From the course: Audio Recording Techniques

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Close miking a grand piano with one mic

Close miking a grand piano with one mic

From the course: Audio Recording Techniques

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Close miking a grand piano with one mic

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When you're recording the piano with other players in the room, you'll have to resort to close miking to reduce leakage from other instruments. Here's a way to do it with just one mic. Place a Directional mic about 18 inches above the center of the harp where the high and low strings cross. What we're trying to capture is an even balance of all the notes in the piano. (music playing) You can try lowering the mic, and while it might sound brighter, you won't pick up the highest or the lowest notes. That might be okay, if the song only requires the mid range of the piano though. Remember that when you lower the mic close to the strings, you're likely to pick up unwanted pedal and hammer sounds, in addition to the sounds of the piano. But you'll also capture brighter and tighter sound. (music playing) All pianos have a different frequency balance, so you might have to move the mic a foot or so towards the upper or lower strings, in order to obtain the proper balance. Sometimes the mic…

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