90% chance it is indeed the bearings. It is possible something could be stuck in the impeller causing noise, but not usually a high pitched whine. If you see water leaking, or calcium buildup where the pump meets the motor, then the shaft seal has failed and that is what's causing the bearing failure. Either way you'll need to replace the motor or have the bearings replaced. Look for a local pool pump repair shop (or some pool supply stores replace bearings as well). They should check the motor out for free and give you estimate to to repair/rebuild, or a price on a new motor if that's what you need/want. Hope this helps. If you need further assistance post a reply in the comments, and don't hesitate to leave a good thumb rating if you found this helpful. Thanks, and good Luck!