damper for violins?

[Gabriel]

Hey,

a friend of mine just bought herself a fiddle and wants to start off with learning...but the fiddle is too loud for her flat (she says). So I thought, a damper for the violin would make a nice christmas present...I know these pieces for cellos and double basses, but are there violin/fiddle dampers, too? I couldn't find anything on ebay and in my usual music shops, but if it works with cellos, why not with fiddles? If they exist: where to buy?

Thanks for your thoughts!
Greetings,
G.



PS: I know that there's a chance to misunderstand that gift ("you play so awful, so here is a damper for making that screechy thing more quiet!" ), but I discussed the problem with her and I really think she won't misunderstand that.

[rh]

you can find some examples here. where to buy in Europe, i have no idea...

[Doug_Tipple]

Any good music store should have a variety of violin mutes. I would steer away from the ones made from metal or wood, as they might damage the bridge. I like the rubber practice mute, shown in the photo from Elderly. It will really dampen the sound. Also, try using a wooden clothes pin (the kind with a steel spring) attached to the bridge. I have one that I glued pennies to in order to add additional weight. It looks a little strange, but who cares when you are practicing.

[dubhlinn]

I was about to suggest the clothes peg but Doug got there first

It ain't pretty but it is very effective .

Slan,
D.

[peteinmn]

What Doug and Dub said.

A friend I play with uses a clothes pin every Wednesday night when we practice. I think it's cool in a scrufty looking kind of way and works very well.

-

[Darwin]

you can find some examples here. where to buy in Europe, i have no idea...

I have the Roth Sliding Violin Mute mentioned in rh's link.



The advantage is that it's adjustable. It mounts on the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece, and can be slid up so that the weights are just about on top of the bridge, way back by the tailpiece, or anywhere in between. The closer it is to the tailpiece, the more effect it has. When it's back by the tailpiece it has little or no effect.

A possible disadvantage is that you can't remove it without loosening the strings. However, the fiddle is quite loud enough with the mute slid back by the tailpiece.

I've had mine on my fiddle for 20 years or more, and haven't had any problems with it. Before that, I had a three-pronged chrome mute that worked well, but it was all or nothing. Once I got the Roth, I cut off two of the prongs on the chrome one and started using it as a banjo mute.

[Denny]

The closer it is to the tailpiece, the more effect it has. When it's back by the tailpiece it has little or no effect.

editor, we need an editor...

[Doug_Tipple]

The closer it is to the tailpiece, the more effect it has. When it's back by the tailpiece it has little or no effect.

editor, we need an editor...

Mike meant to say that the closer the mute is to the bridge the more effect it will have in dampening the sound.

Here is another terrific mute that I forgot to mention. It is called the Mouse-tro mute and is an orchestra mute shaped like a mouse dressed in a tuxedo.
http://www.swstrings.com/Store/SiteSearchResult.jsp

[Darwin]

The closer it is to the tailpiece, the more effect it has. When it's back by the tailpiece it has little or no effect.

editor, we need an editor...

Mike meant to say that the closer the mute is to the bridge the more effect it will have in dampening the sound.

There you go, putting words into my mouth. Fortunately, they were the right words.

[greenspiderweb]

This is kind of interesting, since a lot of times I don't practice, living in an apartment, when neighbors are around.

I do have a metal banjo mute with the 3 prongs that deadens the sound quite a lot, but, it's not exactly a sound I like to hear! To my way of thinking, if you can't hear a pleasurable tone from a musical instrument, it's not something I will be motivated to play, or practice for the matter, either.

Mike mentioned the sliding Roth mute, that can mute at different degrees. Does it still produce a nice tone if it is used a certain way?

Are there other mutes that allow you to get a decent tone while muting?

[meemtp]

I use a Tourte type, it's actually a performance mute, but will cut quite a bit of volume while preserving some tone. When I really need it quiet, I use the "Ultra" mute. It's rubber and slides over the entire bridge. One drawback to using a mute however: In addition to tone suppression, the way the strings behave and respond under the bow is altered, beware of practicing with a mute all the time as it will actually hinder.

[greenspiderweb]

I use a Tourte type, it's actually a performance mute, but will cut quite a bit of volume while preserving some tone. When I really need it quiet, I use the "Ultra" mute. It's rubber and slides over the entire bridge. One drawback to using a mute however: In addition to tone suppression, the way the strings behave and respond under the bow is altered, beware of practicing with a mute all the time as it will actually hinder.

Thanks, Corin, I think I will try one, along with couple others, since they are cheap enough to experiment.

Yes, that is a good point about bowing being affected, as you compensate for using the mute when you bow. So, as you suggest, it's not good to use a mute all the time.

But, there is a benefit too, to using a mute, in that it lets you feel free to let your bowing be as expressive as possible, not worrying about the volume of the fiddle and anyone nearby being distrubed.

Anyone else have a mute that lets the tone come through some, without the volume?

[Darwin]

Mike mentioned the sliding Roth mute, that can mute at different degrees. Does it still produce a nice tone if it is used a certain way?

The closer it is to the bridge, the more high overtones get cut out. It's a bit like the Dobroish sound you get with a mute on the banjo, but not unpleasant. In fact, I used mine mainly not to make my fiddle quieter, but to reduce my scratchy tortured-cat tone.

[greenspiderweb]

Thanks, Mike. It is on my shopping list-sounds like it will make me enjoy playing more when it is muted.

[Doug_Tipple]

Mike mentioned the sliding Roth mute, that can mute at different degrees. Does it still produce a nice tone if it is used a certain way?

The closer it is to the bridge, the more high overtones get cut out. It's a bit like the Dobroish sound you get with a mute on the banjo, but not unpleasant. In fact, I used mine mainly not to make my fiddle quieter, but to reduce my scratchy tortured-cat tone.

Do you mean that the scratchy tortured-cat tone is not supposed to be there?