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Piano
You can achieve outstanding results using the Q2U on acoustic piano. Several placement
approaches can be used depending on the size of the piano, and the type of sound you are
looking to record. When miking a Grand Piano, (for an ambient sound like that used in a
classical recital), a Q2U can be positioned directly in front of the instrument. Open the lid to
the full position and place the microphone five to twenty feet in front of the instrument. For
a more contemporary ensemble sound, place two Q2Us in the piano, positioning one over
the low strings and the other over the high strings.
Overhead Drum Kit
Because of its extended high frequency response and fast transient response, the Q2U
performs outstandingly when used as an overhead cymbal microphone. You can position
one Q2U on a boom mic stand directly above the kit pointing from front to back. For stereo
miking, use two Q2U’s placed over the drum set at a distance of three to five feet. You can
experiment with the exact placement depending on the size of the room and whether
you’re looking for an ambient or close-miked sound. In general, when miking a drum kit, it’s
a good idea to start with the overhead mics. Even though you use the overhead mics mostly
for the cymbals, you can get the entire kit to sound great with just one overhead. Then it will
be easier to just bring up your individual mics for more attack and thickness in the overall
sound.
Application Notes
