 Simply put No rosin= No sound. Rosin creates friction between the horsehair of the bow and the metal strings of the instrument, giving stringed instruments their tone and sound output. Luthiers (violin makers) call rosin, colophon or colophoy, which is a name that was derived from the ancient city of Colophon in Lydia. This city produced a high-grade of resin for medical procedures. Production: Have you ever eaten a waffle or a stack of pancakes? What do you usually put on top? Maple Syrup? Yeah! Well….rosin is a bit like maple syrup. Or at least it is collected in much the same process. Rosin is a resin collected from one of 110 different pine trees throughout Europe, Asia, North America, and New Zealand. It is drawn from living trees in a tapping process, kind of like maple syrup. A tree’s outer bark is removed, a V-shaped groove about 1 cm wide is cut above a drip channel, a drip channel is inserted into the tree, and then a continuous flow of the rosin drips into a container. There are many different types and brands of rosin. Tree saps are mixed together in specialized formulas and most rosin recipes are very secret. The final step is to purify by straining and heating it in large vats. It is then poured into molds and sets for about 30 minutes. The final step is to smooth down and polish the product and then pack it away with a cloth or into a container. Color: If the tree resin is collected in late winter or early spring it will be gold/amber. If collected in summer or fall, the color will be darker. TYPES 1. Student-grade: often cheaper, grittier sound, and more powder produced. 2. Professional-grade: created from a purer resin and generally smoother more controlled tone is produced. -- 1. Light: Violinists usually use lighter colored rosin that has been collected in late winter/early spring. The rosin is harder and if you live in a more humid/ warm climate Light rosin is preferred especially for higher strings. 2. Dark: Lower stringed instruments (like cellists) usually use Dark rosin. It produces a grittier and deeper sound. It is softer and can become sticky in hot and humid weather. If you live in a dry and cool climate Dark rosin is softer and is better suited to you. Those are just the basic types. Some brands have different metals mixed into their makeup to produce different types of sounds. Your Rosin: Woodblock rosins are good for beginners because they are easier to get a hang of. Try some different ones out and see what you prefer. It may change over time and change with the instruments and bows you use. Just be sure to not overdo it on the rosin. You shouldn’t be seeing puffs of white dust rising every time you swipe your bow across the string. : ) To prevent rosin build-up keep a cotton cloth in your case and after each practice session or performance wipe down the strings and wood underneath. My Rosin: I am currently using a Pirastro Olive Rosin. I like it so far but will probably switch it up in the future just to experiment. It should last you a long time though. So don't worry about spending loads of money trying a plethora of different brands. Aren't trees just amazing? Enjoy your Maple Syrup & Experiment with that Rosin! Larissa Information for this post from the link below: http://www.allthingsstrings.com/Bows/CARE-MAINTENANCE/The-Differences-Between-Dark-and-Amber-Rosin http://www.pirastro.com/public_pirastro/pages/en/Rosin/
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Hello students, family, and friends! I will be performing in a Holland Symphony Concert next weekend. We will be playing a medley from the Disney movie 'Frozen' amongst other holiday and Christmas classics. It would be fantastic to have some of you come out and support the HSO and enjoy some great music. Hope you all are enjoying December so far!   It is winter in Michigan! Guess what that means? It is cold. This extreme weather can be harmful to wooden stringed instruments. The weather and humidity changes can affect the wood drastically. When the weather is cold the dryness in the air causes the wood to contract and be more brittle which makes it more difficult to keep in tune. The wooden pegs in the peg box do not fit as well as they did in the summer when it was humid out.
Winter can cause: -body cracking -pegs slipping -seams separating -bow warping -strings losing tension SOLUTIONS: 1. Do not leave your violin out of its case when you are not practicing. 2. Do not leave your violin in a cold car for long periods of time. (no more than 15-20 minutes) 3. Use a humidifier/hygrometer in your violin case. - The humidity should remain between 40% and 60% to avoid cracking 4. Purchase a dampit to compete with the dry air. A Dampit fits into the f-hole of the violin as pictured. They are usually around $15 at the music store. Below are a few links to where you can purchase them: Dampits.com Meyer-music.com Another and cheaper solution is to keep a damp sponge in a ziplock bag with small holes in it inside your case. If you decide to go with this option, PLEASE be careful that you squeeze the sponge before putting it into the ziplock bag. If any water leaks onto the wood of your violin it will get water damage. With these solutions you can avoid damage and costly repairs down the road. :) All the best! Larissa P.S. Email me with any other questions or concerns. :D |
AuthorLarissa Brooks Follow my studio blog for tips, tricks, & performance updates.
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