Today's Puzzlers

[Robin Olson]

   I don't see an attachment or any other way to play your audio 
files.                                             Robin Olson 



----- Original Message -----
From: tune4u@earthlink.net
Date: Thursday, February 27, 2003 1:07 pm
Subject: Today's Puzzlers

> Clues are in the description...
> 
> The Piano: 70's era Hamilton studio, worn out in use in a military 
> basechapel, 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
> 
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