Micing my Upright Piano...Good Mic recommendations?

Hello, I am new here and wanted some good advice for a MIcrophone to hook up my upright Piano. I am in a recording school right now but wont be in the good classes for atleast a few more months. I want so start laying down tracks NOW!!! So I know I probably want a condensor Mic. A good one that will get a good full recording. My budget for a Mic is around $400. I will eventually be getting PRO-Tools but what else is needed to hook it up to the comp. A/D converter?....interface or something? I aplogize for my ignorance and Im sure these questions are already asnwred in this forum. BUt I am really excited to get my studio operational. Thanx alot.
-ORizon

 

If you're getting Pro Tools your interface is your AD converter. As far as micing an upright piano, What has worked for me in the past is to raise the lid and use 2 small diaphragm condenser mics in XY. In your budget you might want to check into the Studio Projects C4 matched pair (about $300) or the Rode NT5 matched pair (about $400)

 

i would recomend the c4 before the nt5. might i also sujest something like the cubase sytem4. you will no doubt learn pro tools in school, it might be better to see what else is out there as well. who knows you just might fall in love with one of the cheapest professional DAWs out there.

 

You might want to check with the folks in the Acoustic Music category of these forums. There are some real experts on recording piano.

 

try putting your mics over the shoulder of the player pointing towards the piano. its a bad idea imho to try to mic the soundboard..
experiment, have fun