solo-jazzpiano gig thoughts

[summer_room]

Hi all
I've got a gig coming up, and would like your views on my options.

Its a solo-jazzpiano concert at a 200-seat jazz club with nice club acoustics, stage will be in the middle with audience all way around (they do not normally do this).
Lid will be off the Steinway C. The club don't know yet about amplification as this setup is a first timer, but my guess is there will be some kind of PA.

Options:
2 DPA 4011/AKG 414 B-XLS/Neumann 184 in ORTF or other array
1 Royer SF12, perhaps with microgobo behind (thanks Steve Remote!)
2 DPA 4006 in AB

I will be multitracking up to 8 tracks.

Thoughts:
-Cardioid's, please give me your starting points for a grand piano/lid off in a jazz club...
-SF12, I'm thinking 3-4 feet horizontal over the strings
-Omni will probably be nice on the Steinway - what would your starting points for AB array be for a grand piano in a jazz club?
-Omni AB at say 8 feet distance to capture a mix of piano/room/audience

Thanks for your time
All the best - Jon

[summer_room]

-not even one little mic-trick for me?

[summer_room]

Well, if anybody is interested, this is what I ended up doing (sorry for bad picture):

SF12 as main pianomic - homemade (Remoteness) micro gobo behind to isolate from the PA speakers in the light-rig.

4006 in AB (about a foot between) as audience-pickup, you can see them flown in from the light-rig in the picture. I only use these on applauses etc.

In the picture you also see a Shure vp88, this was set up for FOH. I recorded this also, but do not like the sound...

This is my first solopiano recording in a club.
I wish, I had used more time checking more placements for the main pickup, as I do not like the sound completely - but generally I'm pleased with the result.


// Jon

[videoteque]

It doesn't sound bad!!!

Thanks for posting the results!

[springer]

If it's SOLO piano - I would just go with omnis (personal pref). Jazz piano with a group is where the sf12 would really shine as you could get in close with it and get the needed seperation.
Your example sounds fine to me. What more were you looking for?

[summer_room]

Originally Posted by springer

If it's SOLO piano - I would just go with omnis (personal pref). Jazz piano with a group is where the sf12 would really shine as you could get in close with it and get the needed seperation.
Your example sounds fine to me. What more were you looking for?

Well, home at my monitors I would like a 'less metal' sound. If I could do it over, I would try other angles to get a more mellow sound.

Do you put the sf12 all the way down to the strings when recording piano with a group?

Thanks
/ Jon

[springer]

Yeah - I think the 'metal' sound you are referring to is the hammers. With solo piano you could get away from over the top of the piano to 'in the knee' just peeking up over the edge of the piano. This eliminates the hammers sound and gives you more of the soundboard. With this technique I would just use 2 omnis in AB.

Yes - I have found with groups, that about 4-8" in XY right over the hammers works best as you need some of the hammer sound to accent the notes. Especially when there is a loud ride cymbal not more than 3 feet away. With gentle drummers and more distance you can pull back out to the 'knee' area with one cardioid. Point the rear of the mic a little to the drummer.

[summer_room]

Actually, I tried the knee position, about where the vp88 is in the picture, but found the sound to be weak. Maybe it has to do with the lid being off - I got more body from the position over the strings and just stayed there. Maybe if I had moved to the butt end of the piano opposite the keyboard...

Oh well, thanks for your tips.

/ Jon