“The reviews of this product don't even give it justice on just how quiet it actually is!! Even my music teacher was surprised. I travel a lot for work so it means I can practice in my motel room without bothering anyone.”
“This mute offers a bit more volume reduction than the cheaper rubber one. I can practice at home without damaging my hearing and annoying the neighbours.”
“The mute leaves a slight dark residue on the bridge and initially cannot be pushed down onto the bridge far enough, making it difficult to see where you are bowing. Though it can be easily fixed if the grips are slightly pried open or when the rubber part is worn down with an object similar to the bridge's size (eg. a $2 coin or the end of a wooden clothes peg ) in order to fit nicely. Besides this, the mute is excellent for practice as it considerably reduces volume.”
“I bought it after not using my violin for a few years so that I could start practising again... I would recommend making sure your bridge is not old and bent before using! I haven't used it yet because I still need to fix my bridge but it looks like it will!”
“As a metal mute it dampens the sound really well, and as an added bonus the rubber coating means less risk of damage to your violin. An all-round perfect mute for quiet practice wherever you are.”
“Finally a mute that will dampen the sound of your playing considerably without scratching a scraping your bridge. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because it blocks the view of the strings enough to where I can't see if my bow is in the right position or not. You can push the mute all the way down or unscrew it to loosen it but when the mute is pushed all the way until it's flat on the bridge I find the sound quality is not that good anymore. However if you've been playing for years I doubt you'll experience this issue. Overall a very nice mute and with the extra few dollars”
“This is a really great mute for a more discreet practice. It softens the sound without losing any of the detail within the music. Great to finally see a metal mute with rubber casing, definitely much better for my violin!”
“A practice mute is a must-have for most string musicians. They are essential for practising when traveling, when needing to play during antisocial hours or for being near-inaudible to neighbours and housemates. As well as preventing damaged relationships with those around you, this Artino mute prevents damage to both your sound and your instrument. 100% rubber practice mutes can leave a rather unpleasant and distorted tone if applied firmly enough to dampen sound adequately. Metal practice mutes have much better success here, but are liable to cause damage to the body of the instrument if they slip or are dropped. The Artino combines the benefits of both types of mutes. It produces a dampened sound that won't make you shudder, but yet a little safer if accidentally dropped and gentler on the bridge than other metal mutes.
Although the cost is more than for rubber mutes, the benefits from being able to find more satisfying practice hours in a day and the costs saved from preventing instrument damage (thinking of youngsters here especially) are well worth the cost. It is best not to apply the mute too hard to the bridge as it can still leave subtle indentations despite the rubber coating, and such pressure is not necessary. A word of caution: ensure the mute is removed before accidentally shutting the instrument case.”
