Piano EQ settings

[supermingwoe]

Hi all,

I am preparing my Nord Stage 2EX for live usage and need some Piano EQ advice.
As I have read and we all know the Bright and the Silver Grand cuts the best trough the mix for (pop) Rock piano.
So I am curious what kind of EQ setting you all using for piano using live .
How much Treble , MID or Bass you use ? What about compressor, reverb, Piano volume level and Main level.

I use:
Bright Grand for Rock songs
Silver Grand for Pop Rock songs

I am not sure If I am doing right. I am afraid my piano will not cut through the mix. My setting are average on every piano.
Main Level at : 65%
Piano level at max : 0.0 dB
Treble: +12 dB
Mid: + 9 dB
Bass: + 3.1dB
Compressor amount: 2.0
Reverb Stage 2 dry/wet: 4.0

We mostly play in pubs and bars on a Behringer XR-18 without soundman . Only on big gigs we hire or on festival there is a set soundman.
I understand every song it will be a bit difference, but I am curious what you all do and what is the common average .

[Mr. Marko]

I use NO EQ on acoustic pianos...Nord Stage (Master at 1 O'Clock) - Stereo Out > Radio Pro KeyLargo Mixer > Stereo Out to House + Stereo Stage Monitors - Pair of QSC 8.2 ...pretty loud stage situation.

This combination works for me...I turn up for featured parts and back down just like the guitar guys - the main thing for me is having enough headroom for the SPL on stage, hope this info helps.

[supermingwoe]

Hi Mr. Marko,
yes, any advice will help. I simply dont know what the best is for live situations.

When i play on headphone, my setting are bit different.
Treble: +6 dB
Mid: + 3 dB
Bass: + 3.1dB

[spradders]

Hi, when I first started gigging with my Stage 2 I was gutted.... the piano sounded dead and just didn't cut through. After some tweaking and help from this forum I settled on a sound which cuts through brilliantly and has loads of presence. It isn't the most beautiful or nuanced, but it's perfect for band gigs (imho). Note that it sounds completely different through headphones / at home .... that was my problem, I'd created a lovely sound for headphones but it didn't have the bite needed for gigs.
This is what I use now:

Studio Grand 2, Large
Treble: +4.5db
Mid Freq: 1.8kHz
Mid Level: +1.7dB
Bass: +8 <-- actually I've since rolled this off, not sure what it is now, but not quite as heavy
Reverb: dry/wet 4.0
Compressor: 0.6

[supermingwoe]

Hi spradders,
thank you for sharing you settings

I play gigs with and without soundengineers.
Will one EQ setting works on both situation ? Or should i make two different programs of each situation ?

[Berretje]

Will one EQ setting works on both situation ? Or should i make two different programs of each situation ?

Even with live gigs only, each gig (at least for me) can be different how the piano sounds in that specific room.
But if you make it sound how you would like it to sound, this should be good

[cphollis]

I know you don't have this, but I use the "bright" EQ button on the NS3. It does a great job, especially when coupled with good amplification. I could call it the "HEAR ME NOW!" button. Put it on your list of reasons to upgrade someday.

Prior to that, I definitely boosted the treble EQ +6-10 db on the NS2 but didn't touch the middle EQ. The other trick is to do a light layer with DX tines, or maybe toy piano -- something that has a sharp, pingy attack.

[afroskully]

I've tinkered with a bunch of EQ settings with each piano I use over the years, and for me each piano benefits from different settings. But mostly with the mids. I'm playing stereo through QSC K8.2s, and for me each piano benefits from rolling off the bass and a slight boost of treble. As for the mids, some pianos (like the white and velvet): boost of mids around 6k, and some uprights (black petrof): small cut of mids around 250-300.

I'm curious to hear if anyone else is using K8s in stereo, what eq settings they use.

[JohnT]

I'm playing stereo through QSC K8.2s, and for me each piano benefits from rolling off the bass and a slight boost of treble.

Same here. I also have a pair of QSC K10.2s as well as the 8.2s, both need rolling off the bass and a boost of the highs for my ears.
As you said Mids depend on the piano.

[FZiegler]

In band context, I mostly use Nord piano sounds with the NS3C "bright" filter. No EQs on the instrument or the QSC K8.2s yet. Might change with my velocity converter as it seems to have made the sound appear darker. What makes me think that sound shaping of a piano sample also has to do with compression settings.