Without mute

As Printed on a Score

Printed over the part where muted playing ends, usually after rests long enough to remove the mute; normal tone then continues. It is the English form of senza sordino, and open does the same job in brass parts.

How Composers Use It

Make sure there is time to take the mute off; an unmuted entry straight after continuous muted playing is impractical. Write the cancellation explicitly, even when it seems obvious, because parts are read in isolation. A gradual unmuting, desk by desk, is one way to brighten a string sound by stages.

Related Terms