Today's Puzzlers

[tune4u@earthlink.net]

Clues are in the description...

The Piano: 70's era Hamilton studio, worn out in use in a military base
chapel, now in a small practice room like the universities use. Strings
slightly rusty and very tired, very "noisy." Hammers are clearly the
originals but are not deeply grooved and still have an acceptable shape. I
have done partial regulation (so I could tune it) and recently installed an
old-style Dampp-chaser (one amber light, red funnel) they had stored in a
closet for years. Long diagonal crack in soundboard from the bottom, in the
middle of the bass bridge area, up and under the treble bridge.

Problem: Weird sounding notes. The first three notes above the treble break
(hint, clue) sound like someone is striking a drummer's wood block trap at
the same instant the hammer hits the key. I used my pocket pc to record the
sound as I played from D#5 up to A#5 up and down then isolated on the worst
notes, especially G. Listen to "Ugh #1." Hope you can hear it, it's not high
fidelity.

Puzzle: Why do these notes sound so thunky and woody? (Teaser: It's NOT the
obvious cause, at least not entirely ...)

The second recording "Ugh #2" is a note about a 1/2 an octave below the
break (don't recall which one) struck hard twice then soft three times.
Notice the obnoxious noise when first struck with a hard blow.

Puzzle: Cause? (Teaser: It's NOT what it sounds exactly like ...)

Ugh #3 is an unusual and loud noise to identify. It obviously is NOT from
the piano itself, but was present during the tuning. (Teaser: Thanks Army
Corps of Engineers...)

Puzzle: What the heck is that? It sounds like a diesel locomotive. (Teaser:
It's NOT a diesel locomotive ...)

Alan Barnard
Sendin' Out Stumpers from Salem, MO