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James Boyk
 
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Default Small vs. large diaphragm condenser mikes for recording grandpiano at home

LeBaron & Alrich wrote: Understand that with a Mackie 1202 preamping
one will be restricted to ribbons like the active Royers, because gain
enough for others there is not.


Goodness! If they can't handle say Coles 4038, they can't handle studio
dynamics---and THAT would surprise me. (On the other hand, I've been
surprised many times in my life.)


Part of my point in calling attention to ribbons is that everyone is so
used to hearing condenser recordings that many people in the biz have
"normalized" on that sound as being the sound of music, which it's very
much not. I've seen time after time that professional musicians have
been astonished the first time they're recorded with ribbons---from my
friend the clarinetest to my friend to soprano to the Chicago Symphony
Winds, whom I helped Sheffield record. "Finally," they say, "a sound I
can relate to!"


Taking this a bit further, it's my guess that typical recorded
sound---condenser mikes, s-s preamps, CD-std. digital; sound without
'core'; sound that's thin and rather harsh---has become so very much the
"norm" that even a manufacturer like Steinway is now somewhat shaping
the sound of its pianos to the sound people expect from their
experience, not with pianos, but with recordings of pianos.


James Boyk