Beginner Violin Tips

What Is Violin Rosin and Why Do I Need It?

Violin rosin is an essential item that you need before you can start to play the violin (you will not be able to play without it).

Violin rosin is a hardened tree sap that you apply to your violin bow before every other practice in order to give it the necessary grip when drawing the bow across the strings on your violin. Without it, the bow simply slides across the string without grabbing it, producing very little sound.

Rosins come in a variety of colors from light to dark. The differences between rosins are usually subtle, but generally speaking, light rosins produce a smoother sound, while dark rosins (stickier) produce a bigger sound.

Recommended Light Rosin: Pirastro Goldflex Rosin
Recommended Dark Rosin: The Original Hill Dark Rosin

While most violinists go with lighter colored rosins, there are several considerations you should make depending upon your circumstances. Because rosin is inexpensive, it is probably best to try a few before settling on the one that is right for you.

The Top 4 Things To Consider Before Buying Violin Rosin

Here are the top things to keep in mind:

1. Climate
   As a rule of thumb, if you live in a humid climate, you most likely should choose a lighter rosin, as humid climates make rosin even stickier than usual. The opposite is true in dry climates.
2. Dust Tolerance
   Over time as you play, rosin dust accumulates on your violin that you will periodically need to wipe away with a soft cloth (there are special violin polishing cloths you can get specifically for this purpose).Lighter violin rosin tends to produce more dust (i.e. you must clean your violin more frequently) than dark rosins, while dark rosins can take more time to wipe away when cleaning your violin (again, because they are stickier). The difference is subtle, but if you are sensitive to dust you may want to select a darker rosin to cut down on the amount of dust in the air.
3. Allergies
   Some people are allergic to violin rosin. In this case, you can buy a hypoallergenic rosin which should reduce or eliminate the problem.
4. Packaging
   Oddly enough, packaging can make a big difference in the usability of the rosin over time.There is a popular form of rosin packaging that comes in a rectangular wooden block. This is commonly used for young players because it makes it a little easier to apply the rosin to the bow. However, unless you have coordination issues, we strongly recommend against this type of packaging, opting instead for a round or square shape.This is important because with wood block rectangular packaging, over time you will wear a groove in the rosin, shortening the amount of time it will stay usable, as eventually it will break into pieces and fall out of the container.

   Furthermore, we recommend getting rosin in robust packaging that can withstand shocks of traveling in your violin case, as it will be less likely to fracture prematurely, and will therefore last longer.

After reading these guidelines, you probably already know which type of violin rosin you are leaning toward. If not, a perfectly good option is to get more than one type. Use one of them for a month or more and then switch and see if you prefer the first or the second type.

Our Recommendations

Our Favorite Light Rosin

Our Favorite Dark Rosin