Mute
A device attached to an instrument to soften its volume and alter its tone colour.
Category
performance
Pronunciation
/mjuːt/
Origin
Latin (mutus, silent)
Length
170 words · 1 min read
About Mute
Mutes work by dampening an instrument's vibrations, reducing volume and changing the timbre to something typically softer, more veiled, or nasal. On string instruments, a small clamp placed on the bridge absorbs energy from the vibrating strings, producing the characteristic silvery, distant sound marked "con sordino" in scores.
More performance terms
Mano destra
View all performanceterms →Play with the right hand, used primarily in keyboard music
FlautandoProduce a flute-like tone by bowing lightly near the fingerboard
DivisiDivided — string players in the same section split into two or more groups playing different notes
PhrasingThe way a performer shapes a musical sentence by controlling dynamics, timing, and articulation to convey its structure.
TacetSilent — an instruction that a performer or section does not play during a movement or passage
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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →