Extra vibrations are a common problem with pianos.  As your piano tuner Wilmington DE, we want to help you find the possible cause and perhaps be able to solve this type of issue on your own.

The reason pianos frequently have extra vibrations, is that they are made to resonate.  By that, I mean that when you play a piano key, a string is struck by a piano hammer.  If the instrument did not resonate, the volume would be about the same as that of an electric guitar string that is played without the amplifier turned on.  A piano string by itself does not make a very loud sound.  What amplifies the sound is a resonant structure in the piano called the soundboard.  The piano soundboard is a large, thin piece of wood that is under considerable pressure, so that it is a resonant structure.  Any noise around it will be amplified.  As a result, an extraneous vibration can also be amplified.

If you have an extra vibration when you play certain notes on a piano, there are some simple tests you can do to try to eliminate the vibration before calling us.

The most frequent cause is the piano lamp.  Have someone play the vibrating note repeatedly, while you remove the lamp from the piano.  If that does not get rid of the vibration, have the other person continue playing the note, as you remove other items from the piano.

If the vibration continues, try putting slight pressure on the lid.  If it is a grand piano, try holding the lid prop, especially the small lid prop.  After that try pressure on the key cover.  If none of these works, keep playing the note repeatedly and push each pedal individually.  If the vibration continues, have another person continue playing the note repeatedly as you walk around the piano.  Turn your head, so that one ear is toward the piano, and one ear away from the piano.  Sometimes you will hear the vibration originating from a place other than the piano.  It could even be something like a paper clip in a waste basket across the room.

Often it might be a picture above the piano that is rattling against the wall.  If you have an upright piano, check to see there is something like a poster leaning up against the back of the piano.

If the vibration issue continues after trying our suggestions, please give us a call.  At Kenneth Keith Piano Services, we are always happy to help. Your piano tuning Wilmington DE experts at Kenneth Keith Piano Services also serve the areas of Philadelphia, Eastern Shore MD and Southern New Jersey.