piano from “all blues” by miles davis | ToneDB
all blues
miles davis
piano
85% ai confidence
Tone Profile
A warm, resonant, and slightly dark acoustic grand piano sound characteristic of late 1950s jazz recordings, captured within a large, natural-sounding room.
Signal Chain
Instrument: Steinway Model B Grand Piano
Microphone: Neumann U 47
Processing: Console Preamp (Columbia 30th St Custom), Subtle EQ, Plate Reverb (Mix)
Other: Recorded in Columbia 30th Street Studio, known for its large, reverberant space. Mic placement likely aimed to capture both direct sound and room ambiance.
Recording Notes
- Performed by Bill Evans.
- Recorded in 1959 at Columbia 30th Street Studio, NYC.
- The studio's natural acoustics are a key component of the sound.
- Likely recorded to an Ampex 3-track tape machine.
- Minimal processing during tracking; EQ and reverb likely added during mixdown.
- Bill Evans's specific touch, dynamics, and voicings are integral to the sound.
Recreation Tips
- Use a high-quality sampled or modeled Steinway B grand piano.
- Employ a realistic room or hall reverb; convolution reverb with a large studio impulse response is ideal.
- Apply subtle EQ: consider a slight cut in upper mids (2-4kHz) and a gentle low-mid boost for warmth.
- Introduce subtle tape saturation or tube preamp emulation for vintage warmth.
- Focus on replicating Bill Evans's characteristic voicings, light touch, and dynamic range.
Recommended Gear
- Steinway Model B Grand Piano (Sample Library e.g., Keyscape, Native Instruments Noire, Pianoteq Steinway B)(instrument/plugin)
- Neumann U 47 (or emulation)(mic/plugin)
- EMT 140 Plate Reverb (or emulation)(reverb/plugin)
- Vintage Console Preamp Emulation(preamp/plugin)
- Tape Saturation Plugin(plugin)