What piano did Adele use on Hello?

Adele used a Yamaha C6 grand piano for "Hello," recorded at Sarm Studios in London. The piano was captured with Neumann U87 microphones positioned closely to achieve the intimate sound heard on the record.

How to get Adele's Hello piano tone?

The key elements are a quality grand piano, close condenser microphone placement, Neve preamp coloration, and gentle optical compression. The Neumann U87 mics, Neve 1073 preamps, and LA-2A compressor all contributed to the warm, intimate character.

Who produced Adele's Hello?

"Hello" was produced by Greg Kurstin with Julian Burg as the engineer. The song was recorded at the famous Sarm Studios in London, which contributed to the warm acoustics heard in the piano sound.

What microphones were used on Hello piano?

Neumann U87 condenser microphones were used to capture the piano on "Hello." These mics were positioned closely above the piano strings to capture the intimate detail and warmth that defines the song's piano sound.

piano from "hello" by adele | built with ToneDB

hello

adele

piano

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Tone Profile

The piano tone is warm and intimate, with a touch of vintage character. It provides a solid harmonic foundation with a soft attack and sustained resonance.

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Yamaha C6(instrument)
Neumann U87(microphone)
Neve 1073(preamp)
Teletronix LA-2A(compressor)

The Story

The piano tone on Adele's "Hello" was recorded at Sarm Studios in London, produced by Greg Kurstin with Julian Burg engineering. The signal chain featured a Yamaha C6 grand piano captured with Neumann U87 condenser microphones, run through Neve 1073 preamps and compressed with a Teletronix LA-2A. The intimate, warm sound was achieved through close microphone placement and the natural acoustics of the studio room.

Production Credits

Producer: Greg Kurstin

Engineer: Julian Burg

Recorded at: Sarm Studios, London

Signal Chain

Instrument: Yamaha C6Shop on Reverb

Microphone: Neumann U87Shop on Reverb

Recreation Tips

Use a high-quality condenser microphone like the Neumann U87 positioned a few inches above the piano strings.
Record in a room with good acoustics to capture natural reverb and warmth.
Apply gentle compression using a Teletronix LA-2A or similar compressor to add sustain and even out the dynamics.
Consider using a Neve 1073 preamp for added warmth and color.