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Hi

I recently came across a pianist named Francois Chaplin, and was immensely impressed not only by his tender virtuosity at the piano, but also by the quality of his recordings. I'm looking for a consensus opinion regarding the piano recording environment.

My opinion is to say this was recorded not from a listeners but rather a audience perspective? Reverb type possibly chamber or small concert hall? Reverb depth note sure. The stereo output is magnificent, but not sure what other effect is being applied ?

I'm soon to record a solo piano album, genre "ambient soundtracks" using the CFX Concert Grand from Abbey Road Studios, and would like to replicate the same revebial sound environment on this recording.

Comments welcome.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/tsiaxxjx8xmt85u/Chopin%20-%20Nocturne%20No%201.mp3?dl=0

Close mic'ed, flat frequency response stereo pair, add a bit of reverb, and I think a slightly brighter instrument give the best results.

Dead space recording studio.(has not been quantified yet)Did that make sense


Recording is an art as much of a science!

Unless it is a live recording, what are you really listening to?

Pianosirldstage
Just my own opinion of course, but I thought the sound was muddy with too much reverb for my taste.

I agree with dogperson. There was far too much reverb, making it sound as if the piano had been recorded in a vast, empty, echoing space, devoid of any sense of intimacy. Hardly appropriate for a Chopin Nocturne, in my opinion.

Regards,

I think the recording is fine, but there's nothing spectacular about it. My Zoom Q3HD can do the same job, and it's almost 10 years old. The reverb does not bother me.

I don't like the piano's sound.

I dont find the recording particularly good. The reverb is ok some times but when the dynamic increases it gets painfull to listen. I dont like much the interpretation btw. I find it too slow, especially at the beginning (it really gets overly romantic), often mannered, with too strong emphasis on certain notes. The pianist is very skilled though.

+ 1

Maybe you should just leave it to the professionals at the Abbey Road.

Mmm, interesting, everyone to there own personal preference I'm sure. However would some agree the piano was recorded not from a listeners but rather an audience perspective?

How does one create the effect of a wide stereo image from a player's perspective when dealing with a solo piano recording? I've not received it yet, but wondering if the CFX concert grand could apply the same effect?

I thought the playing, piano, and recording were wonderful. Mr. Chaplin is a concert pianist, and it appears that the dropbox file was taken from a professional recording released in 2010. The Fanfare review says that Mr. Chaplin was recorded in a Paris church playing a Yamaha. http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=439068#review

I could have guessed. Such antiseptic sound.

What's the difference between a listener's perspective and an audience perspective? Isn't a listener an audience member? Aren't audience members listeners? What am I missing?

Regards,

Here is the link to the YT video. The quality is much better. The reverb is still present much there is much less ringing and the sound is more natural with more harmonics.

https://youtu.be/a7wjS7qbqJU