Recording an Upright Piano

At your risk.

See also previous post on increasing the distance between soundboard and back wall.

For the time being the upright Pleyel model 9 piano (made in approximately 1921) was very carefully (see previous post on avoiding health or other injury) was separated from back wall at least one more foot from a usual position in a house and placed in a non parallel position.

This has already created some openness to the sound.

The piano was tried in a recording by having the front wooden panel removed which again should create standing waves. This had a very good effect on recording by direct comparison with recording with the piano closed. By comparing the playback the sound was more real, more open, more loud, more easy, less fatiguing. 

The front lower wooden panel could also be tried to be removed while recording.

Recording took place by having just one Shure Unidyne B (made in Mexico) at about 60in distance, a bit higher from the piano, at about 30 to 40 degrees in reference to piano line, on the right hand side of the piano. The microphone was connected to the right channel only on the SONY TC-D5M.