Boundary Mics For Piano?

[Mulmany]

I have a lounge/jazz club that is going to need their audio distributed into a new banquet room for their New Years Eve bash. Trying to find the best all round simple good sounding solution for micing the baby grand which is in the bar.

I am at a loss when it comes to boundary mics.

How bout mics like the ATM350?

Thanks

[DanDan]

Try the DPA4061. They have a little rubber disc accessory which converts them to a PZM. Or you could simply tape them to the lid. For more gain before feedback try hanging them in one of the holes in the metal frame.
DD

[Mulmany]

Thanks for the suggestion Dan!

But unfortunately they need something that can be mounted in the piano and left there forever. They also don't want to pay me to come out every weekend for just a singer and piano. Its a strange sort of arrangement. They are just starting to bring in lounge/jazz singer acts, but the bar was not really designed for it. I still don't get where they have been putting the piano.

I was looking at the AKG C542BL they are like $300

Thanks

[DanDan]

I am afraid I don't understand. The DPA can be left there permanently.
The AKG may work fine but be I would be wary of that 130dB clip figure. The 4061 can handle up to 144dB and it needs to when placed in the hole of the metal frame ( a likely scenario)
I recommend them highly. I do a lot of acoustic music, pianos are very important to me. I have four DPA's!
Best, DD

[bishopthomas]

If your budget is around the $300 mark try the Crown PCC160. I have used a pair of those on a full size grand before with good results. I gaffed them to the lid, but for a more permanent installation I'm sure you could mount them fairly easily.

[Mulmany]

I think it will come down to the fact that they want the sound in the banquet room, but may not be willing to pay the price for the better mic.

I would love to put the DPA in there, ah maybe I'll just do it. That way I can rest knowing that they have a great mic for the piano.

I'm not recording, this is just reinforcement.

Thanks

[Mulmany]

Ok, I have gone full circle.

Any thoughts on the small instrument mics like the ATM350?

[John Willett]

If it's PA - what about a contact mic?

[7rojo7]

Schertler makes great products.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by 7rojo7

Schertler makes great products.

That's the one I was trying to think of, but could not remember the name. Schertler has been highly recommended to me as the top contact mic. Thanks.

The other one was the C-Ducer.

[DanDan]

I mix the 'prestige' stage at the Cork Jazz Festival every year. Piano is everything, and I have tried almost everything over the while.
The contact pickups are useful if you need high levels in the foldback, or simply a bit of midrange punch to cut through a loud band. Neither sounds natural though, and a lot of eq is needed to get anything acceptable.
The DPA in the hole gives the level and punch but with a hit of Eq sounds very like a piano. Having said that, a 57 in the hole also works well. I am not joking.
I have a couple of those Audio Technica mic. Very decent product. They are a condenser and so pretty full range. The pickup pattern seems very broad, I can never get much level from them on guitar, cello etc. However this is probably exactly what you want on piano. If you can't justify the cost of the DPA I reckon the AT is a very good choice.
DD

[DannyL]

The best bang for the buck solution would probably be the Countryman Isomax II omnis.

Fold a piece of matchbook cover in half. position the mic so that the baffle is in the clear and tape the assembly to the lid so that there is a small gap between the mic and the piano lid. If you use 2: 1 positioned over the sweet part of the harp, one over the best sounding hole. If one: just the harp.

Sounds great, wont break the bank, requires between 9-50V for Phantom.

A proven solution that works well in PA's and also for recording.

Danny

[12ax7]

Radio Shack to the rescue!

A page of ideas:

Pressure Zone Microphones - History and other information

[7rojo7]

I just found this

http://www.kksound.com/purepiano.html

List $121

[12ax7]

If you want to be REALLY cheap, two or three of these (place properly), each into transformers (within a couple of feet of the elements) WILL work a WHOLE lot better than you may think!

DT Series with Lead Attachments—Piezo Sensors—Film Elements—Measurement Specialties