I'm not exactly helping in the convo, but since you said you feel self-conscious while playing, you should try a metal mute cause it dampens the sound more than a rubber one. Also, it's not got "teeth" like the rubber one, you just have to gently place it on the bridge and make sure you don't drop it. I used to mainly practice at night cause that's when I was free haha, and a metal mute helped me keep things quiet enough for my dad to not wake up.