Acoustic silent violin

August 4, 2015 at 03:57 PM · I haven't tried one of those instruments (but I have purchased a few very nice "regular" violins from OVH), but my experience with an electric violin leads me to believe that a "normal" violin with a heavy practice mute on is about as quiet as you can get.

The strings themselves make a certain level of noise regardless of what they are strung on. An electric violin gives off a certain level of loudness even though the strings are essentially mounted on a solid block of wood. Adding a mute to an electric doesn't make the ambient sound any less, as the sound is emanating directly from the string vibrations.

The "silent" violin they have is an interesting concept, but I imagine the sound is not going to be any more pleasant than a heavily muted narmal violin, nor is it going to be as quiet.

If you don't want to take you main violin back and forth, spend that $300 on one of OVH's regular instruments (I like their "Opera" brand best for consistency of sound) and leave it at work. (see below)

August 4, 2015 at 03:57 PM · BTW, I am also an adult beginner, with young kids at home.

My practice time is at lunchtime daily as well.

On fine days I go and play out in the parking lot under some shade trees (get some strange looks from passers-by...), on rainy days in a nearby parking garage (interesting acoustics!). In the winter I find an empty lab here at work.

August 4, 2015 at 04:54 PM · In a local violin shop I have seen the occasional practice violin that is a mere skeleton - no back, front or ribs - just a skeletal structure with scroll, fingerboard, bridge and tailpiece. I've had no reason to try one, so I can't say from first hand experience what it sounds like, but since there is precious little wood to vibrate and there are no resonant cavities I would expect little more than the basic unamplified sound of a string vibrating in a large open space.

August 4, 2015 at 05:24 PM ·

August 4, 2015 at 08:22 PM · Stefan, congratulations on your new son, but what's up with trying to protect your son from music? I had something like 4 to 10 hours of music exposure per day when I was in the womb, and that continued after I was born, and until I left the household at 18 years of age. Not that it stopped then, but after that, it was totally my choice.

August 4, 2015 at 09:38 PM · Exposing a young son to music is a wonderful thing.

Exposing a new mother, who is sleep deprived, to violin practice in the evenings, when she would prefer either herself, or her young son to be sleeping.....

Well, I think we know the answer to that!

:^)

August 4, 2015 at 09:53 PM · Kids will sleep through anything if you let them. I actually think you are doing them a disservice by keeping the house too quiet.

I like listening to practice. My daughter got up at 5:00 a.m. to get her 2 hours in before school...for about 2 years. I went right back to sleep.

It should become white noise for family members.

The neighbours and coworkers however...are another story. Lol.

August 5, 2015 at 08:04 AM · Thanks for the responses so far! Just to confirm though - I'm not aiming for a quiet home, and I have bought some ear defenders just to ensure that I can safely practice in the same room as the baby, and also so that we can take him to folk festivals this summer.

It's more that, faced with a rumbustious baby who doesn't sleep anywhere near as much as other babies we know, and who always wants to stand on his feet, finding even half an hour at home for some focused practice is mostly impossible. Which is what makes the lunchtime slot appealing - at least that is always available.

August 5, 2015 at 11:43 AM · Congratulations to your son. Let him hear music! I have somewhere a picture of my oldest daughter at an age of a few month. She is fast asleep surrounded by her parents with friends playing the Schubert string quintet!

August 5, 2015 at 01:05 PM · That sounds nice! He regularly hears me playing baroque flute and baritone ukulele, which he seems to like.

The sound of the violin immediately made him cry though. I suspect that it is too loud for him in our small lounge, especially since my instrument is set up for traditional music sessions, e.g. quite focused and bright.

August 5, 2015 at 06:10 PM · "The sound of the violin immediately made him cry though"

I see a viola player growing up! Congratulations!

August 6, 2015 at 10:13 AM · :) ha ha

He is a very tall baby with long arms and big hands, which is all pointing in a viola direction.