Instrument
Pipa
Four-string Chinese lute, pear-shaped, with 12 to 31 high frets; held upright (Wikipedia).
- Range
- A2–D6
- Sources
- 3 (3 independent)
Mics sources recommend
3 setups from 3 sources, 3 of them independent of any mic maker. Each mic shows how many sources name it for that role, and how many of those are independent. Listed alphabetically: there is no ranking.
Studio
Close
- Blue Cactus1 independent source
- Neumann U 671 independent source
- Warm Audio WA-47jr1 independent source
The 2 setups behind this: placement and quotes
- Close Blue Cactus or Neumann U 67close/spot, ensemble session
Blue Cactus and Neumann U67 on the pipa.
1 - Close Warm Audio WA-47jrabout 2 ft in front
Warm Audio 47 jr about 2 feet in front; closer gave too much plucking, too little resonance (paraphrase).
2
On stage
Close
- DPA microphones, model not stated1 independent source
The 1 setup behind this: placement and quotes
- Close DPA microphones, model not statedlive, touring ensemble
DPA mics used on all the strings and on gaita, shakuhachi, sheng, pipa and piano (Silk Road Ensemble tour).
3
Range
A2 to about D64,5110 Hz – 1.17 kHz
Atlas Ensemble/VICO guide, assuming 29 frets: from A2 ('an octave and a minor third below middle C') to D6 ('two octaves and a major second above middle C'), almost 3.5 octaves; the extreme top is used little. Strings 3 and 4 are not normally played above fret 16 (a major 10th); strings 1 and 2 up to fret 29. Bends add up to a minor 3rd. (earlier: lowest open string; the top note is not sourced)
Tuning: Open strings A2 D3 E3 A3 (Atlas guide; Wikipedia). Fretted; written at pitch in bass and treble clefs.5
- 5-string pipa: Modern 5-string pipa adds a bass string tuned to E2 (E2 A2 D3 E3 A3) (Wikipedia).4
Where the sound goes
No source on direction. Production Expert: too close gives "too much plucking and not enough resonance".
Recording it
Production Expert used a Warm Audio WA-47jr about 2 ft in front. Mix: Blue Cactus plus a Neumann U 67 in the Forbidden City session. The Silk Road Ensemble toured with DPA mics on pipa (model not named in the article).
About the range
Open strings A2 D3 E3 A3 (Wikipedia). The high frets let the player go well above A3; top note not sourced.
Sources
- Mix: Forbidden City Chamber Orchestra at United Recording (engineer Brian Vibberts)
- Production Expert: How To Record Traditional Chinese Instruments - Expert Tutorial
- Mix: Silk Road Ensemble Hits Road with DPA (engineer Jody Elff)
- Wikipedia: Pipa
- Atlas Ensemble / VICO: Pipa (composer's guide by Moshe Denburg)