A flat 4 buzzing on upright piano

[kenrob2037]

Hi All,

I have tried everything to fix a buzzing string on my upright paino, nothing works. In this video, you can clearly hear the strong buzzing. https://youtube.com/shorts/wBfhpMiQK-k?feature=share

I have cheked, cleaned, and tuned the whole piano. Almsot every note is good, except for A flat 4. I've checked the pins, then bridge, soundboard, and well, everything. No matter how far I detune it and bring it back to tune that buzzing remains.

Any thoughtS on why it is doing this?

Best,

Rob

[themaximillyan]

Hi, Rob.

I don't hears  that (A) flat has strong buzzing there. May be your record of the sound (A)  is bad given it's there. Me hearing that (A) flat has more dull sounding than other sounds there. I think that it may be cause in the hammer (A) flat has hard felt side ' the felt head' there.
Test it.

regards, Max

[kenrob2037]

Hi Max,

I know the video is not the best. But there was a strong buzzing sound. A piano tuner came around and fixed it in 30 seconds. He said it was just not in unison. I tried 30 times, and thought I had it in unison, my meter said it was perfect, but clearly not. He made slight adjustments with the wrench, and it was fixed. I tried to do the same thing on other non unison string and had no luck, I just made it worse. Clearly, it takes some time to be able to do what he did.

Tuning is clearly an art form and I can’t grasp that form yet. Tuning is much more than a mechanical process.

Thanks for the response.

Best,

Rob

[themaximillyan]

HI, Rob

I understood you. Yes, indeed this sound (A) flat  has a “certain spill” of non-unison. I hope this can be fixed now. So I can advise there:
1 If you have the Hammer tuning, then you need to install the handle from (9-12) to left there.

2 Use a plectrum ( the pinch). Make it from plastic or a guitar plectrum out . Cut the hole in the center to thread a cord here to hang this around your neck (for ease of use).
3 Pluck one of the strings here firmly with the plectrum. You need to make sure that the standard (A) flat matches the reading on your digital tuner here. If at least one of the three strings has the desired tone there, then DO NOT touch it at all there. Next, set for you HOW the 2 adjacent strings sound when you pluck the plectrum there. If they sounds are clearly lowering, then you need to raise them higher by rotating the pin there.
4 Work with the pin there. Install the hammer head socket onto the pin there. Make sure there is no big  between the edges of the tuning hammer socket and the pin. Set the hammer handle so that it is closer to 12 o'clock. You need to rotate the peg slowly, progressively only clockwise upward, using the pressure of your left hand only there. You cannot pull the peg to the right or left, tilt it towards yourself or press it into the  iron plate. The movement of the your palm (clenched into a fist) should only be upward here. During this operation of tensioning the string, it is necessary to pluck other strings with the plector in order to hear with your own ears how much changes are taking place there. It is important to hear the absence of minimal deviations in cents even without a digital tuner.  Using the plectrum Strings all 3 drive strummed  at a time will reveal dissonance if you forcefully strum all 3 strings there. Find why it's sounding dustly bad  (unclear)
Note: If you have very tight pins, then step (4) will probably be difficult for your practic act there. If the pin (weak) is partially lost, then I advise you to make the sound of these strings a little higher (hertz) than the other 2.
Check: It is necessary to hit the key (strongly) of the upright piano to the hammer of the upright piano with strong strick on the strings there. If you did everything correctly, then the dissonance will go away. I'm think hope so.
Try change it and it will right good.
good lucks,
Max