Piano
- Range
- A0–C8
- Overtones to
- about 2.7 kHz
- Peaks up close
- up to 132.7 dB SPL
- Sources
- 64 independent: not from a mic maker
Range
A0 to C827.5 Hz – 4.19 kHz
Standard 88 keys.
| Bass | A0–B2 | wound strings, one or two per note; rich in inharmonic partials |
|---|---|---|
| Middle (tenor) | C3–B5 | plain strings, three per note; warm |
| Treble | C6–C8 | short sustain; the top notes have no dampers |
Boundaries are approximate: where wound strings, bichords and trichords change varies between pianos (estimate).
Overtones reach about 2.7 kHz (the highest harmonic within 40 dB of the strongest, at a moderate level; louder playing reaches higher)7.
The sound
The hammer excites many partials; stiff strings make them progressively sharp (inharmonicity), which is why pianos are tuned with stretched octaves. Harder strikes give more high partials.
Where the sound goes
In the far field (above 5 m) the piano acts as a point source (6 dB per doubling); close above the soundboard it behaves like a plane source, so there is almost no proximity effect and omnis or cardioids both work. The lid angle projects sound toward the audience; the stage-height lid on a modern stage is lower.11,2
Playing techniques
- Sustain pedal: all dampers up; the strings ring along, fuller
- Una corda: on a grand the hammers hit fewer strings; softer, darker
- Prepared piano: objects on the strings; buzzes and thuds13
Estimate: Not found in the sources checked (general practice): Prepared piano.
Frequency areas
- Sub: 20–60 Hz
- Low-end body: 60–200 Hz
- Mud: 200–500 Hz
- Harshness or presence: 2–4 kHz14
How loud
Sound pressure level measurements as published. Different kinds of figure (a playing level, a peak, a dose at the player's ear) can't be compared with each other, and neither can figures at different distances.
| Playing level | |
|---|---|
| 80 dB(A) | at 2 m; piano, scale passage played mezzoforte8 |
| 70–90 dB(A) | at 2 m; piano, range the pianist controls in a scale passage8 |
| 60–90 dB | at 3 m; normal piano practice secondary9 |
| 70–105 dB | at 3 m; loud piano secondary9 |
| 84–103 dB | 'Piano Fortissimo' (normal practice listed as 60-70) secondary10 |
| Peaks | |
| 130 dB or more | close to the hammers; grand piano, transients close to the hammers11 |
| 130 dB or more | at 0.2 m; concert grand, under 8 in (20 cm) above the strings4 |
| 132.7 dB(C) | dosimeter on the shoulder; pianist in a Portuguese orchestra, group rehearsal (Rodrigues et al.)12 |
| Dynamic range | |
| 12 dB | single-string test, p to ff estimate11 |
| Player's exposure (dosimeter) | |
| 86.2 dB(A) | dosimeter on the shoulder; pianist in a Portuguese orchestra, group rehearsal, repertoire B (Rodrigues et al.)12 |
DPA: transients above 130 dB SPL close to the hammers; above the soundboard the field approaches a plane source, so the SPL is nearly constant over the strings. Robjohns: more than 130 dB SPL peak under 8 in (20 cm) above the strings, with another paper claiming 136 dB above the hammers; falling about 6 dB per doubling of distance for the first transient; he says mics rated above 130 dB SPL cope. DPA's single-string test: about 6 dB between p and mf, and again mf and ff. No source found for the level at 1 m.11,4
Recording it
With a piano nearly filling a home room, Paul White used a single Soundfield coincident cardioid mic at the tail end, 18 in away and 12 in above the body, and added hall reverb.5
Mics
- 23 setups from 6 sources, 4 of them independent of any mic maker.
- On top: the mics more than one source names for this instrument, in any role, the most named first. That is a count of sources, not our verdict.
- In the full list, each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those come from a mic maker.
- DPA 4011 3 sources, 1 from a mic makerClose
All the mics sources name, by setting and role (29)
Studio
Close
- AKG C414 B-ULS1 source
- DPA 2006 Twin Diaphragm Omni1 source from its own maker
- DPA 4006A1 source from its own maker
- DPA 40071 source
- DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)2 sources
- DPA 4041-SP1 source from its own maker
- Neumann KM 841 source
- Schoeps MK 41 source
- Sennheiser MKH 201 source
- Sennheiser MKH 800 Twin1 source
ORTFX-YStereo pair
Named, no placement given
- Neumann M 1491 source
- Rode NT551 source
Main pair or array
- DPA 40091 source
Spaced pair
The 13 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close 2 × Schoeps MK 4 or DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)grand, ORTF pair inside the lid
"Two inside, two out. Often in an ORTF configuration inside with small diaphragm condensers. I love Schoeps MK4s." (Todd Whitelock) ... "...and I love DPA 4011s, but the piano will dictate which ones to use based on how bright or dark it sounds." (Todd Whitelock)
1 - Close Sennheiser MKH 800 Twingrand, outside the lid, full stick
Whitelock: the MKH 800 Twin gives "a fader pattern selector of how much rear ambience you want".
1 - Close 2 × DPA 4006Agrand, A/B pair outside, 30 cm apart (matched pair)
An A/B placement with a pair of omnis just outside the piano, 30 cm (12 in) apart, is "a particularly good starting position".
2 - Close 2 × DPA 4041-SPgrand, A/B pair outside (matched pair)
3532-SP Stereo Kit with matched 4041-SP omnis is named alongside the 4006A kit as an excellent choice for solo piano.
2 - Close 2 × DPA 2006 Twin Diaphragm Omnigrand, A/B pair outside, budget (pair)
A good, affordable solution is a stereo pair of 2006 Twin Diaphragm Omnidirectional mics.
2 - Named, no placement given Neumann M 149grand, favourite of Al Schmitt
The Neumann M149 multi-pattern tube mic is "a favourite of Al Schmitt" (SOS, discussed in the main article).
3 - Close 2 × DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)grand, X-Y pair inside the piano (B&K 4011)
Ed Cherney and others chose cardioid 4011s for XY coincident miking inside the piano (paraphrase).
3 - Close 2 × DPA 4007grand, X-Y inside (Jay Newland) (B&K 4007)
Jay Newland (Norah Jones records) selected the 4007s for XY miking inside the piano (paraphrase).
3 - Main pair or array 2 × DPA 4009grand, ambient spaced pair (B&K 4009)
Richard King (Sony classical): a preference for a spaced pair of omnidirectional 4009s for ambient stereo.
3 - Close Neumann KM 84grand, close
The Neumann KM84 "is another recurring favourite", numbering Tony Visconti among its fans.
3 - Named, no placement given Rode NT55grand, test sessions
SOS used six identical NT55s to compare omni and cardioid techniques; the mic itself is not rated.
3 - Close Sennheiser MKH 20 or AKG C414 B-ULSgrand, close to the hammers
"I've used Sennheiser MKH20s close to the hammers in a grand piano on several occasions and not had distortion problems." ... "I've also used AKG C414B-ULS mics (rated at 140dB SPL) without the pad."
4 - Close 2 × Soundfield, coincident cardioid pair (Soundfield coincident cardioid pair)grand, at the tail end, 18 in away, 12 in above
With the lid fully open, the mic about 18 in from the tail end and 12 in above the body gave a well-balanced, neutral sound (small room).
5
On stage
Close
- DPA 2012 Compact Cardioid1 source from its own maker
- DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)1 source from its own maker
X-Y
Clip-on
- DPA 4099 CORE+ Piano Stereo Kit1 source from its own maker
Built-in pickup
- DPA 40601 source from its own maker
Main pair or array
Stereo pair
Named, no placement given
- Shure Beta 91 (earlier version of the Shure Beta 91A)1 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM1091 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM1371 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM1411 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM271 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM321 source from its own maker
- Shure KSM441 source from its own maker
- Shure MX2021 source from its own maker
- Shure PG811 source from its own maker
- Shure SM811 source from its own maker
- Shure SM941 source from its own maker
The 9 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close 2 × DPA 4011 (earlier version of the DPA 4011A)stage or pit piano, A/B, X-Y or ORTF in the arch
4011 Cardioid or 2012 Compact Cardioid mics are useful in stage or orchestra pit scenarios.
2 - Close DPA 2012 Compact Cardioidstage or pit piano
4011 Cardioid or 2012 Compact Cardioid mics are useful in stage or orchestra pit scenarios.
2 - Inside 2 × DPA 4015 / 2015 Wide Cardioidstage piano, inside on the frame at each end
A wide A/B set-up with wide cardioids on magnet mounts inside delivers "an extraordinarily rich and wide stereo image".
2 - Clip-on DPA 4099 CORE+ Piano Stereo Kitstage piano, clip on the frame (DPK4099)
The DPK4099 CORE+, DPK2015 and DPK4011 Piano Stereo Kits are good choices where the piano is part of the overall mix.
2 - Built-in pickup DPA 4060hidden mics, in or near sound holes (upright), or hung over the strings (miniature omni)
Miniature omni mics can sit on magnetic mounts at the sound holes or hang 30-40 cm over the strings (paraphrase).
2 - Close boundary / PZM (surface-mount (boundary) mics under the lid)grand, underside of lid
Surface-mount microphone on the underside of the lid: bright, well-balanced, excellent isolation.
6 - Close mic 12 in above the middle strings, 8 in from the hammers, lid off or at full stickgrand, close
12 inches above middle strings, 8 inches horizontally from hammers: natural, well-balanced; less ambience and leakage.
6 - Main pair or array 2 × just over the open top, above treble and bass stringsupright, over the open top, stereo pair
Upright: just over open top above treble strings is natural but lacks deep bass; mic bass and treble for stereo.
6 - Named, no placement given Shure KSM44 or Shure KSM32 or Shure KSM27 or Shure KSM141 or Shure KSM137 or Shure KSM109 or Shure SM81 or Shure Beta 91 (earlier version of the Shure Beta 91A) or Shure PG81 or Shure SM94 or Shure MX202listed for piano / organ
Listed under "Piano / Organ" in the Shure Microphone Selection Guide (no argument given).
6
Studio and stage
Close
- Beyerdynamic Opus 511 source
The 1 setup behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Beyerdynamic Opus 51grand, on the lid or inside
Boundary mics such as the Opus 51 "are often used in piano-recording applications" for their well-behaved hemispherical patterns.
3
Problems to watch
Pedal noise and squeaks, damper noise in small rooms, mic or lid reflections (phase), a "hole in the middle" with widely spaced close omnis.3,2,5
Sources
- Audiofanzine: Todd Whitelock on Jazz Engineering (Mike Levine, 2016)
- DPA Mic University: How to mic a piano
- Sound On Sound: The SOS Guide To Capturing A Great Acoustic Piano Sound (Mike Senior, 2008)
- Sound On Sound: Q. How loud is a concert grand piano? (Hugh Robjohns, 2025)
- Sound On Sound: Recording Piano & Harpsichord (Paul White, 2005)
- Shure: Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Reinforcement
- Salamander Grand Piano v3 (Alexander Holm; Yamaha C5, two AKG C414 in AB ~12 cm above strings), CC BY 3.0; own FFT analysis
- UNSW: Fletcher and Beebe, Chapter 8 Harpsichord and Clavichord (in The Science of String Instruments)
- Representative noise levels table with orchestra noise guidance (UK Sound Advice material)
- Decibel (Loudness) Comparison Chart, hearingconservation.org
- DPA Mic University, Piano sound fields and miking implications
- IPP repository: Rodrigues et al., Musicians noise exposure in a Portuguese orchestra - a case study
- Wikipedia: Piano (stringing, inharmonicity and stretch tuning, pedals)
- iZotope: EQ Cheat Sheet