Got a question for any of you that do live sound reinforcement.

I'm playing a gig on a baby grand - I've played the piano before - its loud and tempered well for pop music but this time there will be a full band - guitar,bass and drums. Has anyone mic'd a grand? Last time I schlepped an acoustic around (before the advent of good elec. pianos) it was a spintet and had Helpinstill pickups. So this is new to me.

I do remember a long time ago doing a gig with a concert grand that was mic'd from below with a single mic on the sound board - but that was an outdoor show and probably not as prone to feedback.

So...
One mic or two?
Dynamic mic or condenser?
Small/large diaphram?
Mic the sound board or harp?
Placement?

I'm assuming using a directional mic and planning to start with a single mic above the strings but under the piano cover to help isolate it from the rest of the instruments. By the way this is a blues gig so its not going to be REAL loud but it will be lively.

Thanks
Jim

Any chance the keyboard is a midi controller as well? if so your best bet would be to use a sound module. If not, get close to the hammers, put something between the drums and the piano if possible. I recently used a VP88 and was pleased with the results, but if it's loud on stage, get ready, it's gonna suck.
-BK

I used to mix a band with a "baby grand" and used a Crown PCC160 taped on the lid above "middle C" and over the hammers. I also used a 421 aimed away from the keys down the length of the low end side of the piano. Added a Barcus Berry piano pickup. All of these gave me the level and tonality that was called for. It cut with a hard drivin' Rock act. Of coarse the monitors blew a cold north wind (unless you like the "player piano" recorded in the '20s and played back thru two cans and a string or a pair of UMs kind of sound.)

Whew, looks like I may be in for a long night. The piano is not a controller - just a Kawai Grand. I have a cheap approximation of the Crown - one of those flat things that lays on the table in a conference room - I may bring that to help out. Also gonna bring some packing blackets to see if that will help with isolation.

thanks
Jim

A piano cover will work at least as goos as the packing blanlets. Can you experiment before the gig? 2 mics about 3 or 4" above the sound holes on the harp will work good as will a couple of mics mounted to the harp on the support bracing 2 or 3"s above the strings, 'kinda' in the middle of the strings.

The harder you play will effect the outcome and if the band is not a power blues group the top open or closed will not make that much of a differance. I have worked with Barkus Barry on pickups for piano and violin in the late 70's for Vegas shows and just micking the piano is not that bad, and way better than drum mic bleed from bass and guitar. So just relax and do your gig, it will be OK no matter the outcome or procudre. It's blues, a little funk won't hurt the vibe or set. Let the sound person do thier thing and you play your ****ing ass off, it will all be good...