page_title: Mute (music)
section_title: Strings
hierarchical_section_title: Mute (music) / Strings
caption_attribution_description: This is a photograph of a cello's bridge, wolf tone eliminator and mute. I took this photo on March 23, 2006 with a Nikon Coolpix 3100.
context_page_description: A mute is a device fitted to a musical instrument to alter the sound produced: by affecting the timbre, reducing the volume, or most commonly both. The use of a mute is usually indicated in musical notation by the Italian direction con sordino and removed with the direction senza sordino or via sordino. The spelling sordino is standard in musical notation, but in Italian, the proper spelling is sordina.
  On string instruments of the violin family, the mute takes the form of a device attached to the bridge of the instrument, dampening vibrations and resulting in a "softer", darker and more somber sound. On the cello and double bass, a wolf mute is often attached to the G-string and on the A-string between the bridge and the tailpiece to eliminate the wolf tone. On the guitar, players may palm mute their guitars. Some instruments, such as the Fender Jaguar and the Rickenbacker 4001 and 4003 electric bass guitars have built-in string mutes.
  A variety of mutes have been used on brass instruments, most of which either squeeze inside the bell of the instrument, or are hung or clipped to the outside of the bell.
context_section_description: On string instruments of the violin family, the mute takes the form of a device attached to the bridge of the instrument, dampening vibrations and resulting in a "softer", darker and more somber sound. Usually this takes the form of a small three-prong implement made of wood or a rubber device which is attached to the top of the bridge. With wooden mutes, one prong is slid between each pair of strings. A rubber mute slides onto the end of the bridge for use and then is slid off when it is not needed.
  A famous use of string mutes is in the introduction of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. All the strings are muted (con sordini) so the sound appears to grow out of the initial discord, as if appearing from nothing. The sound is softer and more lyrical and flowing. Anything which reduces the bridge vibrations will suffice as a DIY way to mute for amateur or beginning musicians, such as spring-loaded clothes pegs, for example, have been used. A more modern invention is a mute which sits on the strings between the bridge and tailpiece of the instrument. This is slid into place right next to the bridge to produce the same effect as the detachable three-pronged mutes.
caption: A cello with a regular mute (the circular black piece) in off position, and a wolf mute (the cylindrical metal piece)
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