7 Essential Tips On How To Mic A Piano
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Written by Jaron Lewis
You have a recording piano at home but you run into a problem. Maybe you just do not know how to mic a piano. If you are looking for information on how to mic an upright piano or any piano, this will give you all of the information you need to be successful in this task.
After reading these tips, you will become an expert at this task and mic up your piano so you get the exact recording that you want.
1. Part Being Played
Where you mic the piano will depend on the part being played. This is important when you are recording more than one instrument at a time. When you record with a guitar for instance, you want to record from the middle strings or work with a few different mics at the same time. The placement is really such an important aspect to properly mic your computer.
2. The Type of Piano
Depending on the type of the piano you are using, you are going to mic it up a different way than you would another piano. The trick that is recommended to you is to walk around your piano while it is being played. While doing this, cover up one of your ears and your free ear will be a great guide as to where to put the mic.
3. Test Recordings
You should always do test recordings so that you know if your mic placement is right. You want to make sure that you do this right before you put out an actual recording. You can even mess around with the placement of the mic (or mics, if you opt for more than one as part of your set up) to get the optimal sound.
4. Pull Apart Your Upright
One thing that is suggested that you do is to pull apart the casing from your upright. There are a lot of people that prefer doing this because you are going to get the purest sound this way. Without the casings, you will not end up getting the rattles in the background of your recording.
5. Help With Pedal Noises
A common problem that people often have with uprights is the pedal noises being picked up by the mic, as well as the foot stomping noise while using the pedals. If you prefer to have your mic placed at the foot pedals, which some people do, you can consider putting a foam wedge over the pedals to minimize this noise.
6. Every Mic is Different
Much like every piano has their own nuances, every mic is different. So mic choices are important. If you use 3 different brands of mic to record on the back of your piano, you are going to get 3 different sounds. There are some mics that are known for picking up higher frequencies, for example. This is important to remember when you mic up your piano.
7. Your Piano’s Sweet Spot
At the end of the day, every individual piano has sweet spots that are going to get you the best sounds. It may take some trial and error to find these spots, but you will get a better sound.
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