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Actually, I have many good piano recordings. The more difficult problem...

in my experience is playing them back through speakers so that they sound realistic. To be sure, as many have pointed out, a piano produces an extremely wide range of dynamics and a broad frequency response, perhaps broader than any other instrument except for the organ. Excellent transient response is required to reveal it is a percusion instrument. So there is a real challenge for microphones and their placement and down-stream electronics used in the recording process.

However, all of the above is well within modern technology. But the challenge presented to speakers in realistically reproducing piano music is enormous. As with all instruments, the fundamental of a note does not not define the character of the instrument very well; it is the harmonics. Getting those harmonics correct in realtive loudness is crucial if an instrument is to sound real or at least convincingly like the real thing. A glance at the frequency rersponse curves of most speakers shows that they look something like the outline of a mountain range. Where various harmonics fall in that succession of ups and downs can significantly alter the character of instrument's sound as reproduced by a speaker. Pianos, with their incredibly rich and complex harmonic pattern for each string interacting with the rest of the instruement, can challenge the speaker as no other instrument can do so fully.

In my experience, speakers with extremely smooth frequency response do much better in reproducing piano. They all need broad, flat frequency response to handle transients (high frequency response) and the low bass that can give a piano such authority. So, in my opinion, reproducing a piano well can be more of a challenge for the speakers than actually making the recording itself. Robertc88 expresses similar views elsewhere in this thread.

I always include piano recordings when I audition speakers because of what I wrote above. I also include other solo instruments with complex overtone structures, such as the cello. The advantage of the cello is that it easier to record and I have an excellent ides what it should sound like, but it doesn't test the full frequency and dynamic range that the piano does.

Finally, a query: Could people list some of their recordings that they feel reproduce the piano the best?

Joe


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