Piano Recordings
Recorded and performed by Daniel Tan.
Witold Lutoslawski - Paganini variations for two pianos
The brilliant, witty and partly humorous/parodic duo piano arrangement based on Caprice No.24 for violin. Recorded on the one piano, consideration had to be taken to make sure the performance of the two parts are musically cohesive. The end result did not require volume automation in order for the parts to be balanced.
A spaced small diaphragm microphone pair was used (SE Electronics SE8). They were positioned a little further apart than normal to create a smaller, wider sound so both the pianos can fit in the space. The piano mics were panned opposite each other - hard left/right and right/left so as to not occupy the same area.
Bach: Chaconne (arr. Busoni) - Dolby atmos 2.0
The stunning Busoni arrangement of Bach’s Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor. The piece was recorded using 7 microphones: 1 main stereo pair, 2 room stereo pairs and 1 single low frequency mic.
It was mixed using Dolby' Atmos’s object based audio format. This is the Dolby Atmos 2.0 binaural render - best experienced listened through headphones.
Over the rainbow - piano solo arrangement
This is my solo piano rendition of the popular classic from the “Wizard of Oz”, composed by Harold Arlen.
Two SE Electronics SE8s were used, going into UAD 610-A preamp emulations. I placed the microphones so it was creating an intimate feel, but still capturing the subtle phrases. A UAD EMT Plate reverb was blended in.
Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante - Chopin
One of Chopin's compelling works. It opens with a serene, almost Nocturne-like movement before entering the brilliant Grande Polonaise.
Two microphones were used for this recording. An AKG P420 Cardioid Spaced Pair was placed just behind where I was sitting. I distanced the microphones so that it was capturing a good transients and the sound was able to breathe in the larger sections.
La campanella - Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt's La Campanella (meaning The Little Bell) is the third of six etudes from Grandes etudes de Paganini, which are all based on the compositions of Paganini for violin. The melody comes from the final movement of Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 2 in E minor - where a handbell is used in the recurrence of the Rondo theme.
Four microphones were used for this recording. An AKG P420 spaced cardioid pair was used as the main sound, which was blended in with an SE SE8 ORTF pair which was used to capture the room ambience.
Scarlatti Sonata in G major (k455)
The Yamaha CFX was recorded using six AKG 414s. Two omni spaced pairs were placed in front of the piano to capture the main body of sound. A cardioid pair was placed at the tail end of the piano to add more percussive detail.