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Why Does My Piano Buzz

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Have you ever played your piano and noticed a buzzing noise? Not only is the noise unpleasant, but it can be a sign that something is not quite right with your piano. This is a common issue that can be fixed if you know what to look for.

So, why does my piano buzz? Pianos making a buzzing sound when small objects fall onto the soundboard. Those items vibrate when a key is played, leading to the unpleasant noise. Dirty coils, bad felt, loose screws and action parts and string tension can also cause buzzing. 

Diagnosing why your piano is buzzing can sometimes be difficult, especially if you cannot clearly see what is causing the issue. Next, I’ll share some tips to help you easily troubleshoot the buzzing noise, and ways to quickly fix it.

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Why Does My Piano Buzz

Check For Objects That Have Fallen Inside The Piano

The most common cause of buzzing in a piano is the presence of loose objects. This includes things like pens, pencils, paper clips, crumbled up paper, and even toys if you have kids using the instrument.

When those items fall into a piano they can easily slip through the strings and directly onto the soundboard. That’s a bad thing because anything coming into direct contact with the soundboard can damage it.

While most items are easy to see right away through the string, items that fall further back in the piano are much harder to see. You will want to use a flashlight to help get a better visual on what’s inside the piano.

Checking The Piano For Loose Alignment

If you’re very good about not leaving items on the piano, then the next logical place is to look for alignment issues. By this, I mean looking for areas where screws are not screwed in securely, or hinges that may not be stable.

With older pianos especially, you’ll want to keep an eye out for loose screws that may have fallen out of place. Also, consider the position your piano is in when you’re playing it.

For example, if the lid is up on the piano you may hear less buzzing than when it is down. That can be an indicator that the large hinge is loose on the piano lid and may be causing the buzz rather than something internal.

Another area of the lid that’s often overlooked is the prop stick itself. Over time, the stick will loosen and rattle the more you use the instrument.

Sometimes the prop rests right against the cast iron plate which also vibrates while playing. Simply tightening up the prop stick can get rid of most common buzzes. Also, make sure to check the small lid prop too which can loosen over time.

A great way to test this is to play with your piano closed and then play with it open. Experiment propping the piano to different heights and this will help you narrow down which prop stick is causing the issue.

Check The Piano Bridge For Buzzing

Another area you’ll want to look at is the bridges which sit right over the soundboard. Check both the long and short bridges in this case. You’ll want to be on the lookout for loose bridge pins.

There are over 400 pins in a grand piano, so take your time looking over each one with a flashlight as it’s easy to miss the one that is actually causing the buzz.

Because the bridge holds the strings at very high tension, it’s entirely possible that it may have cracks. Cracks in the bridge or soundboard can cause buzzing.

One way to test the bridge for buzzing is to apply pressure to it while you play. Firmly press down on it and play a few notes. If the buzzing does not go away, then you can likely eliminate the bridges.

Make sure to check both the bass and treble bridges as the treble bridge is more susceptible to cracks.

Cleaning And Adjusting The String Coils

The bass piano strings have coils that are attached to the bottom ends. These coils can become dirty over time. Usually, they’ll cake up in dust and scrap pieces of wood from the piano manufacturer.

Occasionally these coils can also become loose and create a rattling sound. While you don’t want to touch the strings directly, it’s perfectly fine to touch the coils and test their tension.

If you see they are covered in dirt and dust, simply clean them with a dusting wand or napkin. Here’s a guide on how to properly clean piano strings.

When the coils around the bass strings are loose, they need to be tightened again to fix the buzzing. To fix this you need to twist the strings so that they follow the direction of the coils, much like when you twist on a bottle cap.

While it’s ideal to have a piano technician around to fix this, it’s an easy fix with the right tools. Start off by removing the dampers that are located over the bass strings.

After removing the string braids located at the rear of the piano, it’s time to loosen the strings with a wrench.

Pull the string up from the back where the coil is and begin twisting it in the direction of the coils with a set of pliers. Be careful here as too much pressure can actually damage the string.

When you feel satisfied with the twist, put the string braid and felt back in place, and put the damper back together. Because this is a minor fix, a piano technician can take care of this for you for a relatively low fee.

Checking The Sound Panels

Occasionally, the sound panel of an upright piano can be slightly loose. Simply squeezing the corners together can help point out of the piano casing is not fastened somewhere. Make sure to check the bottom and sides of the piano as well as the back side to see if something is crooked or out of place.

Looking Underneath The Piano

The piano ribs located underneath the instrument can also be a cause of buzzing. Just like with the bridge, apply a little bit of pressure against the ribs while playing will let you know if there is a buzz or not.

Make sure to test the piano ribs in various spots as one end may or may not be causing the buzz.

Making Sure The Fallboard Is Aligned

The hinges on the piano fallboard may also be the cause of a piano buzzing. Normally this is caused when the fallboard is not aligned correctly.

This can happen during regular piano maintenance, especially if you’re lubricating the pins underneath the keys. Fallboards can be tricky to align correctly, so you may want to get some help doing this.

Items Near The Piano And Flooring

If your piano is located in a small space or near a wall, chances are the buzzing is not coming from the instrument itself. Because the piano makes a swelling noise when it’s played, that vibration can easily travel throughout the room.

Anything nearby will rattle. This is called sympathetic vibration. This includes items like picture frames, dressers, light fixtures, glasses, and more.

If you have items underneath or behind your piano, those can also vibrate too which leads to the perception that the buzzing is coming from the instrument itself.

The kind of flooring your piano sits on has an impact on buzzing noises too. Pianos that are situated on concrete or carpet will make very little noise at all. However, something like wood flooring or tiles may be more subject to the noise.

The hollow ground also vibrates when sound is made which may be another cause of the buzzing noise.

Call Your Piano Technician

If you have checked all of these key areas and still have not located the source of the buzzing, it may be time to call your piano technician. Piano technicians have the tools and knowledge to locate these issues quickly and fix them. If the buzzing is caused by a major issue, then it’s crucial that an expert alert you of the problem immediately!