How to Make Violin Quieter: 8 Methods You Should Must Know!

It’s a problem that many beginning violinists might encounter: the sound of their instrument is too loud, even in their homes. The louder sound can be a source of frustration and disappointment and can often result in self-consciousness when playing. So, how to make violin quieter?

Here are some ways to make the violin quieter by using appliances. You can mute and soundproof your room, talk to your neighbor, use Silent Violin or Electric Violin, and more. 

And today I’ve come up with all the details, so let’s check out!

Why Do The Violin Need To Play Quieter?

If you’re practicing in a space with other people, you should accept that they probably aren’t interested in hearing you practice. Or they may even become annoyed with your efforts. 

If someone else is playing an instrument in the same room, you need to be considerate, or you should wait until they are finished. So, the other way is to play the violin silently. 

You have a neighbor who sleeps when you practice the violin. Or if any of your family members are trying to relax or work in a quiet environment, then your violin playing could be a nuisance. In those cases, you need to play the violin more quieter.

How To Make The Violin Quieter: Popular Using Methods

Here are the guidelines on how you can make your violin quieter.

Method:1- Using Mutes

A mute on the violin bridge helps enhance your performance without straining your hands and fingers. There are many kinds of violin mutes in the marketplace. They vary in size, materials, and purpose. The main two are standard mutes and practice mutes. 

Method:2- Plug F-Holes

F-holes are carved into violins so they can provide a resonating vocal tone. The tone is most likely to change, even in the high-pitched registers, when the f-holes are utilized. Therefore, plugging them can affect how loud a violin sounds.

Use a soft and clean cotton cloth to plug the holes, then use masking tape to cover the f-holes. Tapes of any sort should not be used to cover the f-holes, as this may destroy the varnish.

Method:3-Put Clips On The Bridge’s Sides

Put clips at the sides of the violin bridge to prevent your violin sound from distorting. However, it will still have a very loud sound, which is good if you’re in a music studio but not so good when you’re at home. 

Method:4-Use Silent Violin Or Electric Violin

You could also use an electric violin. The sound will be completely quiet, but it can still be too loud for some people or when you’re practicing in a music studio.

When you turn the volume up on an electric violin, it does not sound like an acoustic violin anymore. If you don’t want to use an electric violin and are good at playing music by ear. If you seek a quieter practice environment, you need to use silence instead of electricity in your instrument.

Method:5- Make The Room Soundproof

You could try soundproofing the room if you didn’t get away from the violin. You could fit thick curtains over the windows or close any open doors. In addition, you may want to cover your floor with a thick rubber mat to prevent vibrations from escaping through your wooden floors and ceilings.

Method:6- Talk to Your Neighbor

You could also talk to your neighbor and ask them not to play music while practicing. Or you could ask them to turn the radio down or off. And also, you should be considerate of the fact that they may not be practicing at the same time as you.

Method:7- Play As Much Quiet As Possible

If you can’t get away from the violin, you could try to play as quietly as possible. If you are practicing a piece that requires lots of vibratos, then the best thing to do is turn the volume down on your acoustic violin or electric violin.

Method:8- Change Your Bow Speed

Bow speed is one of the best ways to change how loud or soft your violin is. If you want to play more quietly, use a slower bow speed than usual. And if you want it to sound louder, use faster bow speed during practice sessions until you get comfortable with it and perfect your bowing technique and phrasing.

What Mutes Should Use and What Don’t?

You can use mutes, but always you do not use mutes as well.

Do’s: Use Rubber and Metal Mute

Rubber and metal practice mutes produce different tones, so you can choose the tonal quality of the violin mute you want. A rubber mute is more affordable and softer, making it less likely to damage your violin. Rubber mutes reduce the violin’s volume by up to 50 percent. If you’re looking for a practice mute made of rubber, you can go for the Eno Music Rubber Violin Practice Mute

Metal mutes are likely cheaper and can reduce mics by 80%. Nevertheless, some musicians do not consider mutes can be harmful to the bridge. Ensure the mute includes proper installation instructions and remains in position when you put it away. If you’re in love with metal mute, Mudder Metal Violin Mute  is perfect.

Don’ts: Practice Mute Always

It’s best to hold off from using the mute to the extent possible. Despite good reasons to use it, efficiency can be moderately impacted with a heavy volume or in a critical situation. As a result, it’s preferable to be moderate in your volume levels.

Why Should You Not Use The Practice Mute All The Time?

The Practice Mute is a device that creates a gentle stream of air that can be heard by your violin teacher or family members but not by others. It’s also an effective noise-canceling measure for noisy locations such as in a library, outside shops, airports, and other public areas. 

However, it does not block out all sound. The effect is not for playing the violin in a concert hall or subway but for practice and performance use. It is designed to be used as a sound-modifying device for practice. The main point is to create a good sound while playing, not to change the tone of the violin. 

When using the mute, play as if you were playing without it. It’s essential to practice this way for you to develop your good muscle memory for playing without it. That way, you’ll have a full range of expressions and dynamic variation when using the mute.

How To Make Violin Quieter Manually Without Mute?

The following are some ways to make the violin quieter manually. These methods are much more effective to play away from others, but they are not very effective against a high level of sound. While a violin is in this state, one can see its behavior change and hear the notes die out.

1. The Donut

One way to make a violin quieter is by making it vibrate inside your ear canal. It’s called the ‘doughnut’. It’s a cylindrical-shaped form of an ear plug that you can buy at most stores that sell musical instruments. Put it into your ear to replace the E cup on your earpieces. You’ll be able to feel something going on inside the ear, but should not hear any sound from the violin being played. 

2. Touch Plates

Another way to make the sound go away is by covering your ear with a piece of tissue or cloth such as a sweatshirt. It’s especially effective if you use old fabric to cover the E cup that has been removed from your violin. Don’t use tissues that are too soft because they will soak up too much sound and ruin the effectiveness of this method. 

3. Earplugs

Earplugs work similarly to donuts by placing them inside your ear canal. Wooden cylinders with holes at each end for insertion into the ear canal are hard to find. They are more effective than the donut because they are a little larger and cover a larger area of your ear canal. 

4. Muffler

Some people use mufflers, a tube with a ball at one end and a hole cut out for the E cup. It fits inside the violin and creates resistance against sound waves. Depending on the length of the tube you use, the impedance will be different. The longer the muffler, the lower it will be in impedance. For example, if you have a 4-inch muffler, you’ll get more resistance than 8 inches. You can get these in most music shops that sell instruments.

Comparison: Rubber Vs Metal Mute

Topic	Rubber Mute	Metal Mute
Sound Quality	Very dark sounding	Effective silence
Pitched tone	Higher pitched tone	Lower pitched tone
Reduce  of the volume	50%	70%
Material	Good & Soft Quality Rubber	Rubber, metal, plastic, or leather
Color	Black	Silver or Golden
Compatibility	4/4 Violin	1/2, 3/4, 4/4 Violin

Final Words

The most important thing is to practice on a regular basis. Practice as much as you can, both on your instrument and in the different ways described above. You may keep practicing until your violin sounds almost too quiet for you to hear. 

Then, when you stop practicing, it will probably sound too loud again. You may know details by scrolling up how to make the violin quieter. Happy playing!

Frequently Asked Questions