Double Bass practice mutes for BD.any good?

[EAME]

Good evening DB
Has anyone got an experience of those practice mutes?
are the any good at damping the sound,but still making the Bass 'playable'?

 

[MikeCanada]

I assume you are talking about the giant rubber ones with multiple "fingers" that goes over the entire top of the bridge? If so, they do make the bass quieter. How effective they are at keeping neighbours happy, I am not entirely sure. Practice mutes are great for higher instruments but because of the vibrations and the way bass instruments carry, they can be misleading on a double bass.

As for playability, they are a bit of a double edged sword. They allow you to play your instrument in situations where you wouldn't be able to, but they do not do your tone/sound any favours. When the mute comes off your articulation/dynamics especially may have suffered, because they mask those aspects of your playing. If you are in a pinch and in a hotel room or similar place where practicing without one isn't an option then go for it, but I recommend using them sparingly and finding a regularly accessible space where you can pay uninhibited.

 

[EAME]

Thanks mate.
doesnt really seem that great then,as it affects your tone,and the reason you practice is to get what is being denied hhh!
but I will check one out

 

[turf3]

I have had pretty good success with the giant rubber mute on the bridge, coupled with stuffing socks into the F holes. Neither one by itself is as effective. And, if you choose black socks, it even fits the "concert black" requirement.

 

[kdrabbit]

The rubber mutes are okay, not great. Ebony mute is a bit better, but you have to fit it correctly. Sihon mute is much more subtle but also works. Out of all of them I've been happier with the ebony mute

 

[Phil Smith]

In addition to the big rubber one, and the ebony ones, there are also mutes made from leather which work a lot better than those little torte mutes that do absolutely nothing. The ebony and leather mutes, mute but also give you a different tone.

 

[PaulCannon]

My favorite practice mute is made of leather, from leathermutes.com

Maybe too expensive, but it has the best tone of any practice mute I've used.

 

[robobass]

Seems like most of the replies don't address the OP's question. A "mute" is something you use onstage to darken the tone when the composer requests it. A "practice mute" is something you use in your flat to hopefully allow your neighbors to get on with their TV shows while you are practicing at home. Of course a practice mute destroys your tone and disrupts the bow response, but if you've got a lesson tomorrow morning and still have a lot of work to do with the left hand on "Symphonic Metamorphosis", then it can be a very valuable tool. Besides, that, look at some sort of damping barrier between the endpin and the floor. Lots of discussions on this if you do a search.

Paul, Thanks for the tip. Expensive, but possibly a very worthwhile investment for an apartment dweller. OTOH, Gollihur's rubber mute is only ten bucks.

 

[PaulCannon]

Here's a thought...

 

[Phil Smith]

That looks like a very streamlined setup.

 

[EAME]

so what is being dampened:it is the transmission of the vibration into the bridge,rather than the strings themselves?
I mean the actual strings aren't being dampened/muted,are they?nly the 'carrier' to the sound post,and secondly,blocking up the 'emmiter'/sound holes?

 

[carl h.]

Here's a thought...

View attachment 427134

You've developed a "high mass bridge"! You could make a fortune on the other side selling it as something to improve tone and sustain.

 

[PaulCannon]

so what is being dampened:it is the transmission of the vibration into the bridge,rather than the strings themselves?
I mean the actual strings aren't being dampened/muted,are they?nly the 'carrier' to the sound post,and secondly,blocking up the 'emmiter'/sound holes?

Exactly. Clamping the strings directly would basically make the instrument impossible to use. The idea with acoustic mutes is to dampen the vibrating elements on the body of the instrument. It's sort of like playing on an electric guitar unplugged.

 

[Roscoe Vahorne]

Exactly. Clamping the strings directly would basically make the instrument impossible to use. The idea with acoustic mutes is to dampen the vibrating elements on the body of the instrument. It's sort of like playing on an electric guitar unplugged.

When I want the big fella way quiet and I still need to practice I thread a bandana through the strings at the bridge. With experimentation you can still hear the pitch (though muffled) and work out the left and right hand.

 

[moles]

This might not be a popular opinion - but IME not only do those rubber mutes not really make the bass quieter, but on both mine it actually increased the low end exacerbating any issues with downstairs neighbours! I had to start experimenting with clamps etc (scarily similar to Paul's photo) to get some actual weight on the bridge. Of course by that point, any real arco response is out the window. :/

YMMV, yada yada... but be prepared to do some experimenting.

 

[Mark Gollihur]

If you put a thick pillow (like a trashpicked couch cushion) under the endpin, this should dramatically improve the situation with the downstairs neighbors.

 

[moles]

It depends on the neighbour

 

[Max Bogosity]

Failing that, apply the cushion directly to the neighbour.