high-end for a ( slightly ) more natural sound .
Microphone Placement 4 : Surface-mount microphone mounted on the underside of the lid over lower treble strings , horizontally close to hammers for a brighter sound , further from hammers for a more mellow sound . Tonal balance : Bright , well-balanced . Comments : Excellent isolation . Experiment with lid height and microphone placement on the piano lid for desired sounds .
Microphone Placement 5 : Two surface-mount microphones positioned on the closed lid , under the edge at its keyboard edge , approximately 2 / 3 of the distance from middle ‘ A ’ to each end of the keyboard . Tonal balance : Bright , wellbalanced , strong attack . Comments : Excellent isolation . Moving the ‘ low ’ mic away from the keyboard six inches provides a more accurate reproduction of the bass strings while reducing damper noise . Splaying these two mics outward slightly can minimize the overlap in the middle registers .
Microphone Placement 6 : Surface-mount microphone placed vertically on the inside of the frame , or rim , of the piano , at or near the apex of the piano ’ s curved wall . Tonal balance : Full , natural . Comments : Excellent isolation . Minimizes hammer and damper noise . Best if used in conjunction with two surface-mount microphones mounted to a closed lid , as in Microphone Placement 5 above .
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER : Once I know how loud things are likely to get and whether we ’ re talking in-ears or stage monitors ( having the sightline conversation if need-be ), then I generally would think about the sort of tonal balance that would be optimal for the musical setting . I tend to start with Microphone Placement 1 as my go-to if the stage volume is low and the piano is a key instrument in the mix . On the other end of the spectrum with a more contemporary rockin ’ band where the acoustic piano is fighting with guitar amps and more of a member of the rhythm section , I may go with placement 4 or 5 .
For regular readers of my column , it won ’ t come as a surprise that I am hesitant to say there is a single right way to do things . I left options like Microphone Placement 3 on the list ( aiming into the sound holes ) even though that is generally more of a last resort to my ears and in my experience . But there have been cases where that general approach ( along with some foam and an SM57 ) served up a workable ‘ hyper-present ’ monitor source that I could pipe to the pianist while I sent a more open and ‘ airy ’ stereo pair to the mains . Whatever works !
Check back next month as we talk a bit more about acoustic pianos and add specialized mics and various pickup devices to the mix . Have fun out there and give some of these options a try if you are still struggling to get that piano ( or fortepiano !) to work in your sonic environment .
Jeff Hawley A 20-year music industry veteran — equally at ease behind the console , playing bass guitar , leading marketing teams or designing award-winning audio products . He currently heads up the marketing for Allen & Heath in the US .
126 August 2023 Subscribe for Free ...