What do they mic grand pianos with for concerts?

[Midiguy]

Whenver I see a concert of award show on TV and there is a live performance, the piano lid is almost always closed, I see no microphones on the outside of the piano, and the piano sounds great. What is being used to mic the piano? Boundry mics, SD's tucked inside?

[Sonic Lush]

you might get a little more traction with this over at the Remote Possibilities forum, but one of those pros might be lurking around here....

[Studio Addict]

Many times they are actually using a sampled piano (Roland, Korg, etc) and just housing it in the grand piano box so it looks more "real". This happens often on tour -- and with some very big name people who you would think would rather have a real piano.

[DSD_Mastering]

I've also used the Earthworks Piano bar. You can use it with the top open or closed. Works great!


Regards,

[Midiguy]

Originally Posted by Studio Addict

Many times they are actually using a sampled piano (Roland, Korg, etc) and just housing it in the grand piano box so it looks more "real". This happens often on tour -- and with some very big name people who you would think would rather have a real piano.

True, but I'm referring to when we see the 9' Yamaha grand.

[PlatinumSamples]

Barcus Berry

Rail

[Beyersound]

The best I've seen, was a wide stereo bar near the hammers with a pair of KM 184s, and a TLM 103 down near the harp soundhole with the lid open. it was for Terry Trotter, playing with Natalie Cole's band.

[Josh Rose]

Earthworks and DPA both provide excellent stereo miking systems that work with the lid closed. I often use a pair of Beta 91's gaff taped to the lid of the piano. This can also yield a great sound! It might work with other PZM's, but I haven't tried that before.

Having the lid closed is nice, but I usually keep it open simply because it allows for a lot more mic choices. I've been using a pair of ribbons + a Neumann TLM 193, or sometimes a D112 for low end. Although I change it up constantly to keep things interesting. Had good results with a pair of KSM 109's recently.

[waxx]

i saw on the VRT (Flemish speaking belgian state television) when i was a student worker there, that in a show that they catched a piano with a few shotguns from above. When i asked why they did it, they said it was to eleminate the studio noise and make a more tv friendly sight than a full miced piano. The lid of the piano was open btw.

[Remoteness]

IMO, the Yamahiko Piano Pickup System is the best for this sort of thing.

Two would work well, but three of these pickups would be absolutely fabulous.
I was blown away with the sound we got when I captured Omar Sosa for a Half Note Records recording from the Blue Note. I got the isolation I wanted without that awful "pickup" sound many of the other brands give you.

[John Willett]

Some other options:

A pair of Neumann GFM132 boundary mics on the floor underneath the piano give a very nice sound.

A pair of DPA or Sennheiser mini tie mics stuck to the lid to change them into boundary mics.

A pair of AKG C414 close to the strings is another method I have seen.