Service · Berlin
Piano Recording in Berlin
A Yamaha G5 grand kept in regular 440 Hz tuning and voicing, plus a Seiler upright for character work — piano sessions for classical recital, jazz trio, songwriting and contemporary release.
The instruments
A Grand and an Upright, Both Ready to Record
The main room is built around a Yamaha G5 grand piano — kept in regular tuning and voicing, set up in the main room rather than a piano booth so it can breathe with whatever else is in the room. The Seiler upright is also in the main room and is ideal for songwriter sessions, ballad parts and contemporary textures.
How we record it
Mics that Match the Music
We do not have a single go-to mic setup for all scenarios. Depending on the genre, we might use anywhere from one to seven microphones. Depending on the music and track to be recorded — solo classical, jazz trio, rock rhythm tracks, singer-songwriter — we choose the right mic configuration for the music. A Decca pair or three mics across the bend, a close ORTF pair inside the lid for jazz, a single dynamic mic pointed through the frame hole, and an outside ambient pair when the room is part of the sound.
- Matched pairs of large- and small-diaphragm condensers.
- Ribbon options for warmer jazz and contemporary recordings.
- Regular 440 Hz tuning and voicing — tuner on call for longer projects.
- Felt, soft pedal and prepared-piano options on request.
Who it's for
Piano Sessions Across Genres
The piano is one of the busiest instruments at Hot Milk — most weeks it appears in at least one session.
- Solo classical and contemporary recital recordings.
- Jazz trio and quartet sessions with piano at the centre.
- Singer-songwriter sessions tracking vocal and piano live.
- Piano overdubs for productions tracked elsewhere.
- Sample and library recording at multiple dynamics.
Hot Milk has it all — beautiful rooms, great sounds, amazing ears and a great relaxed vibe. Always a pleasure to record with Rob. He's a fantastic drummer to boot!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the piano tuned regularly?
Yes — regular tuning is part of the studio's running cost. For longer projects we book the tuner partway through the session so the piano stays consistent across days.
Can I record piano and vocal live at the same time?
Yes — singer-songwriter sessions are a normal booking. The vocal goes into the isolation booth with a window onto the piano, or we keep both in the room with a close vocal mic and rely on careful placement.
Do you record piano for sample libraries?
Yes — multi-velocity sample sessions with multiple mic perspectives are part of the regular calendar. Tell us the format and we'll plan the session around it.
Can you provide a pianist for the session?
Yes — we work with a small circle of trusted players across classical, jazz and pop. Tell us the brief and we'll suggest the right name.
Let's plan a session together.
Tell us about the music, the players and the sound you'd like to hear back. We'll come back with a plan.
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