Buzzy Ringing Sound on Certain Notes

[ajeasley]

I have a Yamaha 882OR that started making a sympathetic ringing vibration when I play a slightly sharp 6th partial Eb. The sound is only noticeable on that note, and just started a few weeks ago. I think it's coming from the rotor, but I can't confirm.

Anyone more knowledgeable than me have any guesses as to what that might be? To clarify, I'm taking it to a tech later this week as it needs a cleaning anyway. Just curious if it comes up again and happens to be easy maintenance.

[hornbuilder]

Have you oiled the valve and linkage recently? A dry rotor can certainly buzz!! (Drop a 10-12 drops of oil down into the handslide receiver to get oil into the valve, as well as oiling the bearing spindles)

[GabrielRice]

Have you oiled the valve and linkage recently? A dry rotor can certainly buzz!! (Drop a 10-12 drops of oil down into the handslide receiver to get oil into the valve, as well as oiling the bearing spindles)

^this^

I have also heard buzzing from dry valve section tuning slides.

[Burgerbob]

Also from dry slide locks.

[hornbuilder]

I should edit my comment to include "lubricate anything that can/should be"

[Chatname]

Never having lubricated my slide locks: which substance should be used?

[harrisonreed]

Never having lubricated my slide locks: which substance should be used?

I have used just heavy slide grease or heavy hetmans

[BGuttman]

Never having lubricated my slide locks: which substance should be used?

I have used just heavy slide grease or heavy hetmans

For the slide lock ring paraffin works OK too. You unscrew the ring and scrape the bottom of a candle on the threads. You don't have to wax all the threads -- one or two scrapes will do.

I used to have an Olds Ambassador with F (A-20) that buzzed when I needed to lube the tuning slide.

[StephenK]

In the past I've had buzzing for two reasons:
1 Screw working loose on f section, probably doesn't apply to most.
2 Brazing on a stay breaking ( on a trumpet).
Stephen

[ChadA]

I had that model of Yamaha and it buzzed around that pitch when the main tuning slide needed to be lubed. So, as other have said, lube everything and take a screw driver to tighten anything you can. Be careful of the two adjustment screws on the linkage, though. They might be too loose, which can cause the buzz, but you can very quickly over-tighten them and slow things way down. I never liked that system....

[btone]

The original post said "ringing sound" and "ringing vibration". That could could mean buzzing or could mean a sympathetic ringing like bells sometimes are inclined to.

[ajeasley]

^ I think sympathetic ringing is probably the most accurate description. It only rings on that one specific pitch. As it stands, lubrication did help quite a bit, though it's still present. Thankfully it's also due for a cleaning and once over, so I'll be able to get it squared away soon. Thanks all!

[wheelabaker]

I’m testing a Jupiter XO 1634 LT and it has terrible sympathetic resonance after certain notes. It’s so annoying I don’t think I would buy this horn. Slide lock isn’t doing it - not the tuning slide either. When I grab the bell the ringing stops. I have asked others who play this model if they have the issue and they don’t. I’m more inclined to think it is a solder issue related to the braces attached to the bell. I’d like to play another one of the horns to see if this is a lemon or if it is consistent in all if them. Thoughts?

[Doug Elliott]

I have seen (heard) that in a Conn 100H and a Yamaha (unknown model). It could be a soldering issue but I have always assumed it was borderline badly designed brace placement and it needs some reinforcement or maybe a little added weight to a brace or somewhere. I very much doubt it's consistent in all of them, or they wouldn't sell. Try another one - yes it's a lemon.

Maybe a different person with a different grip wouldn't have the same problem. The way you hold a horn can affect things like that.

[wheelabaker]

Thanks Doug!

[trombonedemon]

I have seen (heard) that in a Conn 100H and a Yamaha (unknown model). It could be a soldering issue but I have always assumed it was borderline badly designed brace placement and it needs some reinforcement or maybe a little added weight to a brace or somewhere. I very much doubt it's consistent in all of them, or they wouldn't sell. Try another one - yes it's a lemon.

Maybe a different person with a different grip wouldn't have the same problem. The way you hold a horn can affect things like that.

Doug beat me to it, one of my ferrules had a leak that drove me to insanity , pressure tested it and then confirmed with bubbling valve oil. Thank God for a repair man across the way.

[harrisonreed]

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Jkjk

But not jk. Make sure you don't hold your trombone upside down like this guy.

[tailgate]

A trombonist I play with has a 2017 Xeno large bore with s sympathetic buzz/ring. He removed the counterweight and the buzzing/ringing stopped.
Re-applied tightly but the buzz returns. The counterweight is as tight as possible.
Appears to fit well.

[hyperbolica]

I have an 88h, 8h and 79h that all have a sympathetic vibration in the bell. All structures vibrate at a frequency proportional to the stiffness of the material over the mass. If it doesn't vibrate, there's a problem. It's not something that's audible to the audience or to anyone but the player. I can stop the vibration on my horns by strapping some tape, velcro or a wrist guard around the throat of the bell. But the horn has always done it, and it's just something to get used to. Nothing wrong with the horn. If it's a real buzz, then there's probably a loose screw as others have said, but if it's just the bell vibrating, don't worry about it.

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[timothy42b]

I had a loud buzz recently, like a snare drum almost. I kept trying to hold various parts to see when it would stop.

It was especially loud on C in the staff with trigger, but not the same C in 6th.

Oiling the valve made it disappear.

[Cotboneman]

I bought a new Bach 42B in the early 80's in graduate school (I think Bach had moved to Abilene by then) that started buzzing like mad on D above the staff after a time. I remember taking it to store shops without success, until I found an old repair tech in Chicago who had built and repaired horns on his own for years. He knew immediately what the problem was when I played the horn for him. He unsoldered the ferrule on the upper trigger brace and found that some solder has come loose and was bouncing around inside the ferrule. He cleaned all that out and re-soldered the brace properly. End of buzzing!

[CalgaryTbone]

I bought a new Bach 42B in the early 80's in graduate school (I think Bach had moved to Abilene by then) that started buzzing like mad on D above the staff after a time. I remember taking it to store shops without success, until I found an old repair tech in Chicago who had built and repaired horns on his own for years. He knew immediately what the problem was when I played the horn for him. He unsoldered the ferrule on the upper trigger brace and found that some solder has come loose and was bouncing around inside the ferrule. He cleaned all that out and re-soldered the brace properly. End of buzzing!

Bach never moved to Abilene - Conn was the company that moved there from Elkhart. These days, Conn and Bach are both owned by the same company (Steinway), but not in the 80's.

JS

[Cotboneman]

I bought a new Bach 42B in the early 80's in graduate school (I think Bach had moved to Abilene by then) that started buzzing like mad on D above the staff after a time. I remember taking it to store shops without success, until I found an old repair tech in Chicago who had built and repaired horns on his own for years. He knew immediately what the problem was when I played the horn for him. He unsoldered the ferrule on the upper trigger brace and found that some solder has come loose and was bouncing around inside the ferrule. He cleaned all that out and re-soldered the brace properly. End of buzzing!

Bach never moved to Abilene - Conn was the company that moved there from Elkhart. These days, Conn and Bach are both owned by the same company (Steinway), but not in the 80's.

JS

Thank you I was confused with Conn. In any event it was a post corporation Bach I believe.