How to set up a two-mic technique for recording a piano
A two-microphone piano recording can capture detail, depth and a sense of place without building a complicated session around one microphone. The decisive choices are where the pair listens, how clean the signal is and how the room behaves. This guide establishes a dependable spaced-pair method, then shows how to adapt it for different instruments, spaces and budgets.
The method suits a grand or upright in a controlled room, as well as a weighted digital piano with a bypassable amplifier. It is particularly useful when you want the movement of an acoustic instrument rather than a sterile close-up. The same principles apply in Australian homes and small studios, where the room is often part of the recording budget rather than an afterthought.
Choose the sound before placing the microphones
Begin by deciding what the microphones should preserve. On an acoustic grand, you might want a warm, slightly spacious performance with the lid open partway. An upright introduces the soundboard and the room more strongly into the result. With a digital piano, decide whether its speaker, a direct signal or a blend should carry the performance before placing a pair of condensers.
Two microphones should not be used simply to make a mono piano appear wide. Their job is to provide two coherent views of the same instrument. A wider gap generally captures more room and gives the keyboard a broader image, while a narrower gap creates a closer, more concentrated sound. Auditioning a spoken note, a chord and a short melody is more reliable than judging a placement from one loud hit.
Equipment choice can remain modest. Australian retailers normally quote prices in Australian dollars, with 10 per cent GST included, while international shipping, currency conversion and warranty support can make an imported pair less attractive. Borrowing a matched pair through a local music store can reveal whether the placement works before you spend. If you are not fussed about the badge, a serviceable matched pair often gives more value than an expensive mismatched set.
Build a clean signal path
Small-diaphragm condenser microphones with cardioid pickup are a useful default. They capture the piano’s high-frequency detail while allowing some control over how much room enters the recording. A ribbon microphone can work in a lively room, although its lower output calls for careful gain staging. Whatever the model, use a heavy stand, a shock mount and cables with enough reach to avoid accidental movement.
Connect each microphone to a separate recorder or audio interface channel. Confirm that phantom power matches the microphone specification, and engage the input pad if the signal is hot. Aim for healthy peaks without clipping; roughly 18 to 12 dB below full scale gives useful headroom. Record 24-bit audio at 48 kHz, and consider a gentle high-pass filter around 70 to 90 Hz to remove handling rumble, provided it does not thin the piano’s low register.
A live piano performance can be supported by MIDI preparation. The community’s FL Studio projects can help with ideas for tempo, voicing and performance practice before the session. Import compatible parts into your DAW, rebuild them in your own workflow or use them as a guide while rehearsing. Keep the live recording separate from the MIDI arrangement so an edit to either part does not compromise the other.
Position the pair over the piano
For a grand piano, a useful starting point is a spaced pair above the instrument. Open the lid fully, place the capsules about 20 to 30 cm above the exposed strings and position them slightly behind the hammers. Keep the microphones roughly 60 to 90 cm apart, with both aimed down toward the soundboard. Check that the raised lid clears the capsules and stands before the pianist settles in. If clearance is tight, placing the pair above the lid will provide a slightly softer balance.
The spacing changes the character of the recording. Move the pair closer together for a more concentrated image and stronger instrument presence. Increase the gap to incorporate more of the room and produce a broader stereo field. Very narrow spacing can exaggerate the brighter middle register, so listen for an uneven keyboard rather than assuming a precise gap is always better. Place both channels centrally in the stereo image; panning should refine the microphone positions, not conceal an imbalance.
An upright requires a different reference point. Aim both microphones towards the soundboard, often from about 30 to 60 cm away, and check that the treble and bass sections receive similar exposure. For an amplified digital piano, place the pair symmetrically near the speaker cabinet, or record the instrument’s direct output and reserve the microphones for a small amount of room. Using a direct signal and a close microphone simultaneously can create comb filtering, so compare the two sources before blending them.
The lid and the room may need adjustment after the first recording. A short stick can reduce brightness and control how much sound escapes, while a fully open lid usually gives a clearer view of the strings. If the result is boomy, try a slightly higher or closer position. If it feels lifeless, increase the distance or open the lid fully. Make only one change at a time, and record the same short passage after each move.
Treat the room around your instrument
A good microphone pair cannot remove an uncontrolled acoustic environment. Heavy curtains, rugs and movable absorbers can reduce obvious reflections, but they will not replace proper bass trapping in a problematic room. Keep the area behind the piano clear, turn off unrelated equipment and listen for low-frequency movement from traffic, building services or conversation. A short recording of room silence often reveals problems that disappear beneath the first chord.
Sydney’s inner-suburb terraces often have shared walls, narrow hallways and nearby foot traffic. Bass from a neighbouring flat or someone walking through the building may reach the microphones through the structure, and no microphone placement will remove that completely. Melbourne’s warehouse studios present a different issue: brick walls, hard floors and high ceilings can create a long, obvious decay. Moving the piano, closing a gap or adding absorption often changes the recording more than exchanging microphones.
Brisbane’s humid summer afternoons can affect piano tuning and introduce a steady air-conditioner hum. Allow the instrument to acclimatise before tuning, and record with the air conditioner running only if its noise is acceptable and stable. A compressor cycling on and off during the take is more disruptive than a continuous background sound. If the air handling changes the piano’s tone, capture a reference passage with it running before deciding what belongs in the final recording.
Record a take you can evaluate
The performer is part of the technique. Give the pianist a short soundcheck through the same monitoring path used for the recording, then check the sustain pedal, note balance and whether the chosen microphone position follows the musical action. Avoid unnecessary conversation near the open instrument, since its lid can direct voices towards the pair. Record several seconds of room tone before the performance and leave the channels running briefly afterwards to capture the decay.
Evaluate the take through headphones and nearfield monitors. Solo each microphone to identify differences in treble brightness, bass weight and room content, then listen in mono to reveal timing or level imbalance. A wide stereo image can hide a problem that becomes obvious when the channels are combined. Compare the reference passage with the finished arrangement, but preserve the original files so critical listening does not change the source.
Useful feedback should address the actual recording choices. A feedback and critique guide can help when you want another set of ears to judge the piano’s balance, attack, image and noise floor. Share the microphone positions, lid setting and monitoring method with the listener so their comments relate to the intended sound rather than an imagined setup.
Run a repeatable piano session
A reliable session follows a simple sequence: room tone, a spoken identification, a short reference chord, a melody test and then the complete performance. Keep the performer’s volume and playing style consistent during the tests. If you change the lid angle or move a microphone, record the same passage again and retain both versions. This creates a clear comparison and prevents a promising setup from being lost when someone adjusts a stand without recording the change.
Keep session notes beside the audio. Record the microphone model, pickup pattern, stand height, approximate distance from the strings, preamp gain, pad setting, lid position and room conditions. Store the raw tracks in at least two locations, especially when the recording exists only on a laptop. For a hybrid setup, preserve a direct signal from a digital instrument and align it with the microphone tracks by their attack transients before adding the smallest necessary amount.
The next concrete step is a 60-second reference take with the lid in its chosen position, saved alongside the session notes for comparison.