recording a grand piano...do you need a big hall?

[Baderup99]

Hey it seems like whenever I think about recording a grand piano, a big recital/concert hall comes into mind. How many of you are actually recording grand pianos in concert/recital halls?

Ive got access to a grand piano in a large classroom, with 10ft ceilings and the room is probably 75ft wide by 40ft (guessing here).

What's the main thing in a room you are looking for piano? High ceilings?

I thought about this one for a while as well. While for some things it's great to have a hall at your disposal and for the cases where you want to have a dryer signal it can be a pain even when close-miking it.

So yes if the music / song demands it.

And yes high ceilings certainly help.

[vitaminseal]

I would love to hear more thoughts on this topic if anyone has them. Thanks.

[Kiwiburger]

For pop, rock or classical? Personally, I go for very dry pop piano sounds. I really don't like the distant wimpy classical piano sound, but that's just me.

I still consider the Elton John piano sound to be a good piano sound. I'm intrigued to see how they record him. They built a special box that covered the piano to keep it very dry. But they were trying to track with a band, so that's not always necessary. But I understand these Elton piano rigs were used by other people in the day - they sound like quite a construction project.

If I had the money to build a piano room I would probably build it fairly small and practically anechoic. You can always add a high end reverb later.

But that's just my taste, so i'm sure there are people who appreciate real halls. IMO, halls are for an audience.

[river]

You don't need a large hall unless you're looking for a classical sound. My room is 17x28 with cathedral ceilings and hardwood floor. I have a 6' grand in there and get plenty of air with a room mic, or a close sound with spot mics. The only thing you don't want is a small dead room.

[Sigma]

i cut a Peter Nero album with the piano in a 40x20 room with 12 foot cielings and it came out great

2 u 87s a 1.5 feet off the deck and a a sony c800 room mike

and i cut billy preston in a padded booth with drapes over the front of the piano 8 inches above the keys

it all depends on hte sound you are going for

[joelpatterson]

I'm trying to picture drapes eight inches over the keys... and all I end up with is a vision of Billy Preston hanging out a window...

You don't need a huge hall, but a low ceiling in a boxy room can give you all kinds of trouble. I'm a big believer in packing blankets, too.

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

I'm trying to picture drapes eight inches over the keys... and all I end up with is a vision of Billy Preston hanging out a window...

You don't need a huge hall, but a low ceiling in a boxy room can give you all kinds of trouble. I'm a big believer in packing blankets, too.

hahahah

there was an alcove with carpet floor and walls with a trapazoid shape... the ceiling at the entrance had an overhang..the piano fit in the alcove to the keys which were just outside above a wooden floor. the curtain was la pull across type about 4 foot tall ..like a skirt that isolated the rest of the piano from the main room..so the piano player could play and see everyone but the paino had decent isolation

all the sigma stuff from the 70's before that had the cover propped open big on the hightest peg and then a tent of packing blankets..


the piano was in gernarally heavily arrainged songs so this worked in that context


preston was a trip..i'll pm ya the story one day

[unsung]

Originally Posted by Sigma

hahahah

there was an alcove with carpet floor and walls with a trapazoid shape... the ceiling at the entrance had an overhang..the piano fit in the alcove to the keys which were just outside above a wooden floor. the curtain was la pull across type about 4 foot tall ..like a skirt that isolated the rest of the piano from the main room..so the piano player could play and see everyone but the paino had decent isolation

all the sigma stuff from the 70's before that had the cover propped open big on the hightest peg and then a tent of packing blankets..


the piano was in gernarally heavily arrainged songs so this worked in that context


preston was a trip..i'll pm ya the story one day

Hey!!! Pm me the story one day!

[joelpatterson]

Me first!!!

[jnorman]

hmmm - one of the best recordings i have ever made was a 7'4" bosendorfer grand in a lady's living room with bascially no acoustic signature at all. i used a pair of AT4051s (after trying dpa 4011s and akg c481s), about 1.5 feet above the strings just inside the case - fabulous sound.

[Baderup99]

Originally Posted by jnorman

hmmm - one of the best recordings i have ever made was a 7'4" bosendorfer grand in a lady's living room with bascially no acoustic signature at all. i used a pair of AT4051s (after trying dpa 4011s and akg c481s), about 1.5 feet above the strings just inside the case - fabulous sound.

nice

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by unsung

Hey!!! Pm me the story one day!

i did but chris we both know too many stories

[Jamz]

Originally Posted by Sigma

i did but chris we both know too many stories

I remember those sessions and his Chauffeur. LOL!
Randy and I played on those sessions...and Randy has video.

[Sigma]

Originally Posted by Jamz

I remember those sessions and his Chauffeur. LOL!
Randy and I played on those sessions...and Randy has video.

get me a copy and i'll give ya a dvd of the stones in rio that they gave me when i went backstage

[Jamz]

Originally Posted by Sigma

get me a copy and i'll give ya a dvd of the stones in rio that they gave me when i went backstage

You don't have to. If it's the same Rio footage included in the 4 DVD "Biggest Bang" set I've already got it.
Reached out to Randy last night. Looks like a crazy lady got into his Myspace page.
Rivals one of your adventures. PM me.

[joelpatterson]

I think we need a new forum: "Gearslutz: Backstage!"

[Jamz]

Originally Posted by joelpatterson

I think we need a new forum: "Gearslutz: Backstage!"

LOL!

[Sigma]

it is a dvd r with a sharpie marker..i never saw the 4 set so it might be raw footage


will email ya ..gotta instal some more bass traps today