I think I need to find a new rosin, so I thought I'd come here and get your opinions.
I am a classically trained violinist, but I spend most of my time playing bluegrass, folk, and other forms of improvisational music.
I've noticed lately that when I've been having to rosin my bow an AWFUL lot...like every other song, in fact! It's just gone. I've used the same rosin for several years and never had this problem. But now it's not helping me. When I suspected this was the problem, I dabbed a part of my bow with a dark cloth...nothing came off on it! I had just rosined my bow, played one song, and then there was nothing (and I do rosin quite liberally sometimes, but still have the same problem no matter how much or little I use).
The bow was re-haired in Dec. by a professional. I didn't notice this problem until about June.
I like dark rosins, so if anyone has any suggestions I would certainly appreciate them (or even tips on what might be happening).
Well, if your bow isn't picking up rosin, it's either a problem with:
1) your bowhair
2) your rosin cake
3) how you apply the rosin to the bow
Do you have a different bow you could try?
Do you have a different cake of rosin you could try?
First of all, clean your violin strings of any residual rosin.
If you're getting any decent tone off the bow at all, your bow must be holding SOME rosin (otherwise it would sound like an angry nest of mice). I'm surprised that you saw nothing on the cloth.
Did you have this problem before the bow was rehaired? If so, it's probably your rosin cake that's gone bad (though I've never heard of this happening).
Did the bow-rehairer dust your bow with rosin dust after (s)he rehaired it? If (s)he didn't, then I expect you would need to rosin it quite a bit longer at first, in order to get the proper friction on the hair for normal rosining effect (this might be your problem, but see the comment about angry mice above).
If you point your bow up at a light source, and look down the hairs of the bow (on the side that touches the string) towards the light, is the surface shiny or matte? Rosin dust is not very reflective. A properly-rosined bow should be about as shiny as a sheet of notebook paper. If the hairs are shinier than a sheet of writing paper, the bow needs more rosin.
If you play a lot (say, more than 20 hours a week), you may be ready for another re-hair. Or at least cleaning the hair. Six to eight months is about as long as I can go without needing a rehair.
I know this isn't really answering you question, and i'm sorry, but it's sorta having to do with the topic. But, how do you know if you need your bow re-haired? I was just wondering...
For me, it's always a bit of a guess. But when my bow has been played a lot for 6 months or so, no amount of cleaning and rosining gives me the feel and grip on the string that I want. The tone starts to go glassy and thin. That's when I rehair the bow.
I use alcohol wipes to clean my strings off between the bridge and fingerboard nearly every time after playing. This prevents rosin from building up on the strings and producing the same sort of thin, glassy tone. And I wipe excess rosin off my bow with a soft cloth every now and then, so the hair isn't caked full of old rosin.
Likewise - keeping your strings clean is half the battle.
Have you ever tried a lighter rosin? It's a bit more powdery and might leave more residue... (if we're talking brand names, Pirastro Gold works for me)
I am somewhat meticulous about keeping everything clean. I wipe the strings off every time I'm done (and the instrument) because it can get very humid here and that rosin dust when it builds up into like a thin layer of pancake syrup if you leave it on the instrument (from the moisture in the air) and it eats away at the finish.
The bow leaves the residue on the strings after I put it on, but then after playing a tune or two, I'm all slippery and slidey again (and starting to sound like those mice). I do look at the hairs when that happens (looking for that dull finish), and they're all shiny.
What kind of bow hair do you like? That might be part of the problem. I don't know much about that stuff. I think what's on my bow is Russian(?) but I don't know what was on there before he rehaired it (and he did dust it for me, but I play so much that by now that shouldn't be an issue).
Have you changed the type of rosin you're using? Even briefly? Sometimes one rosin won't glom on to the hair very well if a different (particularly lighter) rosin is already on the hair. For this reason, I'm leery about loaning my rosin out to others. They wipe their old rosin onto my cake, and then I'm not getting my rosin. Same with other people's bows running on your strings--it can deposit a different grade of rosin on the strings.
Usually, over time and additional rosining, the problems from this go away, but it can be unpleasant for a while.
How many hours a week do you play, on average? You may be just due for a rehair.
Unlike Georgi, I *have* had rosin cakes which have 'gone off'' and just won't work any more. So, a cheap experiment would be to buy a new cake.
Sometimes, in very hot and humid conditions, the rosin that I use just stops working, even though I've put enough on the bow. I suspect that this happens more with some makes than with others. I use Jade rosin. What make do you use, LivingDedGrrl?
Interesting Benhall, I use Jade and I didn't have any problems with it for a month and a half in India during monsoon season (although my fingerboard fell off).
I suspect it's time for a rehair. I was taught to go every six months or so if I'm playing a lot, which seems to fit the time table for when the rosin stopped sticking. At any rate, a rehair after eight months might do you good no matter what. The big problem could be the rosin though, so you may also want to try another cake.
Hmmm, jasonb ... perhaps it's a rosin/bow combination thing?
Anyway, to answer keelin, the answer is 'too bloody much'! Where I take my bows, which also involves a 50 mile drive each way, just to add to the cost, the rehair itself costs £45. People tell me I can get it done cheaper, but I've tried once or twice over the years and concluded 'Never again' ...
Possibly. It does seem strange for there to be a sudden drop off in sound quality. I never really notice as my bow hair wears out, it's just gradual. Does anyone know about hair quality? I assume that its variable, but I don't know anything about it.
Jessica, what sort of professional rehaired your bow? Violin shop tech or bow maker or massive music store employee? If it was a bow maker, for example, then it may well not be the hair.
Rosin woes
Rosin woes
I think I need to find a new rosin, so I thought I'd come here and get your opinions.
I am a classically trained violinist, but I spend most of my time playing bluegrass, folk, and other forms of improvisational music.
I've noticed lately that when I've been having to rosin my bow an AWFUL lot...like every other song, in fact! It's just gone. I've used the same rosin for several years and never had this problem. But now it's not helping me. When I suspected this was the problem, I dabbed a part of my bow with a dark cloth...nothing came off on it! I had just rosined my bow, played one song, and then there was nothing (and I do rosin quite liberally sometimes, but still have the same problem no matter how much or little I use).
The bow was re-haired in Dec. by a professional. I didn't notice this problem until about June.
I like dark rosins, so if anyone has any suggestions I would certainly appreciate them (or even tips on what might be happening).
Thank you
~Jessica~
# Posted on August 13th 2008 by LivingDedGrrl
Re: Rosin woes
Well, if your bow isn't picking up rosin, it's either a problem with:
1) your bowhair
2) your rosin cake
3) how you apply the rosin to the bow
Do you have a different bow you could try?
Do you have a different cake of rosin you could try?
First of all, clean your violin strings of any residual rosin.
If you're getting any decent tone off the bow at all, your bow must be holding SOME rosin (otherwise it would sound like an angry nest of mice). I'm surprised that you saw nothing on the cloth.
Did you have this problem before the bow was rehaired? If so, it's probably your rosin cake that's gone bad (though I've never heard of this happening).
Did the bow-rehairer dust your bow with rosin dust after (s)he rehaired it? If (s)he didn't, then I expect you would need to rosin it quite a bit longer at first, in order to get the proper friction on the hair for normal rosining effect (this might be your problem, but see the comment about angry mice above).
If you point your bow up at a light source, and look down the hairs of the bow (on the side that touches the string) towards the light, is the surface shiny or matte? Rosin dust is not very reflective. A properly-rosined bow should be about as shiny as a sheet of notebook paper. If the hairs are shinier than a sheet of writing paper, the bow needs more rosin.
# Posted on August 13th 2008 by Georgi
Re: Rosin woes
If you play a lot (say, more than 20 hours a week), you may be ready for another re-hair. Or at least cleaning the hair. Six to eight months is about as long as I can go without needing a rehair.
# Posted on August 13th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Rosin woes
I know this isn't really answering you question, and i'm sorry, but it's sorta having to do with the topic. But, how do you know if you need your bow re-haired? I was just wondering...
# Posted on August 14th 2008 by keelin
Re: Rosin woes
For me, it's always a bit of a guess. But when my bow has been played a lot for 6 months or so, no amount of cleaning and rosining gives me the feel and grip on the string that I want. The tone starts to go glassy and thin. That's when I rehair the bow.
I use alcohol wipes to clean my strings off between the bridge and fingerboard nearly every time after playing. This prevents rosin from building up on the strings and producing the same sort of thin, glassy tone. And I wipe excess rosin off my bow with a soft cloth every now and then, so the hair isn't caked full of old rosin.
# Posted on August 14th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Rosin woes
Likewise - keeping your strings clean is half the battle.
Have you ever tried a lighter rosin? It's a bit more powdery and might leave more residue... (if we're talking brand names, Pirastro Gold works for me)
# Posted on August 14th 2008 by Purfling
Re: Rosin woes
I am somewhat meticulous about keeping everything clean. I wipe the strings off every time I'm done (and the instrument) because it can get very humid here and that rosin dust when it builds up into like a thin layer of pancake syrup if you leave it on the instrument (from the moisture in the air) and it eats away at the finish.
The bow leaves the residue on the strings after I put it on, but then after playing a tune or two, I'm all slippery and slidey again (and starting to sound like those mice). I do look at the hairs when that happens (looking for that dull finish), and they're all shiny.
What kind of bow hair do you like? That might be part of the problem. I don't know much about that stuff. I think what's on my bow is Russian(?) but I don't know what was on there before he rehaired it (and he did dust it for me, but I play so much that by now that shouldn't be an issue).
It and Eastman.
# Posted on August 14th 2008 by LivingDedGrrl
Re: Rosin woes
Couple possibilities come to mind:
Have you changed the type of rosin you're using? Even briefly? Sometimes one rosin won't glom on to the hair very well if a different (particularly lighter) rosin is already on the hair. For this reason, I'm leery about loaning my rosin out to others. They wipe their old rosin onto my cake, and then I'm not getting my rosin. Same with other people's bows running on your strings--it can deposit a different grade of rosin on the strings.
Usually, over time and additional rosining, the problems from this go away, but it can be unpleasant for a while.
How many hours a week do you play, on average? You may be just due for a rehair.
Did your bow hair get into something oily?
# Posted on August 14th 2008 by Will CPT
Re: Rosin woes
Two thoughts:
Unlike Georgi, I *have* had rosin cakes which have 'gone off'' and just won't work any more. So, a cheap experiment would be to buy a new cake.
Sometimes, in very hot and humid conditions, the rosin that I use just stops working, even though I've put enough on the bow. I suspect that this happens more with some makes than with others. I use Jade rosin. What make do you use, LivingDedGrrl?
# Posted on August 14th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Rosin woes
Interesting Benhall, I use Jade and I didn't have any problems with it for a month and a half in India during monsoon season (although my fingerboard fell off).
I suspect it's time for a rehair. I was taught to go every six months or so if I'm playing a lot, which seems to fit the time table for when the rosin stopped sticking. At any rate, a rehair after eight months might do you good no matter what. The big problem could be the rosin though, so you may also want to try another cake.
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by jasonb
Re: Rosin woes
How much do re-hairings typically cost? again, sorry I'm not helping.
# Posted on August 15th 2008 by keelin
Re: Rosin woes
Hmmm, jasonb ... perhaps it's a rosin/bow combination thing?
Anyway, to answer keelin, the answer is 'too bloody much'! Where I take my bows, which also involves a 50 mile drive each way, just to add to the cost, the rehair itself costs £45. People tell me I can get it done cheaper, but I've tried once or twice over the years and concluded 'Never again' ...
# Posted on August 16th 2008 by benhall.1
Re: Rosin woes
Possibly. It does seem strange for there to be a sudden drop off in sound quality. I never really notice as my bow hair wears out, it's just gradual. Does anyone know about hair quality? I assume that its variable, but I don't know anything about it.
Jessica, what sort of professional rehaired your bow? Violin shop tech or bow maker or massive music store employee? If it was a bow maker, for example, then it may well not be the hair.
# Posted on August 16th 2008 by jasonb