Recording Jazz Piano

[field]

Hi,

I have to record a grand piano for a solo jazz recording with additional electronic stuff and want to get a warm but direct sound without too much room ambience.
I have these mikrophones:
2 dpa 4006 TL (omnidirectional)
1 Brauner VM1
1 Schoeps M/S Set (cardioid and eight)
1 AKG 414

I would appreciate any advice, where to place which microphon combination.
thanks a lot

field
from Berlin germany

[alessio]

I always go schoeps, cardioid inside piano in spaced pairs, say 1 inch from the strings near the hammer close to the 5th octave. Then you can use dpa for adding ambience. Use a neutral pre like millennia. If you search more bass add an extra mic on the bass zone
Alessio
Spazi Sonori - Via della Gherardesca, 1 - 57128 LIVORNO

[field]

Originally Posted by alessio

I always go schoeps, cardioid inside piano in spaced pairs, say 1 inch from the strings near the hammer close to the 5th octave. Then you can use dpa for adding ambience. Use a neutral pre like millennia. If you search more bass add an extra mic on the bass zone
Alessio
Spazi Sonori - Via della Gherardesca, 1 - 57128 LIVORNO

Thanks

[arf]

Originally Posted by field

Thanks

For a more 'acoustic' sound add a pair of mics, capsules about 4 to 5 inches apart from each other, just below the edge of the lid (which hopefully will be on full-stick.)

[John Willett]

With that set of mics, I think I would start out by using a pair of the DPA omnis. The extra octave that an omni has at the bottom end brings out the warmth of the piano.

It's amazing how thin directional mics sound in comparison.

If you want to keep the room out, try mic'ing up from underneath the piano. I have done this a couple of times with boundary mics and it does sound good (not for a classical recital, but for jazz and where there are other instruments involved, it should be fine).

I hope this helps.

[deve]

dpa's work nicely as an AB pair pointing at the half open lid along with an ortf pair inside the piano. I use 184's for that purpose.

[Thebassist]

Just to have options at mix down, yes, omnis spaced by ear inside. Also add a pair on the hammers for more attack if necessary to punch over the electronic elements, and at least one mic 1-3 ft outside the lid to capture a more natural sound ie like room mics on a drum kit. Pairing acoustic piano with other elements can be tricky, and you don't want to putz around with eq too much if just bringing up a pair on the hammers can give you a more realistic and pleasant result.

my 2 cents.

[ZEBRAAA]

I GOT a recording soon here,

my toughts, 2 km 184 on the hammers, ans 1 R92 behind the piano for room

[Hic&Nunc]

If you have the opportunity to pull the lid off and mic the piano from above, capsules being parallel to the sound board, you should try it. Not very natural as the sound reflections from the lid is part of the sound of the piano as we mostly know it, but therefore very clean and transients being very sharp.

Play with the mic placement.

Maybe a rather spaced dpa AB with the brauner in the middle (directivity up to what you want) and a bit closer to the strings. It would give you the chance to play with your piano width during mixing.

my point of hearing.

pardon my english ...

[RMJAZZ]

I would stick with the Schoep(M/S) inside the piano, lid @ full stick. And since you have the DPA's and the Brauner, you might as well set them up and see how it sounds.

So the M/S set-up would be just above the crook on the piano (the "bend"). Use the DPA pair about 6 feet in the air (5 feet from the piano itself)and 2 feet apart aimed directly at the piano. Put the VM1 inside, parallel to the sound board, up towards the player.

The bottom line is, some people prefer a stereo set-up, some the M/S, some like an LDC set up better.......I love the M/S with Scheops.......but you need to play a bit since you have such incredible mics! You are truely blessed!

In Jazz,

Rob