That grinding noise is the worst and especially when you're all pumped for smoothies.
Happened to me once, and I figured it out by checking the coupler thing on the base, you know, that part that spins.
If it's loose or something's off, it grinds like crazy.
Unplug it, flip it over, and see if everything's tight.
I tried that and it fixed everything but then I realized I had to clean out some hidden gunk too...
yeah.
Test it empty first, then with water.
If it's still noisy, probably needs a pro look, don't risk breaking it more.
Your friends will be jealous of your fixes soon enough.