I Need Help Recording, Please

[steveie986]

Dear sirs and madams,

I'm clueless about technology. Can someone help me get started recording? What equipment should I buy?

Thanks so much for helping a tech newbie.

[henrah]

Get your computer near to your piano, hook up a little microphone to it and record. It will be crud quality, but that's what you get for doing it the easiest and cheapest way.

A camcorder will also work, and will give video which is even more fun to watch
Henrah

[daniloperusina]

Hi! Have a listen to my Tempest and see if you like the sound quality. This is all professional gear, and recorded in true stereo AND really cheap! It's all about knowing what to buy, and how to use it, but I'll be glad to help. I'll post some info again

[daniloperusina]

Cheapest of all professional sounding microphones suitable for recording grand piano are: Behringer ECM8000. They are so-called "omni-directional measurement microphones", and are fantastic at capturing  the pianos full range. You'll need two to make it stereo.

They will need a power-supply and amplification; this devise is called "microphone pre-amplifier". The cheapest model will do, for example "M-audio Audio Buddy". You'll need one with two mic inputs, which the one above has.

You'll need two XLR microphone cables.

You'll need a "line-in" on your computer. If you don't have that, you'll need to buy a sound-card. For example "M-audio Transit" It's a USB device.

You'll need a recording software, for example Goldwave, which is a share-ware program, so download it for free.

That's it! Very cheap stuff, and very easy to use! You can only buy them in real music-stores, though.

[steveie986]

Thanks for the advice.

I looked up these items on Amazon, and they add to about $200-250. That's still a hefty sum. Are there any sub-professional but still better than nothing recording equipment I could look into?

[daniloperusina]

Ah, I didn't connect that you were the Bach player! Right, I'd need to know a few details more:
Where do you live? - prices can vary a lot depending on what shops are available. Also, there are some internet shops with great prices, but no point in ordering from US if you live in Europe and vice versa...

How much would you spend?

This Steinway you recorded on, what sort of room is it in? My recordings take place in a church, and to have natural reverb is such a great asset! No need for artificial effects.

[steve jones]

I like the Rode NT1's for budget condensors. You can pick up a new matched pair for pretty cheap now I believe (about £250 I think). Couple that up with a small mixer like the Mackie 1402, and into your computer.

This would get you an excellent sound imo. Its not high end gear, but its totally adequate to get a nice piano recording.

Only thing is, how good does your piano sound? The better the recording gear, the more 'exposed' your instrument will be! I found this out to my horror...

SJ

[steveie986]

Ah, I didn't connect that you were the Bach player! Right, I'd need to know a few details more:
Where do you live? - prices can vary a lot depending on what shops are available. Also, there are some internet shops with great prices, but no point in ordering from US if you live in Europe and vice versa...

How much would you spend?

This Steinway you recorded on, what sort of room is it in? My recordings take place in a church, and to have natural reverb is such a great asset! No need for artificial effects.

I go to university in California but my home is in Texas. I'd consider something in the $150-200 range. Nothing too fancy. Just something better than the built-in microphone on my iBook.

The Steinway was in a small-medium sized recital hall with regular flat walls.

[daniloperusina]

The recital hall is good news! It's almost impossible to make a decent recording in smaller rooms, the piano really needs great volumes of air to "blossom"!

The microphones are the most important, and make the greatest difference! The ECM8000 are really fantastic, and I'd advice against anything cheaper than that. My first search just now came up with $49 each.

Perhaps savings could be done with the other stuff. Now, are you sure you don't have a "line-in" on your iBook?

[daniloperusina]

This could be and option:

https://www.zzounds.com/item--SAMC01U

It's a professional recording microphone with a USB connection! Couldn't be simpler, all the other stuff are built in into this one. You only have to connect it to your USB port. Buy two of these, and you'll get good sounding recordings in stereo. At this shop they are $80 each.

You'll need microphone stands too, but perhaps there are ones in the recital hall?

[daniloperusina]

Goldwave recording software is available at www.goldwave.com

This is the basic recording technique for classical piano:
*mount the mics on one stand each and separate them by perhaps 60cm
- lesser distance yields more narrow stereo, and vice-versa
*have them both facing the open lid at a straight angle about 150cm above the floor
- the point is that they should capture the sound that is reflected by the lid
*see which distance from the piano that sounds best; 1-3 m.
- this is very dependent on the room acoustics! The trick is to blend "direct" sound from the piano with the sound that is bouncing on the walls=ambience. The closer to the piano, the less ambience captured. When you find the spot where the two are blended nicely, that's where it starts sounding really good!

[steveie986]

This could be and option:

https://www.zzounds.com/item--SAMC01U

It's a professional recording microphone with a USB connection! Couldn't be simpler, all the other stuff are built in into this one. You only have to connect it to your USB port. Buy two of these, and you'll get good sounding recordings in stereo. At this shop they are $80 each.

You'll need microphone stands too, but perhaps there are ones in the recital hall?

Thanks very much for all your advice.

This USB microphone looks like the best option. But on Amazon many users reported problems  with its driver on non-Tiger OS X. Looks like I'll have to upgrade to Tiger before buying this thing.

[steve jones]

Audacity is a great freeware audio editor. Would be perfect for recording and editing your performances.

SJ

[rafant]

An excellent and easy guide here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,9818.0.html

It's my own setup recording and it works very well. Thanks to Axtremus once again.

[quantum]

I'd recomend waiting a while so you can save up enough to get at least into the range of some of the cheaper professional mics.  You're ears will thank you.

My mic search thread:
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,10124.0.html

Mic technique info:
https://www.dpamicrophones.com/
Click on "Microphone University"