Artino Practice Mute for violin/viola, Japanese import

I have been searching for a good mute for my violin. I usually practice at night, as I work the night shift. I also work from home, so I usually practice at home. I live in apartments with very thin walls, so practicing at night is not very good for my neighbors. I started using a standard rubber mute, but I always liked the increased dampening of the metal mutes. Why? Because while the rubber mutes work well for preventing my neighbors from hearing me play, when my family comes over to stay for a few days, they can still hear me practicing with the rubber mute on. I always wanted a metal mute, because they dampen the sound extremely well. The trade off is that they change the sound of the violin. The change is noticeable enough for me to not like the metal mutes. This mute has been perfect for me. It mutes the sound of the violin like a metal mute, but it does not change the sound, like a rubber mute. The only issue I can think of with this is that you have to be careful because it does not fit the same way a rubber mute fits. You press down on a rubber mute a bit to sit it on the violin bridge, but for this, it is merely placed on the top of the bridge. It can seem to be loose, or not fit well, but it works fantastically and is secure. Also, some people complain this mute blocks their view of the finger board when they are playing. I can see the fingerboard perfectly with this mute on, and it does not obstruct my vision in any way when I am playing, but I feel the need to mention it here, as some people say this does happen with them. I am very satisfied with this purchase, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for substantial muting on their violin for practicing.

This mute has been a lifesaver for late night practice sessions. The volume reduction is real and noticeable, roughly comparable to an unplugged electric violin, maybe a touch more. Enough to keep the neighbors happy. Installation is simple, you just clip it onto the bridge, but there's one thing worth knowing: it's heavier than you might expect (and it's also very well built), so make sure your bridge is sitting straight before putting it on. The added weight could cause it to lean or shift if you're not careful, and that's not something you want to mess with. As for tuning accuracy, I haven't noticed any issues there. It doesn't seem to affect how the instrument holds tune (but I'm far from an expert). That said, I wouldn't recommend using it for every practice session. The muted sound makes it harder to catch your own mistakes and pick up on the finer details of your playing, but that's not what it's designed for anyway. If you need to practice at an inconvenient hour without bothering anyone, this does the job perfectly. It is a bit expensive but doing the work of a metallic one in a plastic shell seems worth it to me.

This mute reduces noise considerably more than plastic or rubber mutes that I have tried. In an apartment, I have been concerned about practicing late at night for fear of disturbing the neighbors, even with another mute. This one reduces the volume to the point where I feel confident that I won't disturb others while playing. It might still be noticed or disturb the sleep of someone in the next room, but I certainly can't think of a more effective device save, perhaps, practicing on an electric violin. It is heavier than others that I have tried, but the outer layer helps to protect the instrument. The sound quality is affected by it, but considering that it lets me practice longer and later, this is acceptable to me. I played the clarinet previously and this was much more difficult, I have yet to find an effective mute for a clarinet and it is also a loud instrument. It requires a little more care in installation; on my violin at least it seems to sit high on the bridge. I don't see this as a noteworthy problem, however, as it is easy to get accustomed to. The mute comes in a surprisingly high-quality case and has a generally premium feel to it, which is a nice bonus.

First off, this is a great practice mute and I think it offers excellent value for the price. I was a bit surprised by the weight when I first received it, but that’s because it has a metal core inside, which helps create a more effective muted sound for practicing. It doesn’t fit my bridge perfectly and slightly hovers over it, but it still does a good job reducing the sound. Overall, it works well and is a solid option for quiet practice.

I originally bought a cheaper mute made of pure rubber that fit entirely over the bridge. It does a good job of taking the sound down to an acceptable practice level. My house has rather thin walls, and once, using the cheaper, rubber mute, did someone hear me. I bought this because I lack air conditioning, am frequently up at night with windows open, and needed something that would not be heard but by me and me alone. THIS MUTE IS IT. This mute? I could play with the bedroom doors (being adjacent to one another - less than 3 feet (~1 meter)) open and you probably wouldn't hear me. It mutes THAT well. It looks to be plastic/rubber on the outside, but there's a metal plate on the inside that gently rests on the bridge that dulls the sound so low only you being next to it will hear it, and even then, only slightly. It's perfect. As a beginner that's ashamed to have others hear the horrible sounds I make, the rubber mute was sufficient for the most part, but was still quite audible. This mute, however, completely nullifies the possibility anyone that isn't beside you will hear it. If you live in an apartment? You NEED this mute! You can play as hard as you want and never hear a complaint from a roommate, let alone a neighbor! It's REALLY that good! Also, for those questioning why it doesn't fit completely over the bridge? It doesn't need to. Trust me on this. I was skeptical when I put it on and saw right through it. Lots of empty space between mute and bridge. It's a total, 100% non-issue. Try it. If you feel differently? Get your money back, but I don't think you will. It's pricier than a cheaper mute like I originally bought, but the peace of mind that you can practice as much as you want without the possibility of disturbing anyone (you could probably play in the same room as a sleeping person and not wake them) is more than worth it. If you want a recommendation? Get a cheap rubber mute for when the time you play or anyone POSSIBLY hearing doesn't matter, but absolutely buy this is you think for even a second someone could hear you and it might be a problem. It will NOT be a problem with this!

It does a super job at what it is supposed to do...make your violin play quietly. The tone you get is very quiet, but without ruining to quality. I use hearing aids, and without my aids in my ears, I can almost not hear the instrument. And even with the hearing aids, it is super hush. So, no problems waking up people inside my home! Downside is that it rides really high on the bridge, which means it blocks all view of the contact range of the strings. Before you try using the mute, be proficient enough with your bow arm that you don't have to look at that, because you will not be able to see it. All in all, a very good mute. Recommended.

I've previously used those rubber practice mutes. I'm sure the majority of us have because of the cheap price. Well, I guess you get what you pay for. I knew that the rubber one wasn't sufficient since I live with a roommate who love to watch TV in her room. I purchased this and was pleasantly surprised that it came in a small plastic box with foam cut out around it. It has a cute little case for storage. Well, I was excited to test it and I gently put it on my bridge. With my tuner on it (that senses vibrations) I played a note. Shockingly, my tuner claimed I was playing the correct note - it wasn't distorted! I started to play a song and was pleasantly surprised at how this mute truly mutes the tone and that's it! The quality of the tone did not change. I did a small experiment and had someone stand in the living room while I played in my bedroom. With the bedroom door open you could hear me play, but it was quiet. With my bedroom door closed, you could barely hear me play and only if you knew what I was playing you'd know I was practicing my violin!! I am so impressed and happy with this mute. I also love that it barely sits on the bridge so I don't have to worry about it damaging the bridge. While it is heavy, and can sometimes block the view of the bow on the strings, I think this is excellent and as a student, vital for my progress. I can practice more often without worrying that my roommate will hate me. I can practice and still hear the correct notes. Thank you for this wonderful mute. I am so pleased to have purchased it.

I was debating between getting an electric violin (was fortunately in a position to do so) in addition to my acoustic, or going with a much more affordable mute, so I could practice after my 4-year-old daughter goes to bed. After watching several YouTube demonstrations and product comparisons, I definitely wanted to give this rubber-coated metal mute a try. Heads up - it's very difficult to discern the exceptional difference the mutes are making in the YouTube videos. What can be captured via microphone versus what you actually experience in the same room as a muted violin is night/day difference. Which brings me to my point - I couldn't believe how well this product worked. I ordered it thinking that it would be nice to have, even if the difference was less noticeable, but for less than $20 and taking up negligible room in my case, it could come in handy if I decided to team up with a live acoustic guitar or something. To my surprise, it dampens the sound well enough where I would be comfortable practicing a room or two away from my (historically terrible) sleeping daughter. I -did- go ahead and order an electric violin, and I'm not regretting the decision. Probably because I'm a pretty raw beginner, I noticed myself experiencing some tonal issues and sound quality confusion. I chalk this entirely up to my lack of skill and comfort with the instrument, and feel that if I had more experience, accuracy, and instinct of what to be feeling for, it wouldn't be an issue. As it is, I found myself pressing harder and bowing more aggressively to try and correct, which I can only assume would lead to bad habits down the road. TLDR: It works great, better than you can tell by watching internet reviews. Might want to be careful if you're a very fresh player who isn't yet acquainted with what your unmuted strings should sound like.