Hello,
I just very recently purchased the Steinway B and haven't had much time at all to prepare one for live performance. I'm performing with a James Taylor tribute band this Saturday and want to get a good piano sound so the FOH can mix me properly. Any suggestions on some EQ tweaks and some microphone placements that may help me?
thanx!
Since noone else has answered, I'll give it a try. I've never been involved in a live setup, so take my suggestions with that in mind. Besides, I don't have the Steinway B, so I'm not very familiar with that sound (except from recordings I've heard with that instrument used).
There aren't any presets specially for a piano sitting in a mix. Maybe the presets with the word Recording in them, can be good starting points. That goes for all the pianos, and you can always copy all parameters from any preset of any other instrument (except the model of course) and copy them into a preset for the Steinway B.
There is one preset for the free (legacy) model C3, called C3 Mix Recording. You could copy that into the Steinway B, as well. It seems that preset just raises the mids and highs, to get a bit more of a cutting sound. What concerns microphone positions, the Recording presets very often have two close mics, and two out in the room.
What you just need to do, is experiment, until you find what could work in your situation. Assuming you're not going to practice with the band before hand, you can try mixing a piano recording with other instruments in a DAW, but time for that may be running out?
I'm chasing this same goal. I have two piano's setup in the iPad. One is the Steinway B Bright and the other is the Yamaha YC5 Pop. I already have them both EQ'd differently than stock because I'm experimenting. It all depends on what you are going for, but you should know that in my pursuit I have gone a little further.
I am running all my VST's ....or Aue's (whatever) through the AUM app. This allows some really easy tweaking and more importantly, layering. At the moment, I am experimenting with blending the classic MKSensation PWR Grnd 2 with the PianoTeq's, with good success. But the PianoTeq's remain the core sound and are really good by themselves. Also using some HiPass filtering to help cut through the mix.
Should be noted that the iPad Pro is connected to a usb hub which is connected to two keyboard controllers (one for piano, one for Hammond) and all sound is routed to a Motu M2. This all is plugged directly into a MotionSound KP610SX which sounds great!
How did your JT tribute show go? Where did you land for a piano?
Check out the Pop based presents. It's going to depend on the location, spread of loudspeakers, number of other performers, size of audience at venue and so on.
If performing in an ensemble/band consider limiting the dynamic range and stereo width. Look to bright, punchy presets with narrow placement of microphones.
Consider how it will sound anywhere in the room, populated with an audience possibly blocking sound from the other side of the venue.
When I suggested Pop based presets I was also considering the FXP section. Check out the FXP section filtering for Steinway B and look through version 6,7 and 8.
This link might work:
https://forum.modartt.com/fxpcorner/?ve...anoteq%206