Best Choice for Piano Recording?
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Posted on Mar 20, 2011 07:47 pm
Jay67
Member Since: Jan 07, 2010
I need an acoustic piano sound for a recording but I've run into a problem. I'm tied between using a VST instrument or an actual piano. I have a baby grand in my house which is out of tune and something has a random click in a few keys. Would it be worth fixing this up to get a better sound, or should I just stick with software?
If software is the better choice, what should I use? I like Pianissimo since it sounds decent for a cheap price but I haven't tried many others. Thanks!
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Mar 20, 2011 08:25 pm I very much prefer an actual piano over any of the VSTi's I've heard.
That said -- (A) Having your hammers repaired, tuning and voicing is going to run you a few bucks (B) if the room isn't right, the piano isn't going to be right (C) consider the front end chain.
Jay67Member
Since: Jan 07, 2010
Mar 20, 2011 09:50 pm The room wasn't designed at all for recording a piano so I'm not sure if it would be right. It's got hardwood floors and a pretty high ceiling. What should I listen for to see if it's right?
And what do you mean front end chain?
cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Mar 20, 2011 10:13 pm a live piano would ofcourse be ideal but i wouldnt knock the VSTis, atleast not the pricier ones. The new piano sounsd that come with the latest Reason are absolutely killer and a ton of other brand name plugs really hold up well.
Mar 21, 2011 07:55 am Dude if you have a baby grand you should want to keep it in good working order regardless so spend the money on that and buy two good condensor mics . Put them far enough away to avoid movement noise (but not too far), place them for stereo imaging of the high and low ends and pan hard left and right at mixdown. An ambient room mic can also be used for natural reverb.
I recorded my old upright like this a few weeks ago and even out of tune and without matched mics it sounds great.
Good luck !
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Mar 21, 2011 07:24 pm Oh yes...you should mic that thing up if you don't need the MIDI data for recall (which I typically prefer to have...because I rarely nail a 100% accurate performance). It actually sounds like your room would be a potentially good or even great piano tracking room.
if you use the acoustic piano:
Talk to a piano tuner about what's actually wrong with the thing. I was convinced my spinet piano had a terrible problem...but then I found a picture of my childhood dog lodged between the hammers and the strings. The most scary inevitable repair to be wary of (that I've encountered) is a need to have the felt hammers replaced. This can run $2000+ for an older piano. If they tell you to get new hammers, ask if they can shave the hammers instead. The hammer shaving service cost me $200. Basically, the hammers have to be replaced when the strings cause indentations on the hammer felt; the effect is a weird honky tonk detuned sort of sound. Shaving the felt is possible until there's no more felt to shave, kinda like the rotors on a car.
if you use a VST piano:
They pretty much all fail to sound like real piano...but I use and prefer the Art Vista Virtual Grand. It's closest to real sounding when I compared to others, and the price is pretty ok. Like I said, I love having MIDI data. I like to be able to correct my performances after playing them, and I also like to blend sounds using a sample player.
Now the coolest thing I've ever seen that would fall under the piano/midi category is a rock piano set up to be a MIDI player piano. I can't find the link currently but some studio has this quality rock piano set up so that it can create midi data from a performance, and recall/play that performance again. So cool it's almost cheating.
Jay67Member
Since: Jan 07, 2010
Mar 22, 2011 09:16 pm My problem is that I can't really afford to get all that work done to the thing at this point. So i'm thinking a VST is the way to go, thanks for all of your help!
I'll have to check out some of the software you guys suggested. And Quiencysan, let me know if you find the link to that piano!
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Mar 23, 2011 02:06 pm The cost of the plugin and the cost of repair is going to be about the same. Please buy all your software.
Here's a link: www.artvista.net/Virtual_Grand_Piano.html
Some samples on there too.
Jay67Member
Since: Jan 07, 2010
Mar 24, 2011 01:43 am From what I remember, piano tuning runs over $200. Plus I would have to buy mics.
And thank you so much for your help Quincysan.
