Encyclopedia >  Literature and the Arts  >  Performing Arts  >  Music: Theory, Forms, and Instruments

mute

mute (myōt) [key], in music, device designed to diminish uniformly the loudness of a musical instrument. For example, a trumpet mute is cone-shaped and fits into the instrument's bell, and a violin mute is a wooden or rubber clamp that can be attached to the bridge.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

More on mute from Fact Monster:

  • Epée, Charles Michel, Abbé de l' - Epée, Charles Michel, Abbé de l' Epée, Charles Michel, Abbé de ...
  • Thomas Braidwood - Braidwood, Thomas Braidwood, Thomas, 1715–1806, English educator, grad. Univ. of Edinburgh. ...
  • Ephphatha - Ephphatha Ephphatha [Aramaic,=be opened], in the Gospel of St. Mark, words addressed by Jesus to a ...
  • Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet - Gallaudet, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Thomas Hopkins , 1787–1851, American educator of the ...
  • René Victor Auberjonois - Auberjonois, René Victor Auberjonois, René Victor , 1872–1957, Swiss artist. ...

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Music: Theory, Forms, and Instruments