Violin Practice Mute, Black (GL3834)

Was scared to put this on my bridge cuz the bridge was expensive...but OMG! PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND THAT IT WORKS! Had to pull apart the split in the rubber to slip it over my bridge cuz at first I thought it was the wrong size and I did NOT want my bridge accidentally moved out of position.bruh.....i didn't even know my violin was so loud, now that it has been muted, I can barely even hear it!! I can absolutely hear myself playing but it is so dramatically quieter, I feel way more confident going hard on my bowing technique practice💞😊 GO GET ONE FOR YOURSELF! Especially if you have neighbors or open windows or people who don't like violin nearby(I know, what!?) They won't hear anything, it'll sound like the violin music is coming from the tv, rather than you actually playing yourself.i am in loveeeee, will probably be ordering another one soon just for back up! Definitely works as advertised, I can't believe it's not rated even higher! I did NOT notice a smell from mine, AT ALL. It's just a hunk of rubber. I think the low ratings are from people who did NOT install it correctly. It simply pops on top over the strings, you should NOT be removing your bridge to slide this on, and when you slide it on, it should sandwich both sides of the bridge and none of the strings should be touched. I have a full sized violin.if this does not fit your bridge, I would have to guess that you did not go to a proper violin luthier to get your bridge cut in the first place, especially if your bridge is so thin that it can't be gripped. Invest in a proper bridge from a proper luthier and try again.

I really get the zoomies for practicing my violin while my parents are working in the house or when they're sleeping. This mute works really well and they're not being rudely awakened by my playing down the hall. My neighbors have not yelled at me to shut up 👍 It's a little weird when fitting it on the bridge at first, but pulling the sides apart slightly as I slip it on does the job. Highly recommend.

I have never used a mute before (am teaching my self to play and have studied cello, piano and voice) so I have nothing to compare this to, but I'm very pleased with the decrease in volume as well as the tonal quality, which seems "richer" with the mute in place. I bought it so I wouldn't drive the neighbours crazy when practicing in the summer with the windows open. The first twenty to thirty minutes of my daily practice is all scales and arpeggios so I am concerned about making the neighbours' ears bleed!I also like the fact that it's made of rubber rather than metal and so I worry less about damage to the bridge. I've never tried leaving the mute on when I put the violin away because I would worry too much about it not fitting in the case and thereby damaging the bridge (or worse) when I close the case.All in all, I'm very happy with this mute.UPDATE:I emailed a professional violinist (he is concertmaster and violin soloist on movies such as Avatar, Titanic, Ratatouille and more!) and asked him about the advisability of using a mute on a NEW instrument. The instrument needs to develop its pitch and tonality (just as I do!) and that requires the wood to "breathe" and expand with the vibrations created in the instrument itself. I was fearful that a mute would delay that process by decreasing the amount of vibration in the wood. And... I received an answer from him! He said I am correct to worry and that, since I practice about 1.5-2 hours a day X 5 days/week, my violin (a student-grade Samuel Eastman) should be fully developed in approximately 1.5 years. I have been studying now for about 6 months, so the neighbours will have to suffer for another year!Just something to think about if your instrument is new!

This mute is functions by decreasing the vibrations of the bridge when playing, in turn reducing the volume of sound being produced. I like the fact that the rubber feet do absolutely no damage to the bridge, and the mute is light enough that you can leave it on while putting the instrument down for a break without fear of accidentally moving the bridge.As far as dampening power is concerned, I did a little test. Playing as loud as I could from 3 feet away, I measured the volume with an app on my phone. Here are the results:-No mute: 81dB average with 84 dB peak-Glaesel GL3834: 74dB average with 80 dB peakNow, these are logarithmic units, so the difference is misleading - the actual sound level is doubled every three units. Without the mute is actually more than 4x louder than with the mute.Ok, so numbers don't lie. However, the real test was if my practicing bothered my wife. According to her, she could still hear it from the other room when the house was very quiet - however the attacks sounded less sharp and it the sound was altogether quieter and less noticeable.The one thing that bothers me about this mute (and the reason I gave it 4 stars), is the change in timbre of my violin when it's on. Everything is quieter, but the sound is not just softer, it's also rubbery sounding. It reminds me of trying to talk through an inflated basketball. Don't expect your violin to sound bright and open while using it. Overall, a pretty minor downside if this thing is helping you keep the peace at home!