Pros and Cons of Metal and Rubber Violin Practice Mutes

August 12, 2012 at 04:54 PM · There are no best…

The metal might damage you're bridge and fall on the top of you're violin, so you have to be REALLY careful, but it's reducing the sound (and killing it's beauty) a LOT.

The rubber practice mute is nice, but I found it nearly useless for muting purpose, since it tend to increase the sound on my G and D strings… Don't ask me why.

It's easy to put on and risk-less.

There's also a heavy metal mute with a rubber coating which I haven't tried yet.

The question is which use might you have of a mute?

August 12, 2012 at 05:38 PM · I have both and agree with the above - except that I don't feel that the rubber mute really makes any strings stronger - and I've used it with more than one violin. It does emphasize certain notes differently, maybe seemingly more deeply - but your violin will definitely project a lot less into another room, than w.o. a mute or with a regular one. Besides the physical risks, the metal one mutes the violin more, but with an unpleasant, glassy sound - and you'll really feel its extra weight, as you also will, though to a lesser extent with the Ultra.

August 12, 2012 at 06:41 PM · This topic has been gone over hundreds of times here on v.com, that's why this forum has a search function. You'll get more information by reading the old mute threads than by posting a new one.

August 14, 2012 at 12:23 AM · Alyssa,

The Artino practice mute is a hybrid of metal and rubber, and it works as one might expect -- better muting than a rubber one, and better sound than a metal one, though not as good muting as a metal one.

Practice mutes are inexpensive. Your best bet would be to try one of each and use whichever you prefer in each situation.

August 14, 2012 at 01:13 AM · I have a rubber one that I got when I started the violin. I never use it because it makes the violin sound absolutely horrid and it kills intonation for me.

August 14, 2012 at 01:14 PM · Thanks guys! I looked up Artino and I think I'm gonna get all three (Artino, rubber and metal) and decide which one I like best. I guess I'll just be stuck with 3 mutes! ;) This really helped a lot! BTW, Adrian, I already searched on this site and it's not giving me the specifics I need, thank you very much. *rolling eyes*

August 14, 2012 at 01:50 PM · I have all three; I prefer my Artino the most by far; it mutes nearly as well as the metal mute, but is easy to put on or off the bridge without marring it, and is secure enough that it won't fall off; it is really a very well designed mute.

Menuhin used to do all of his practicing with a metal practice mute because he enjoyed the intimate, distant sort of sound that it made his violin produce.

August 14, 2012 at 05:21 PM · Alyssa, having already researched this topic here on v.com I know for a fact that this thread contains no information that wasn't already in a number of other threads. Perhaps you should search better, no need for smarminess.

August 16, 2012 at 02:42 AM · Try leather mutes from Paul Wiessmeyer. Best of both worlds.