Mute for mando?

[freshlyplucked]

My wife is learning to play violin, and she will often practice with a mute on the strings- simple arrangement, rubber, goes over and between the strings near the bridge. I'm wondering if anyone has seen somethiong similar for mandolin. I work a lot of hours, and practice time is usually late at night when my wife and my daughter have gone to bed. Therefore- quieter is better. On melody line stuff, it's not too bad, because playing quietly is just a matter of having some control. When I'm working on chord changes, though, I'd really like something like that mute. Any thoughts?

[mandroid]

pipecleaner woven amongst the strings on both sides of the bridge?
the same topic was just up a couple days ago..
lay your palm on the bridge, styrofoam in a can ., stuff it with popcorn..
buy a solid body electric, but no amp [maybe a headphone only preamp]

best violin mutes were a little tank of mercury, deadened them right up http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Alex Fields]

Plant your palm on the strings right in front of the front (instead of right behind where you would normally plant). It'll be a quiet, dead sound but you'll still be able to hear it.

[freshlyplucked]

Alex, Mandroid- thank you much for the tips.
I'm going to try options that avoid planting my right hand on the mando- I'm still relatively new, and based on a consensus of the advice I've received, keeping that hand floating free seems to be an important habit to form. #I'll let you know if I come up with something brilliant that is as effective and easy-on-and-off as a violin mute.

Any other suggestions- Bring 'em on!

Thanks again.

[Loren Bailey]

Try a felt pick.

Loren

[freshlyplucked]

Hey Loren,

Thanks for the advice- that's a great idea.

Very sorry about duplicating the immense thread already existing about mutes. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif Did a search for mutes before I posted, but only on the Equipment forum. ....d'oh!

Ah well, live and learn.

[Alex Fields]

1. Felt pick = good idea.

2. Free floating hand is proper right hand technique, yes, but it's okay to plant your palm (lightly) on the strings behind the bridge. Chris Thile does it all the time, for what that's worth. I don't even pay attention to whether I'm doing it: when I do plant it's light enough that I can lift or move with practically no effort, so I don't notice. In any case I don't see how planting lightly to mute is going to damage your technique unless most or all of your practice time is at night, but it's your call of course. Hope you find something that works.

[Brady Smith]

I thought a mandolin mute was called a wife?

[EdSherry]

Try attaching clothespins to either end of the bridge. You may have to shape them a little to get them to clip on right, but that's a common banjo-player's trick for muted banjo.

[Pete Martin]

I roll up a small cloth and place it under the strings at the bridge. Works fine.

[EdSherry]

I confess I hadn't thought of Petimar's suggestion, but I just tried it and it works great. #I'd strongly recommend it over alternatives such as a felt pick (which will affect your picking style) or (especially) palm damping on the bridge (ditto).

[DryBones]

I thought a mandolin mute was called a wife?
my wife is anything but a mute when I start playing my mando... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[dabowsa]

Will the pipe cleaner trick work inside the tailpiece to stop the random buzz I get down there from time to time?

[Jerry Byers]

It might, but a leather strip would eliminate the metal found in the pipe cleaner.

[psann]

dabowsa
I keep two strips of felt in the tailpiece, one under and strings and one between the string and the cover.

[dabowsa]

Great tips! Now I have a shopping mission for my lunch break - thanks guys!

[John Flynn]

The Banjo Mute, pictured at the link below, works just as well on mandos:

http://www.elderly.com/accessories/items/TMUTE-CRAN-2X.htm

You can get one at any hardware store!