piano from “piano man” by billy joel | ToneDB
piano man
billy joel
piano
85% ai confidence
Tone Profile
A bright, clear, and resonant acoustic grand piano sound with a percussive attack and natural room ambiance. Captures the classic early 70s studio piano character.
Signal Chain
Instrument: Yamaha Grand Piano (likely C-series)
Microphone: Neumann U87 / AKG C414 (likely stereo pair)
Processing: Studio Console Preamp, Studio Console EQ (Subtle), Plate Reverb
Other: Recorded at Devonshire Sound Studios, North Hollywood. Standard stereo miking techniques (e.g., spaced pair over hammers/strings).
Recording Notes
- Recorded in 1973.
- Emphasis on capturing the natural acoustic sound of the piano.
- High-quality studio microphones and preamps were used.
- Use of studio reverb (likely EMT plate) added during mixing.
- Minimal compression likely applied during mixing, not tracking.
Recreation Tips
- Use a high-quality sampled Yamaha C7 or similar bright grand piano sound.
- Apply subtle EQ: gentle high-pass filter below 40-60Hz, maybe a slight boost around 3-5kHz for presence if needed.
- Add a quality plate reverb emulation with a decay time of around 1.5-2.5 seconds, mix to taste.
- Ensure velocity sensitivity is set to allow for expressive dynamics.
- Avoid heavy processing; keep the sound relatively natural.
Recommended Gear
- Spectrasonics Keyscape - Yamaha C7(plugin)
- Yamaha C7 Grand Piano(instrument)
- Neumann U87 Ai(microphone)
- AKG C414 XLS(microphone)
- Universal Audio EMT 140 Plate Reverb(plugin)
- Neve 1073 Preamp & EQ (Hardware or Plugin)(preamp)