piano from “blue in green” by miles davis | ToneDB

blue in green

miles davis

piano

85% ai confidence

Tone Profile

A melancholic, intimate, and slightly dark acoustic piano sound characteristic of late 50s jazz recordings, emphasizing harmonic richness and sensitive dynamics.

Signal Chain

Instrument: Steinway Grand Piano (likely Model B)

Microphone: Neumann U 47 (likely)

Processing: Columbia 30th Street Studio custom console preamp, Ampex 300 Tape Machine, Natural Room Reverb (Columbia 30th Street Studio)

Other: Recorded at Columbia 30th Street Studio. Mic placement likely captured a blend of direct sound and room ambience.

Recording Notes

  • Performed by Bill Evans.
  • Recorded March 2, 1959, at Columbia 30th Street Studio, NYC.
  • The large, natural reverb of the studio (a former church) is a key component of the sound.
  • Recorded to an Ampex 3-track tape machine, contributing subtle saturation and compression.
  • Minimal processing was likely used during tracking and mixing, focusing on capturing the natural instrument and space.

Recreation Tips

  • Use a high-quality sampled Steinway grand piano.
  • Employ convolution reverb with a large hall or church impulse response.
  • Add subtle tape saturation emulation.
  • Use light compression to mimic tape characteristics.
  • Focus on expressive playing with nuanced dynamics and pedaling.
  • Consider a slight high-frequency roll-off for warmth.