MD-421 on baby grand

Loren Jones

Sophomore
Jun 25, 2011
155
0
16
Hampton Roads VA
Hi,

Just wanted to pass this on. I'm sure most here may already have experience with this technique but I tried it tonight for the first time. As per some recommendations on line I mic'd our church's baby grand with a single Senn MD-421, lid on stick, mic pointed directly at the undersurface of the lid, 1/8th inch from the lid and located about 2/3 of the way up from the bass strings toward the opening of the lid.

I was shocked by the sound. Clear, open and articulate. A natural tone without glaring frequency emphasis or gap. Very little eq was needed. It was the best sound I've gotten from our piano and was also very simple. I've tried mics in the soundhole, dual C-414 near the strings and various other things. This technique was very nice.

Have others here had good results with this?

Loren Jones
 
Looks interesting. I always enjoy doing shows with your Yamaha piano and trying out new ideas, it usually ends up being a 914 combined with some other mic but this looks like a good solution to try next time I can convince a band to keep the lid open.
 
Re: MD-421 on baby grand

This is similar to the way that John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet preferred that the pianos he played be miked up for the last decade or so that band was touring.

The difference between this set up and his was that he wanted two microphones pointing at the underside of the lid. One centered about midway over the wound bass strings in the "crossover" part of the frame and the other pointing about two octaves down from the treble end.

I used different microphones each time, AKG 451s, Neuman KM84s, Schoeps CMC 6/MK 21 (I couldn't afford to own these, this show was at the SF Opera house and they had about two dozen of them in their mic locker) and Beyer 201s.

The piano, all cases sounded "like itself" only a bit louder.

It also helped that the drummers involved, Connie Kay and later Tootie Heath were not by any description "bashers".
 
Re: MD-421 on baby grand

This is similar to the way that John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet preferred that the pianos he played be miked up for the last decade or so that band was touring.

The difference between this set up and his was that he wanted two microphones pointing at the underside of the lid. One centered about midway over the wound bass strings in the "crossover" part of the frame and the other pointing about two octaves down from the treble end.

I used different microphones each time, AKG 451s, Neuman KM84s, Schoeps CMC 6/MK 21 (I couldn't afford to own these, this show was at the SF Opera house and they had about two dozen of them in their mic locker) and Beyer 201s.

The piano, all cases sounded "like itself" only a bit louder.

It also helped that the drummers involved, Connie Kay and later Tootie Heath were not by any description "bashers".

Lee,

I'll have to give it a try with two mics positioned as you mention. I threw this up in 2 minutes with no chance to play with position of the mics. The other guy that had set the stage before I got there had a mic in the middle "sound-hole" and this mic under the lid was WAY more natural sounding. It is just like you said, the piano sounded "like itself". The "only a bit louder" part seemed to apply as well. I don't think this method would give a lot of GBF.

Loren
 
Re: MD-421 on baby grand

But without the gaf on the piano lid...not that that should be a problem.

The mic placement idea is good. I agree with the pzm idea. It's less obtrusive, visually.
Instead of using gaf to secure the pzm to the lid, use silly putty.
The mic stays attached. The base of the pzm doesn't come loose from the lid, so it doesn't vibrate. The entire lid of the piano becomes the base of the mic. Silly putty comes off without leaving residue.
 
Re: MD-421 on baby grand

The mic placement idea is good. I agree with the pzm idea. It's less obtrusive, visually.
Instead of using gaf to secure the pzm to the lid, use silly putty.
The mic stays attached. The base of the pzm doesn't come loose from the lid, so it doesn't vibrate. The entire lid of the piano becomes the base of the mic. Silly putty comes off without leaving residue.

There are several temporary adhesives which "leave no residue". But I am unaware of ANY such that are completely neutral and free from chemical reaction with instrument finishes. Some may be more benign, but unless the owner of the instrument is OK with it, my practice is to NEVER use any tape, putty or the like. If the instrument is a Yamaha, Kawai or any of the other "lesser" brands, I'd do it if the owner said OK. But a Steinway, Bosendorfer or other "classic" instruments.....there's just no way.