a mute to almost completely silent a double bass?

[vier-personen]

I wasn´t sure where this topic would belong, so I posted it into "basses". feel free to move it!


I am looking for some kind of mute to make double bass almost completely silent while practicing. this is because I have a new job where I have almost nothing todo except to answer 3 or 4 phone calls in 8 hours, so I could use the time to practice. but I would need this mute because this is at night.
anyone can suggest something? thanks!

[Aaron Cohn]

There are practice mutes available that look like big rubber combs that go on the bridge. They make the bass significantly quieter, especially with the bow. But almost completely silent? No, unfortunately. That's the best I know of.

[TimoMetzemakers]

If you add mass to one of those rubber practice mutes, their effectiveness will increase.

I have a small vise for soldering cables that weighs 1 lb. I fastened it onto the mute on a whim, and the volume of my bass was drastically reduced.

[vier-personen]

thanks guys! I have one of these rubber mutes (the round one) already, but it doesn´t mute much really.
but the vise is a great idea, easy to attach also! I´m heading to the hardware store....


now I remember how I put a 9V battery on the bridge, the sound was altered in an interesting way.

[billyfalconer]

Originally Posted by vier-personen

I am looking for some kind of mute to make double bass almost completely silent while practicing.

There's an existing fairly long thread on this subject.

[Aaron Cohn]

Originally Posted by vier-personen

thanks guys! I have one of these rubber mutes (the round one) already, but it doesn´t mute much really.

The practice mutes are different from the round orchestral mutes, and will mute a bit more. Here's an example. Timo Metzemakers has a good idea here as well.

[Ed Fuqua]

Are you practicing pizz or arco? If it's pizz, just get a dishtowel (dry of course) or small hand towel and roll it into a long "rope" like you were going to pop someone with it, and weave that over and under and over and under the strings just above the bridge (in between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard). This will mute the strings so that you can practice (pizz) without being heard but will still be able to hear the pitch ofthe note you are playing. This has been good for playing in hotel rooms at night or in the apartment after Kate has gone to sleep...

[vier-personen]

thanks for the replies!

the practice mute: I remember at when I was at the shop buying the mute and they didn´t have anything in stock to try and they let me decide which one to order. I chose the round one without thinking about it much. wrong decision I guess!

I thought of the towel between the strings as well, and it works quite ok, but I am still searching for something that won´t affect the feel that much. If I find something I will keep you updated!
I will start with Timos vise idea... or is it a wise idea?