How can I make a piano recording?

Question

I'm writing a song for a school project, and I need to record it to make a CD. My song has a piano part, but when I try to record it on my grand piano with a CAD u37 mic on Garageband/Audacity, there is a buzzing noise in the background. How can I record or create the piano part? I don't have an electronic keyboard to hook up to my computer, and I only have two weeks to finish the project.

Answer 1

How do you have the microphone connected?  Do other microphones similarly connected have the same symptom?  Try substituting a high-quality dynamic microphone, which doesn't use active electronics, connected to the sound card's microphone input; an XLR to phone plug matching transformer probably should be used.

Answer 2

If you have an actual Grand Piano...try placing the mic under the "hood" of the piano while it is propped up using a boom mic stand, placed in the middle of the string positions.

Using an iPhone to record anything is a waste of time, even if using a microphone. Audacity is a bit better.

You may be hearing ambient room noise with the buzzing.

If you are using Windows on your computer, you can also try adjusting the sound levels using the audio devices levels for recording. It's possible you have the recording level set too high and are creating the buzz by overloading the levels.

Mics can be very sensitive to room noises.

I always try to record direct from an amp or the keyboard output to reduce any outside noise and get better sound quality. But since you are playing an actual piano, a mic will have to serve.

Answer 3

Try moving the microphone relative to the computer and power supply, while recording silence. See if position affects the noise.



Try with and without external power, if using a laptop.



It could just be that the microphone is faulty - though the u37 does get excellent reviews..





Can you try it direct to a phone or tablet, using a USB on-the-go adapter?

(Or the Apple "camera connection kit" for an iphone / ipad - that does the same thing, providing a standard USB socket).





Failing that, look around secondhand shops - they often have old Casio or Yamaha keyboards in at silly low prices. As long as it's one that has MIDI, you can use a USB interface to connect it to your computer..



All you need is one this style, they usually go for 5.00 or less from most sellers

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-USB-to-Midi-Interface-Piano-Music-Keyboard-Cable-Adapter-Converter-for-PC-/141536593875