Joan,

With other PG forumites that have used their H2 devices for band practices and whatnot, they haven't had to put the device right up to the source.

Think of it as a room microphone. Do you have a coffee table or something in the center of the room your piano is in? If so, try putting it there and recording.

The whole premise of the H2's ability to record 'surround' is that it's designed to be a mic to pick up the room effects with it's multiple microphones (more than just 2; what is it - 4 mics?). The H4 and H4n is more of a design that can handle direct micing a source, as you can plug in external mics and play around with the placement of them nearby your source.