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A member has been requesting information on rosins in the the chat roll. I decided to start a topic strictly for rosins for your violin strings. It would be helpful if that in any replies, you mentioned the climate the rosin is being used in, and maybe the string.
I know it had been discussed before, but different people bring different experience and there may be new brands of rosin or strings it is used on.
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The "member with a question" was me.
Currently I've only got experience with Holstein Premium which appears to be a dark rosin.
I live near Los Angeles on the coast. When I started playing in Nov last year the rosin was working. It's now late spring and the temps are going up from the high 50's to low 60's we get over the winter months. In August the temps will be 100's for a few weeks then start to cool off. Humidity levels here over the summer can go through the roof due to fog and retrograde (reverse weather pattern) monsoonal flows which cause desert thunderstorms due to hot moist air from the Gulf of Mexico hitting the dry desert air. The storms are amazing but the weeks of super high humidity suck.
Right now the Holstein seems to be starting to get goopy. There's not as much dust on the body of the violin as it used to produce and there's a lot more string buildup that a microfiber cloth doesn't get off the strings when I wipe them down after practice. Average day-time temps are in the high 70's with low humidity. That will start to change by the end of this month as the seasonal fog layer moves in off the ocean and the humidity goes up. Some mornings it will be 90% or higher. Temps in June will go from 70's to 80's, July to 90's, and August to 100+.
Based on the other thread Emily linked to, I'm guessing that an Amber is in my immediate future. Any recommendations given the temps/humidity I'm looking at in August?
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You will probably have to get different rosins for the different seasonal changes. I have been in the LA, Santa Monica, Burbank and Ventura areas quite a bit, although, I probably won’t be there again. The people I visited moved out of CA last Fall. I have been there in the Spring, Summer and Fall.
I would think that if you have A/C the seasonal changes might not matter much after you find a rosin that works. There is no perfect rosin. But, if you play elsewhere and outside, you might have to adjust for that.
I don’t think you will like Yumba, based in what you have said. I tried it, as I stated in the other thread, but it was gummy. I think, based on what you said, and my visits to that area, you won’t either.
I do like my Arcos violin rosin (red round box- but double check). I think you play violin, right? Not viola? If you do viola, you would want the one for viola/cello (blue round box - but double check) This brand, for me, does not have interchangeability between viola/cello use and violin use.
I have used the Jade, came with my first cello. Hate it. Way too dusty.
I have used or use the following:
Kaplan dark - I like this, but I don’t need one that dark right now
Fiddlerman Select - I also like this one
Premium Holstein - I like
P. Guillaume - I liked this. I dropped it and shattered it. Did not want the sharp edges rubbing my strings. It was almost gone, so I trashed it. It was given to my by the luthier I go to.
Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold - Amber color. I like this but can’t use it in the winter or after the A/C is on. I can only use it in Spring and Fall.
Yumba - I hate - that is not to say others might not like it.
Jade - too dusty
I was given 3G Magic Rosin as a promotion giveaway with another product. Not a fan. No grip. Gooped the strings. It is see through.
I hope this helps. You may have to try a few. You will also might find some string brands react differently with different rosins. It is really hit and miss, just like everything else.
Pay attention to what people say about their climate, string reaction, A/C, playing outside, etc when reading what people say about their experiences and use their conditions/climate compared to your own conditions where you play.
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@RDP I like Hill Light and can't imagine you'd be disappointed with it.
Guillaume is dark amber, and I'm not sure what it would be like in a hot humid climate.
Andrew
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@Mouse
Yes, I play violin. That is, I say I play violin, the reality is slightly different. Ok, a lot different. Right now the only chair I'm even remotely qualified for is the one in the living room. Talking about remote, it comes with a remote...!
Playing is so much more than moving a stick across the strings to make pretty noises. Besides intonation, rhythm, tempo, ornaments, and so on, I'm finding out that it's also Rosins, climate, technique, and more.
Why did I do this to myself?
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@Gordon Shumway Thanks, I'll check it out.
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I have heard a lot of people say they like the Hill brand of rosins.
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I’ve been using Pirastro GoldFlex for about 7 years—been happy with it. But I keep my violin in a pretty consistent environment (temp, humidity), so I’ve not found the need to use anything different.
Characterize people by their actions and you will never be fooled by their words.
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RDP said
there's a lot more string buildup that a microfiber cloth doesn't get off the strings when I wipe them down after practice.
You'll need to use one of the alcohols - I use eau de cologne.
But be very careful not to get any on the violin's varnish. I hold my violin upside down in case there are any drips. Try to find some instructional videos before you do that.
Andrew
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I also put a thick cloth over the violin beneath the strings covering everything in case I drop the alcohol wipe. I use a thick one so it won’t soak through. Sometimes, I put a waterproof barrier if I can’t find a suitable cloth.
I just use the tiny little alcohol sheets.
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Here's a brand new premium rosin (40USD - non-commercial link), but I notice Fiddlershop doesn't stock Hill rosin. (Hill need to be careful they don't get sued by Harrods for stealing their colours!)
Andrew
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Here in San Diego.
I'm a newb, my wife is more experienced player. I did a bunch of research, which now I can't find. But I think I saw that a Bow maker Abe Liebhaber in San Diego, used Salchow Rosin https://fiddlershop.com/produc.....chow-rosin
We've been using Salchow for a couple years now, it seems fairly stable year round, and seems to work well for us in our climate.
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Thanks for sharing your rosin use. That will be helpful to others.
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mkogan
Never heard of that Rosin before, thanks for the info.
Mark
Master the Frog and you have mastered the bow.
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@mkogan -
Thanks for the recommendation - haven't tried it, but I like the darker rosins.
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We get few extremes of climate here in the UK, so it's hard to understand others' rosin problems. Otoh, aircon is so popular in the USA that climate is often irrelevant. If you do choose rosin according to climate, then it's the climate indoors that matters, not the climate outdoors.
Andrew
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