piano from “perfect” by ed sheeran | ToneDB

perfect

ed sheeran

piano

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A warm, resonant, and intimate grand piano sound, providing the main harmonic structure with a classic, slightly soft character.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Yamaha Grand Piano (likely a C-series, e.g., C7)

Amp: Acoustic Recording

Microphone: Neumann U87 (pair)

Processing: Subtle Compression (e.g., LA-2A style), Studio Reverb (Plate or Hall), Light EQ (gentle low cut, possible slight high boost for clarity)

Other: Close-miking technique (likely spaced pair over hammers/strings or ORTF), recorded in a well-treated studio room.

Recording Notes

  • Recorded in a professional studio environment (likely Sticky Studios or Abbey Road).
  • Focus on capturing the natural resonance and warmth of the grand piano.
  • Minimal processing applied during tracking, likely more refinement during mixing.
  • Played with expressive dynamics, crucial to the song's feel.

Recreation Tips

  • Use a high-quality sampled grand piano VST (Yamaha C7 samples are ideal).
  • Apply subtle compression to even out dynamics slightly without losing expressiveness.
  • Add a high-quality reverb (plate or medium hall) to create space, keeping it relatively clean.
  • Adjust velocity sensitivity to allow for expressive playing.
  • Use the sustain pedal effectively to emulate real piano resonance.