Voicing the CFlll

[Richard Brekne]

Jerry and Patrick...

Thanks for the observations. My initial response was to fault the 
recording process. But a conversation with a fellow tech south of here 
prompted me to question that.  The microphones are unidirectional 
condensers of high quality.... couple thousand dollars apeice. They are 
placed on a stand and create about a 30 degree angle with each other, 
standing about 2 feet away from the right side of the piano... just 
behind where the bend in the case changes direction... pointed basically 
at the midpoint of a fully opened top.

The recording device is a fairly expensive DAT 4 channel recorder, and 
all editing is processed through a decent enough computer based system. 
I think we can assume that there is no problem with the equipment. 
Placement of mics should be useable for classical music, and the 
professor who does the recording claims to have tried several locations 
for mic placement (tho I have reason to doubt this). If there is a 
problem with the recording process... its got to be this fellow I would 
think. But he has some experience and should be able to at least stumble 
upon a usable solution I would think.

Lets assume that there are issues with the piano tho. Things that 
microphones will pick up that the bare ear would not readily be alerted 
too.  Does recording classical music present a more demanding voicing 
then acoustical play ?, and if so then what are some of the best tricks 
or most common things microphones will pick up on that the ear will pass 
by ?

Cheers

RicB

Jerry Cohen wrote:

>Ric,
>
>This is just a guess. If the "string noises" can only be heard on the
>recording and not with live playing, even in the new smaller location,
>perhaps the problem is with the recording equipment, and not the piano.
>Perhaps try a slightly further microphone placement.
>
>String noise is similar to slight overload distortions that can easily
>occur within a microphone or electronics. Digital electronics is not
>very forgiving with even the slightest overload. Just a thought.
>
>Jerry Cohen
>  
>

"I'm no expert" but ... what is the miking like? Right inside the piano? 
Perhaps a more natural distance would help a great deal (or even just a 
slightly different location in the room, if it's already at some 
distance from the instrument).

Patrick