Lela Stratton
Tourte Shaped Violin/Viola Mute
Tourte Round Violin Mute
Ultra Violin Practice Mute
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Are you a professional violinist or play violin for a hobby? Do you have a small space but still need to practice playing the violin for hours? Then you must be acquainted with the violin mute.
A violin mute is a small and relatively cheap attachment that you add to the violin frame. You can use anything that dampens the vibration of the violin like a violin mute. Usually, a piece of rubber does the work. Like the name sounds, a violin mute dampens the strength of a violin’s tone. Nevertheless, the scale and thickness of the violin mute can have a significant impact on the tone of your violin. A violin mute is not only usable for practicing in a confined space, but also it helps to create new sounds and notes. Many violinists add mutes in their instruments.
Playing the violin is the perfect place to use the phrase – “Practice makes a man perfect.” If you are a true violin lover, your mind would want to play the violin at different times, in different places. But it is only possible when the tone of your violin is at a minimum. You cannot just go away with disturbing your surroundings. A violin mute comes in handy in this case. Just attach it to the bridge of your violin and watch the magic. Simply put, violin mutes are essential to any severe violinist's possession.
Top 5 Best Violin Mute List
Violin mutes are essential objects for a violinist. Typically, one should buy a violin mute, which matches his violin better. With so many names on the list, one might get confused about which one to buy. Thus, in this section, we are making a list of top five violin mutes in our stock. I hope it helps you find your match.
1
Tourte Shaped Violin/Viola Mute
The real Tourte mute is the most famous violin mute orchestra in the world. You can find a lot of imitations in the market, but the real Tourte shaped violin/viola mute never compromises its sound quality or functionality. The material of the real Tourte orchestra violin mute is elastic molded rubber. The material content is the main reason behind its easiness of quality and speed of application. It has a small pin on the top. It helps the user to operate the mute while not in use.
A very practical benefit of this mute is it takes shape and curvature of the bridge. This violin mute is good to use for both the violin and the viola. The rubber is soft and stays on the instrument. For using inside an apartment, this may be the right choice.
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2
Tourte Round Violin Mute
The rubber-made Tourte Round violin mute is a common, widely used mute. During off time, the mute stays on the instrument and then slips easily to the bridge when needed. After getting engaged, the Tourte Round Violin Mute silents the bridge by sitting across string D and A. The rubber mute is safe for using on your violin and will in no way damage the instrument or the chords. This mute is also available for other shapes of devices.
Its small size and ease of application is the main reason for using it in an orchestra. Although, it dampens the strength of the sound a little less than other mute due to its small size and shape. However, it may not be usable in apartments, for on-stage performance, it is quite a good choice. Violinists suggest it because it fulfills the safety issues.
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3
Ultra Violin Practice Mute
The ultra-violin practice mute is rubber made medium-strong violin mute. Its muting effect is a little bit less than the metal violin mute, but it is good for the instrument. It is a rugged and strong mute that will greatly reduce your instrument's tone. Most may use this in an office or a rehearsal space as a quiet activity when they don't want to interrupt others around them.
The mute consists of black rubber, but it slips fully over the bridge instead of hooking on the cords. Nevertheless, that means you can't hold the Ultra mute on your instrument unless it's engaged. Because of its much dampening, it is difficult to use it in a performance environment. This mute is not so good to be an artistic choice. Still, it is suitable for occasions when you cannot make much noise.
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4
Metal Violin Practice Mute
An ultra-violin practice mute and a metal violin practice mute works in quite the same way. The tone tells the difference. A metal mute has more muting power than the same category ultra-violin practice mute.
The benefit of using metal mute over rubber mute is that it might be more onerous and damage the string. Still, it dampens the sound in a very compelling way so that the music remains clear.
You should choose this mute when you neither want to disturb your neighbors nor want to lose sound quality. But it might cost you your string’s lifeline. Being heavy, it cannot but damage the string. So when you are not practicing with your violin, it is not good to hold the mute on the instrument.
Metal mutes are mainly for substantial practice. It weighs 2.4 ounces, which is far more than any other types of mutes. Thus, metal mutes are essential accessories for band and rock music.
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5
Wire Slide-On Violin Mute
The Wire Slide-On Violin Mute may be the mute for you if you want to experience different sounds. This violin mute quickly move along the bridge and, when not in use, can be left on the violin. Thus it is perfect for playing on the stage. Also, it is suitable for both the violin and the viola.
The wire slide-on violin mute holds all the forces on the top of the bridge. It does not let it mute a lot of tones that promote a realistic beautiful, violin sound.
This mute has similarities with Tourte models. It slides along the strings. Unlike other mutes, it only dampens the sound on a very small amount. So it is preferable to use in any performance.
It works on a spring mechanism. So, while connecting it to the bridge, one must be careful lest the user might damage the strings.
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Things to Consider Before Purchasing the Best Violin Mute
Whichever model of violin you have, you should always have at least one mute. You can use a violin mute both for indoor practicing and create new sounds.
There are many brands of mute available in the market. If you do not know what to look for in a violin mute while buying, you might have a bad experience with your violin. Considering this, we are making a list of the factors which you should keep in mind while buying a violin mute. Here they are:
Strength of Dampening
The power of dampening required depends on you. It is a variable factor for various people. One who practices violin being surrounded by a lot of people needs heavy dampening. On the contrary someone who is trying to create a new orchestra might require a tiny amount of dampening. Again, one might need heavy dampening even when performing on stage. So you should be the one to select the amount of dampening you need and buy a mute according to that.
Sound Quality
If you are a typical violinist who plays the violin only for a hobby, you may not need an excellent quality of sound after dampening. But, if you are a stage performer and using mute only for a new orchestra, you might not be ready to sacrifice the sound quality for using a violin mute. Metal mutes are the best choices if you do not have the mindset of sacrificing sound quality. If that is not a factor for you, then you might go for a wooden or rubber made mute.
Material
Mutes of different types of material content like metal, wood, rubber are available in the market. They are different in quality and application. Metal mutes are good sound dampener, but they cost a high and, in most cases, damages the bridge. Wooden mutes are good, but you might have to compromise sound quality. Rubber mutes have adequate dampening capability, and also the sound quality is excellent. Besides material, the working of a mute also depends on its weight and shape.
Size and Shape
The size and shape of a mute significantly control its application. When you are going to buy a violin mute, you should also have sharp eyes on the size and shape of it. Notably, it is more critical because the mute has to synchronize with your violin. You may buy the best mute available in the market and still have a bad experience due to a lack of synchronization. Also, it is a matter of aesthetic.
Application
Another thing you have to consider is your application of the mute. Where are you going to play? Why are you using the violin mute? Of course, dampening the tone is a mute’s primary duty, but violinists use it for other purposes too. So based on the application, mutes may vary.
Ease of installation
You might not want an attachment or instrument that works well, but its operation is quite severe. In the case of violin mute, it is right, either. The violin mute must have natural installation ability. Especially when you are going to use it on performance, you will have to integrate and disintegrate the mute quite often. Your performance may get ruined only by a small mute. So be careful!
Cost
The final factor that anyone might look into a product is its cost. A good product does not always cost high. When you are buying a violin mute, you don’t always have to buy the most costly mute for better gain. First, try to realize on which purpose you are going to use a mute. Then find some mutes of that type and check if it will synchronize with your violin or not. Then look at the price, you may have a very satisfying mute at a meager cost.
Conclusion
In most cases, playing the violin is a hobby. Even professionals had chosen it as their hobby first. It is meant to satisfy your mental health. Using mutes might be bothering in some cases, but they are an ally of violinists. Violin mutes let them practice in a crowd, and it let them have a unique performance on the stage.
As we have known in the previous page, you cannot select a violin mute randomly. It depends on a lot of factors. Still, my personal choice is the Tourte Shaped Violin/Viola Mute.
First of all, it is a rubber made violin mute that works with significant efficiency. Secondly, it protects the bridge while dampening the sound. The sound quality does not get reduced due to the use of it. Thirdly, you can leave it as it is on the violin, even when you are not playing. Just cling it onto the A or D string. Finally, it is an overall balanced mute. It can dampen the sound of many categories of violin and viola.
Order this item for your violin today and play it to your heart’s extent.