Stars 1-- Improv.

[pianowolfi]

Something for New Year 

Steinway B, recorded with Yamaha Aw 1600 (this device obstinately keeps calling everything a "song" argh ), 2 Studio projects B 1

If anybody has tips regarding the rec settings I would be grateful, since I'm trying out new possibilities.

[quantum]

Is this your piano?    Anyways, the Steinway sound comes through quite clearly.  If I had to guess, the room sounds about living room size.  Could you tell us more about the mic positioning and room?  Have you tried experimenting with the distance between mics and piano? 

I practiced a lot on a model B, but never had the chance use my SP B1 mics to record much of it. 


As for the music, I can very well visualize the night sky.  Sounds reminiscent of the music of a particular Canadian composer I am fond of who regularly employs images of "stars" in her pieces.  Also I hear some Scriabin with the way you shape your phrasings. 

[pianowolfi]

Yeah it's my new piano I love it
well, the room is living room size, 300 square feet, the mics are at the moment positioned about 3 feet from the piano, one at the lower end and one at the hinge. I have put them in a horizontal position. I am experimenting every day :p
Somehow I would like to have a bit more reverb or "space" in it.

 hmmm who is your Canadian composer? *wonders* I know that I have a lot of Scriabin in myself, somehow...

[furtwaengler]

Alexina Louie, Quantum?

Pianowolfi, I'm loving the direction you've been going in your improvisations. Yes there is the touch of Scriabin (whose language really is improvisational), but it's post Scriabin and is very individual.

From your last two recordings, I wonder what you would do with a piece like Samuel Feinberg's 4th Piano Sonata. It's rarely played, terrifically complex, and very dark, but it's a language you'd immediately relate to.

[pianowolfi]

Oh yes, I think Feinberg's 4th is something I really would like to get to know. I listened to Marik's recording of no. 6 here and I loved it

Thank you Furtwängler, for listening and commenting

[rachfan]

Hi wolfi,

I just listened to Stars.  The piece certainly lives up to its title.  I like the way you represent the twinkling effect (or as astronomers call it, scintillation) using small tone clusters, dissonant double notes, unexpected harmonies, fleeting figurations, ephemeral turns of phrase, polyrhythms, capturing the randomness of the universe, etc.  I think this is one of your best improvs yet.  Excellent! 

On recording the Steinway to get more space, here is a suggestion as you experiment.  Right now with a mic distance of 3 feet, you're using a close-in recording technique.  For classical piano you need to get a sound that has more perspective.  You might try A-B mic configuration.  Here's how:

1) Experiment moving the mics AWAY from the curve of the piano within a distance range of of 5 (1.5 meters) to 8 feet (2.4 meters).  You'll want to find the distance within that range that produces the best sound.  In my living room, my Baldwin Model L is very powerful, so I found that 8 feet worked best for me.  Your room might be different.  Getting the mics farther away allows them to capture the music after it is fully formed, blended and finished. Close-in recording captures instead raw music still in the making, barely having left the case rim of the piano.  Once you discover the optimal distance, find a way to mentally mark it--like drawing an imaginary line from a piece of nearby furniture, for example.   

2) If you are using cartioid capsules, replace them with omni-directional capsules which will give you a more open and rich sound including room ambiance.

3) Here's were the A-B configuration comes in.  Keep the stereo mics exactly parallel to one another and always separated by precisely 12 inches (30.5 cm).  Keep a ruler handy to measure and verify it at every recording session to maintain consistency. 

4) If the lid of the piano can be fully open, incline your mic angle on the mic stands such that the capsule ends are angled upward toward the edge of the raised lid over the curve in the piano case.  If the Steinway B fully open overwhelms the room, use the shorter singer prop instead, and angle the mics accordingly.  I use the singer prop for a couple of situations: Playing bombastic Scriabin when I want the walls of the house to remain standing afterward, and also for very soft music where the lower lid can assist me.

5) Make sure you use high quality (does not mean the highest or most expensive) mic cables going into you recorder from the mics.  Monster makes really good ones.  Get about 20 foot lengths for flexibility.  You'll be amazed at the improvement in sound as compared to old "make do" cables.

I hope this is helpful to you.

         

[pianowolfi]

Hi rachfan

Thank you very much for your comments, it's very encouraging

I will try the settings you recommend. Yes it makes sense what you say about capturing the music after it's fully formed. I think this setting comes also in handy for my room. I got used to the singer prop already, I think the balance is best like that.
Well, I will look for omni capsules. I think my cables are quality.

[quantum]

Alexina Louie, Quantum?

You read my mind 



Wolfi, have you posted your new piano story yet on PS?  I am itching to know  also pictures please.  A Steinway B is a major acquisition.  Congrats!  And of course, keep those recordings coming. 

[pianowolfi]

You read my mind 



Wolfi, have you posted your new piano story yet on PS?  I am itching to know  also pictures please.  A Steinway B is a major acquisition.  Congrats!  And of course, keep those recordings coming. 

Well, I will see what I can do At the time I'm in the process of getting familiar with it, for sure it's an acquisition for life