Article

 
A grand piano is, perhaps, one of the easiest instruments to mic, mainly because there are so many ways to do it.  As with any other instrument you mic, the technique you use will depend greatly on the sound you want.

Room Size

The size of the room makes a big difference on the final outcome.  If you are miking a grand piano, chances are the room is rather large.  This will actually work in your favor because it will allow the natural sound of the instrument to reverberate.

Instrument Location

Because a grand piano is so heavy, it’s very likely it won’t be frequently moved.  Pianos are often placed in what’s called the “live room” of a studio.  This is a room that is not as acoustically treated as say the vocal or drum booths, hence its name.  Miking instruments in a live room will allow you to receive the natural acoustics and often works well.  A piano is most often placed in the center of a live room away from any walls or windows.  One reason for this is so it won’t pick up any humidity that could cause it to become out-of-tune.  Another reason is that it’s much easier to get a good sound when it’s in the center of the room, and is easier to mic.  It can be moved, but again, this often isn’t very likely or even necessary.

Type Of Mic

Most often, omnidirectional condenser mics are used to mic any kind of piano.  This is because since the piano is such a large instrument, it requires a mic that’s able to pick up sound from all directions to capture its true sound.  Often times, a pair of these mics are used in order to achieve a good, smooth blend.  You can, however, experiment with different types of mics until you find what works best for you.  This will depend largely on the technique you use, which will depend on the style of music you’re recording.  This is explained further in the section below.

Miking Techniques

Grand pianos have a very wide frequency range, which can make them rather difficult to mic.  There are many ways to obtain the sound you desire, and experimentation with mic placement is the key.  The best way to find the desired sound is to stand at the soundboard of the piano when the player is playing while someone else is moving the mics to and from different locations.  Move your head around so you’ll hear the various sounds.  This will allow you to use your ears as a guide while the piano is being played.  Moving your head will also allow you to listen for different frequency ranges so you’ll be able to find the one that sounds best.

Because of the size of the grand piano, a miking distance of two to six feet will give you the best representation of the full frequency tone; however, close miking techniques may also be used to accent certain sounds, or, as in live situations, to cut back on the possibility of bleed-through from other instruments.  This usually happens when more than one instrument is being played and recorded simultaneously.  Many bands lay music tracks in this way.

For live situations, as described above, a single mic is attached to the upper lid of the piano.  It’s also common to place two mics two to six inches away from the strings, with one hovering midway between the length of the strings on the treble or upper half, while the other is  placed on the bass or bottom half where the bass strings overlap each other.  You might also consider placing a single mic or stereo pair of mics at the very back of the soundboard away from the player and over the middle strings, somewhere between the soundboard and open upper lid.  It’s important to remember that the upper should always be open when miking any piano in order to mic its true sound.  Otherwise, the piano will sound muffled and possibly distorted upon play back of the recording.  This is somewhat easier when miking a grand piano because the soundboard and strings lie flat instead of up right like on other types of pianos.

Another close miking technique is to place a single mic outside the piano in front of the s curve pointing inside the instrument.  This mic must be very close up or farther away pointing to the open lid in order to be effective.  This gives the recorded track a warm sound.  These techniques are often used when miking a solo classical pianist or when miking a solo pianist in an orchestra situation.

If you wish to achieve a bright, rhythmic sound, you should try miking directly over the hammer, right in front of the player at a distance of four to ten inches away from the strings.  A solo mic or stereo pair can be used for this.  This technique is very popular when recording pop or rock music.

Different combinations of these techniques can be used to achieve an overall sound.  Again, it really depends on what you want.  If you want the piano track to sound a bit percussive, try the technique that was just discussed.  If, on the other hand, you want a more flowing sound, try the one recommended for recording classical music.

Open mic techniques are often the same, only achieved at a further distance.  Many engineers and producers choose to place one mic a few feet away from the cut out part of the grand piano.  A large diaphragm mic like the Neumann U87 can be placed in the room a few feet away from the piano to add depth to the recorded track.  This will help accentuate the lower frequencies.

One last miking tip is when using a pair of mics, be sure to place them three inches apart in order to avoid phasing problems.  Phasing occurs when opposite frequencies cancel each other out, thereby collapsing the stereo sound and making it sound hollow.  Again, use your ears and experiment to find the sound that works best for your particular situation.