This C. Bechstein upright piano was built in Berlin Kreuzberg in the early 20th century. Its distinctive vintage character, owing to its generous proportion of resonating wood, was captured with a multi-microphone setup at Vienna Synchron Stage's Stage B.
The upright’s very smooth action allows the finest gradations from pianissimo to fortissimo. In the main playing range its sound is more reminiscent of a small concert grand than of an upright piano. With its clear and accurate tonal development it conveys the intimate atmosphere of a small concert hall. The instrument’s mid range is very pronounced and focused, while its ageless character clearly asserts itself in all registers.
The instrument was recorded using 8 microphone positions. The Standard Library includes 4 of these sections, allowing you to integrate instruments recorded with a stereo Decca tree into your projects using our new Synchron Player software. Adding the Extended Library and thus getting the Full Library expands your possibilities to 5.1 surround and Auro 3D 9.1.
Condenser - Close 1 (Neumann KM184 Sphere, X/Y):
XY setup with a pair of Neumann KM184 spheres aiming at the perfect representation of the player’s listening position.
Sphere - Mid 2 (KFM 6 Sphere):
The KFM 6 Sphere setup aims at the perfect representation of the entire dynamic range of an ideally balanced piano.
Main/Room Mic (L/R) & (Center):
Decca Tree array (L-C-R) with three DPA 4006 mics. Used in a stereo mix, you can easily hear where the piano is placed. In a surround setup, the Decca tree microphones will be the feed for your front L-R speakers.
Even if you're not using a surround setup, you get more ambiance variation and spatial depth out of the Full Library by adding the room microphones' signals to your stereo mix.
Ribbon - Close 2 (Royer SF24 Blumlein):
“Blumlein” setup of a Royer SF24 for a fast, direct and vintage sound.
Condenser - Close 3 (Neumann U87 Ai Cardioids):
“Quasi AB” setup of a Neumann U87 Ai with cardioids.
Condenser - Mid 1 (Sennheiser MKH 40):
“ORTF” setup with Sennheiser MKH40 behind the piano for a warm and dark timbre.
Main Surround – Stereo (L/R):
Wide A-B stereo setup with two Sennheiser MKH 800 microphones. In a surround setup, these signals would be used for your rear speakers.
The instrument Presets also include different mixer presets. By default, the classic room mixes are loaded which include the Standard Library microphone positions. These are balanced in the stereo field to represent the respective instrument's position in the Synchron Stage set-up.
Brought to Stuttgart by pianoforte maker and dealer B. Klinkerfuss, Württemberg’s sole representative for C. Bechstein and J. Blüthner, the instrument has always been in residence with families in the Stuttgart area. It was played by pianist and film composer Mick Baumeister, co-creator of the Hornberg breath controller, at different stages of his life. The upright was owned by Martin Friz who taught a young Mick improvisation on this instrument. Decades later, Mick purchased the piano from German actor Holger Daemgen’s family, and – as he puts it – it never ceases to inspire him and to find “the truth”.
- C. Bechstein upright piano built in 1904
- Vintage character
- Recorded at Stage B of Vienna Synchron Stage
- Eight microphone positions for a multitude of timbral variations
- Advanced release sample technology
- Pre-configured main presets, signature and FX presets
To capture the German Upright 1904 with all its subtleties, our engineers developed a highly precise motion-control system based on a solenoid that controls a noise-free "robot finger". The micro-controller moves the finger with super-human precision, providing flexible curvatures for down-strokes and release movements, the latter corresponding with the preceding note length and various release speeds.
In addition to the multitude of options from mixing various microphone signals, the German Upright 1904 comes with the free Vienna Synchron Pianos Software that offers multiple options for shaping your sound and your playing experience. Hosting a high-performance playback engine, the software provides a full-blown mixer with a broad range of effects such as EQ, compressor, saturator, algorithmic reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, rotary, and many more. Change the volume of body resonances, sympathetic strings and pedal noises right in the main Play window. In the Edit window you may even adjust EQ, volume, tuning, dynamic range, etc. for each individual key!
In the browser window of the Synchron Pianos player you may select from three general preset categories
The classic sound of a Decca tree stereo recording features a more slender sound with less diffusion compared to the "Room Mix" Presets.
These presets include all available room microphones with various runtime delays, creating more diversity in the perception of room depth.
Designed to send the microphone signals to your available surround channels.
Our specially designed FX Presets offer you an easy way to achieve more drastic changes.
The Synchron Pianos player interface offers instant and direct access to seven pre-configured character presets.
Preset Comparison
Concert:
Character: Most flexible stereo preset of the German Upright 1904.
Perspective: Conductor, centered.
Recommendation: Ideal placement in your orchestra, compatible with all Synchron Series products. The featured Sphere microphone adds brilliance to the attack.Intimate:
Character: Dark, warm, and close sound, supported by the Ribbon close microphone and a gentle touch of the room. Added plate reverb to enrich the sound.
Perspective: Player, centered
Recommendation: For ballads and intimate settings.Player:
Character: Immediate response with full stereo width of the keyboard, captured by the second condenser microphone. Enjoy the natural response of Vienna Synchron Stage's Stage B, with added Room Reverb.
Perspective: Player, centered
Recommendation: Ideal recording preset for pianists. The perfect imitation of the player's position, with more sonic accuracy than the intimate preset.Pop:
Character: Powerful and assertive, with added compression in the close microphones. Increased MIDI Sensitivity. Room Reverb with a short reverb. Decca Main microphones are delayed to create a short slap-back sound.
Perspective: Player, centered
Recommendation: For live performances and in a band context.Ambience:
Character: A spacious sound with a lot of room reverb to add to the spacious impression.
Perspective: Conductor, piano centered.
Recommendation: For film scores, elated piano melodies and an impressive piano sound in the background.Vintage:
Character: Narrowed stereo image with a phasing effect and a delayed Plate Reverb, with a cabinet speaker and compressor on some microphones.
Perspective: Conductor, centered.
Recommendation: Great for intimate accompaniment and a "personal" sound.