Such conventional methods include placing a microphone inside the piano on a pillow, or mounting microphones on mic booms and extending them into the piano. Other approaches involve pressure-zone microphones mounted inside the piano, various types of electromechanical pickups in addition to mounting conventional microphones inside the piano with clamps on the piano frame or suction cups stuck to the piano lid. Not only are these mounting methods less than ideal, there are far more important issues affecting the sound. Contact pickup devices or other types of electromechanical pickup methods typically sound muddy and have no real detail or transparency in the sound. When miking pianos for sound reinforcement systems, cardioid microphones are typically chosen in an effort to provide ample gain before feedback. However, the proximity effect of cardioid microphones will create an undesired low-frequency boost. When using conventional microphones there is always the problem with gain before feedback in addition to leakage from other instruments into the piano microphones.

PM40T - The Ultimate Solution in Miking Pianos for Live Performance and Touring
The original PM40 PianoMic™ System was designed for fixed installations in churches, recording studios and performing arts centers. The many benefits of the PM40 were quickly realized by musicians performing in concert venues and touring sound companies. The original PM40 was not collapsible and comes in a carrying case that is too long for an authorized airline carry-on. To provide a better solution for touring professionals, Earthworks engineers designed the PM40T (touring model) that is collapsible and fits in a smaller case that is ideal for airline carry-on.

Incredible Gain Before Feedback

The large amount of gain before feedback is achieved because the microphones are placed very close to the sound source and are within the sound field of the piano. When we first tested the PianoMic System in a church sound reinforcement system, we were able to make a piano sound louder than a loud pipe organ, and there was a great deal more gain available before reaching feedback. These tests also showed that feeding the piano sound into choir monitor speakers would produce far more sound level than the choir members could stand without being anywhere near a level that would cause acoustic feedback.

Virtually No Leakage of Sounds from Outside the Piano

One might ask, “How can you use omni microphones and have essentially no leakage of sounds from outside the piano?” There are two important elements in the answer: (1) the microphones are placed inside the piano shell and are somewhat isolated from sounds outside the piano; (2) microphones are placed 3 to 6 inches above the piano strings, making the sound level of the piano picked up by the microphones the piano. Therefore any outside leakage picked up in the piano mics is dramatically lower in level than the sound of the piano itself.

The New Earthworks Approach
The PM40T and the original PM40 have been an instant success in churches, recording studios and for live performances. Touring musicians, recording studios and churches are able to get a piano sound that is far better than ever before, with an incredible amount of gain before feedback. The PianoMic™ microphones are not visible from outside the piano and there is virtually no leakage of other instruments into the piano microphones. Live sound and recording engineers were astounded – they could now record acoustic piano in the same room simultaneously with other instruments. They all said that the PianoMic™ System is incredible, hands down! When miking pianos in churches, live performance, performing arts centers or recording studios, you will be amazed when you hear the new Earthworks High Definition PianoMic™ System in action.

Quick, Simple and Easy to Set Up

The PianoMic System works differently from any other microphone approach used on piano in that it uses an adjustable telescoping tube that is supported by the sides of the piano case. The telescoping tube can be adjusted to any length from 46 to 64 inches to easily accommodate any type of grand piano. The support arms that sit on the side of the piano case are smooth with a protective coating that will not harm the finish of the piano. They are less than 1/8 inch thick, so the piano lid can be easily closed on top of them with absolutely no danger of stressing the piano lid hinge.phenomenally louder than sounds coming from outside The telescoping tube spans across the piano over the strings and can be moved so the two microphones can be placed close to the hammers (see Figure 1-A) or further away from the hammers (see Figure 1-B). The telescoping tube can be placed on the piano with the microphones facing the keyboard or with the microphones facing away from the keyboard (as illustrated in Figures 1-A and 1-B). This flexibility allows a wide range of microphone placement options using the PianoMicSystem. As various makes and models of pianos differ in their size and construction, the highly adaptable PianoMic™System will provide you with optimum results on any grand piano. The center section of the tube can be moved as much as eight inches to the left or the right if you desire to favor either the low or high strings of the piano (see Figures 2-A and 2-B). In addition, the flex arms allow the microphone heads to move approximately four inches to the left or right (see Figure 3-A) as well as up or down (closer or further from the strings, see Figure 3-B). This illustrates the versatility of the PianoMicSystem and the ease with which it can be adjusted.

The innovative PianoMicSystem incorporates all of the Earthworks High Definition Microphoneproprietary technologies and some new ones. The PianoMic System provides extended frequency response from 9 Hz to 40kHz, incredible impulse response, very short diaphragm settling time, near perfect polar response, is time coherent, has high SPL handling, low distortion electronics and is optimized for random incidence pickup. The PianoMic System is a dream come true for live sound and recording applications. Call us and request a demonstration so you can hear this incredible new piano microphone system for yourself. You will be impressed!

Features

• Incredible High Definition Audio that will outperform any microphones at any price
• Cannot be seen from outside of the piano (needs no stands or mic booms)
• Superb sound with piano lid either up or down
• Virtually no leakage from sounds outside the piano
• Incredible gain before feedback
• Recording studios can now record piano with other instruments in the same room
• Quick, Simple and Easy Setup

Specifications

Frequency Response: Polar Pattern: Sensitivity: Power requirements: Peak Acoustic Output: Output: Min. Output Load: Noise: Mic Gooseneck Length: Rod Length Assembled: Rod Length Separated: Carrying Case : Product Weight: Shipping Dimensions: Shipping Weight:

9Hz - 40kHz Omnidirectional (random incidence) 15mV/Pa (-36 dBV/Pa) 48V Phantom, 10mA 148 dB SPL XLR-3 (pin 2+) 600 ohms (pins 2 & 3) 22dBA 4.875” (12cm) 64”(160cm) fully extended 46”(115cm) fully collapsed 23”(58.4cm) fully collapsed 24.5”x12.5”x4” (619x317x100 cm) 6 lbs. (2.7 kg) 26”x18”x8” (66x46x20 cm) 13 lbs. (6 kg)