How to Record an Upright Piano

The upright piano has been considered a low-brow version of the elite grand piano--though I'm not totally convinced of this. I personally just hear it as a different instrument. Perhaps less elaborate and majestic, it still provides a timbre and feel that can't be accurately produced with a grand piano. This sound has become reintroduced by bands like "Coldplay" and "The Fray."

Here I will show you a microphone technique that can be used for getting a great sound from the upright piano.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Upright piano
• Condenser/ribbon microphones
• Recording studio

1. Although very similar to the grand piano in essence, the layout of the instrument is a little different and thus requires an alternate approach to microphone placement.
   
   First move the piano away from the wall. This will allow access to the soundboard located on the back of the piano. It will also let the piano resonate more, as it will not be obstructed by the wall it's usually against.
   
   You will need to remove the lid in order to access the inside of the instrument where all the strings and hammers reside.

2. Place a small condenser microphone under the keyboard where 2/3rds of the strings cross. The Neuman KM84 is a nice fit for this position.

3. Position another over the hammers on the top third of the piano; a ribbon works well there.
   I'm a fan of the Royer 121 for this application.

4. Place a microphone over the hammers at each 1/3 span of the piano (bass 1/2 string LDC or SDC, mids SDC and highs ribbon)
   
   I really like the AKG 414 over the bass section, as it captures the low-end resonance without distortion.
   Another Royer 121 over the mid-section of the strings is great for capturing the mid-range.

5. It's also a good idea to place another LDC microphone on the rear soundboard. I have had success with large tube microphones, like the Neuman U47/67 or U87. All reproduce the resonating tone, but with slightly different tonalities specific to each mic model.