicely. I do this with an older Yamaha upright.

I HEARD about this method through the grapevine, someone cited it being the method for Coldplay though he could have been a walking eagle...(too full of Sh*t to fly) he was a good musician but I don't know...

The best result I had was by pulling the cover bellow the keyboard and put two 47fet close to the strings, each sides of the player's legs. Your method works, but sometimes the hammers can be loud.

As for punchy-in-your-face piano, I like native Instrument's Kontakt 1 acoustic piano sample set. I didn't like the Kontakt 2 Steinways....

Ditto. The native upright is great. The Steinway I didn't like either.

You guys ever heard a Steinway upright ?

It's great.

regards

[riantide]

I love uprights, especially my relatively crappy one (Story & Clark). Sounds like an old friend...

Anyway, I've gotten good results with two LDCs on the soundboard, about 1' off. I've also had really good luck with M/S, the piano 2' away from the wall, the mics 1' away from the board. I've also heard of moving the piano only about 1.5' away from the wall and sticking a ribbon in between the piano and the wall, lots of fun early reflections and whatnot.

I really like donsolo's hammer-mic'ing technique, I'm going to try that.

[themaidsroom]

some combo of the following:

2 weird piezo pickups on the soundboard
subkick behind - absolute
sometimes e-22 s on top, real close
sometimes 251 on top, also pretty close
2 coles 4038's at either side

simple: subkick + 251 - bussed to mono
simple : subkick + 2 coles - 3 tracks

be well

- jack

[Koed]

Currently using a stereo pair if Peluso CEMC6's through a John Hardy M-2 and I'm loving it.

I mad a box around the back of the piano with absorption panels.
At a distance of about a quarter of the width of the piano I've placed a small stand with a stereo bar in the middle of the box.

Currently experimenting with ORTF and coincident. I'm finding that ORTF or a setup that's a bit wider like the NOS technique, will help separate the low's from the highs and play down the low mids a bit.
Still not sure what my favourite is, I'm leaning towards ORTF at the moment.



(Sorry for the Thread CPR)

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by Jay Kahrs

What is Ben Folds using in the studio? Probably an upright...anyone know?

In 2005, he used a grand piano with Helpinstill pickups (he's been using them since he started), an SDC pair, and another stereo transducer that I didn't get a good look at. They used different amounts of the six outputs on different songs.

[reeldude]

Sorry, I know this is an old thread but I thought it's still relevant enough and beats me starting a new one. Here's my question: Does anyone know the mic'ing techniques used in the 1950's, for rock and pop songs of that era? The pianos seem so natural sounding and certainly not in your face, especially vocalists with piano accompaniment, with both of the instruments having much depth. Thanks.

[soundbarnfool]

I recently acquired a Yamaha U3 and after tuning and tweaking tried a 77DX in cardiod about 10 inches from the floor on the treble side under the keyboard angled slightly up and was really surprised at how natural it sounded. Left the top open but didn't take the board off on the bottom.


Inglewood SoundBarn

[Michaelrophone]

Originally Posted by joeq

Take of the lower cover- below the keys and above the pedals- it is usually one board and it usually is held in place only with a single metal clip. Aim a mic at the spot where the high strings cross the low strings. Nice balanced sound, but the downside is you will pick up more pedal noise.

Originally Posted by Doug Ring

Joeq's advice is pretty much what I'd give. I've had really nice results taking off the lower cover and putting two Coles 4038s one either side of the pedals.

Originally Posted by I Lurk

The best result I had was by pulling the cover bellow the keyboard and put two 47fet close to the strings, each sides of the player's legs.

I'm gonna go with these guys here. This method has worked better than anything else I've tried with an upright.

I try to battle pedal noise by using 2 cardioid mics and angling them away from the pedals as far as I can go and still keep the sound.

Seems to work best for me, but I'm by no means the ultimate authority.