Artun has experimented a lot on his own with recording his Steinway and knows exactly the sound he’s going for. I relished the opportunity to experiment with some techniques gleaned from the book Classical Recording – A Practical Guide in the Decca Tradition—such a fantastic resource.

We used a pair of close mics (C414s) over the strings for the direct sound, a spaced omni pair (C414s again) positioned behind the piano about level with the open lid, and an additional tube condenser mic (se 5600a ii), also in omni, in line with the spaced pair but looking down from well above the lid. This was an experiment to try to add a feeling of weight to the center of the image (the other mics being panned to the sides).

We did what we could to damp the small, lively room using blankets and some homemade absorptive panels. I think we were aided by the bungalow’s sloped ceiling and the thick curtains over the broad windows.