Mic placement advice: 1 SDC on Steinway grand for classical accompaniment

[Konketsu]

Originally Posted by nomraun

Mic placement advice: 1 small diaphragm condenser on a full-length Steinway grand for classical accompaniment. If it matters at all, the piano will be accompanying trumpet.

Any advice greatly appreciated!! Thank you!!

It's been a while since I have done this, but I recall getting a nice detailed sound that accentuated the note attack this way:

Piano lid at short stick with the mic just inside the case above the plate, with the mic diaphragm pointing towards the tuning pins/dampers and down slightly towards the soundboard. A PZM centered in front of middle C taped to the underside of the lid above the pin block has also worked for me (good luck convincing the owner to let you use gaff tape on the Steinway, tho).

If you have the option of removing the lid, a stereo pair placed directly above the frame and in the same orientation works really well.

Hope that helps.

[Led]

Put the lid up on the full stick, go stand by the bit where the side of the piano curves inwards and gets narrower and listen. Put the mic around shoulder height where it sounds good, aiming around the middle of the sounding board just behind the hammers. Then go have a listen in the control room and adjust it as you see fit.

[nomraun]

Alright, ill try out a few different positions and see what sounds good. Do you know of any real specific positions i could place the mic on the piano that will for sure produce a good sound? i just want to know of one place i could put the mic and know i am getting a good sound. Thanks!!

[Led]

Like I said, put the stand in the bit where the piano 's right side curves in and point it towards the middle of the sounding board. If you want more attack aim more towards the hammers. Keep the mic just outside the piano, not under the lid and have it around shoulder height depending on how tall you are. This will give you a more even coverage, if you mic it too close you will get all the strings near the mic being louder than the rest.

[nomraun]

oh alright, i see what you mean. thanks for the advice!