How to Record a Baby Grand

Recording a baby grand piano requires careful microphone placement.

Recording a baby grand piano presents challenges due to the large area of space the instrument occupies and the range of frequencies from 26 hertz to well over 20,000 hertz. The proper microphone and setup must be used to capture these delicate frequencies in an accurate and appropriate way. With a baby grand piano, close-miking is not recommended due to the drier sound of the instrument. For this reason, using an ambient miking technique will provide you with the best recording.

Step 1

Attach the five microphones to the microphone stands. Adjust the microphone stands so that each stand holds an equal height of 6 feet.

Step 2

Open the lid of the piano to its highest position. This will help improve the sonorous quality of the sound.

Step 3

Place one microphone 5 feet from the center of the piano and facing the back of the performer. Position the microphone slightly to the right of the players back to avoid recording the muted vibrations which will be blocked by the performers body. Tilt the microphone head so that a direct line is formed between the piano keys and the front of the microphone.

Step 4

Position the second microphone on the side of the piano with the lid open. Direct the microphone to face the hammers of the inside of the piano. Place this microphone 5 feet from the center of the piano.

Step 5

Position two additional microphones equally apart from each other around the piano. Space them so that they are each facing the inside of the piano and are 5 feet from the center of the piano. Place the final microphone at the foot of the piano.

Step 6

Set the final microphone on the back of the piano, where the hinges of the lid appear. Again, set it 5 feet from the center of the piano.

Step 7

Attach the microphone cables to your mixing board and set up your computer to record the audio depending on the audio recording program you are using. In most cases, you simply need to plug the mixing board into the sound card microphone input of the computer and press record in the audio program.

Tips

When you have completed setting up the mics, they should form an oval around the piano.