Rosin

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Kontrabass Violin

What about the application of rosin to the hair? Any particular methods people use and find more effective? What about applying rosin to good bows vs. applying rosin to bad bows?

-Trevor

I always and only make down strokes from Frog to Tip and not back and forth like you might with the 'powdery type' Violin or Cello Rosins.

Things that matter in this order (maybe) are a Good Bow, Good Hair and Good Rosin. Rosining old worn hair needs re-rosining more often. Using bad or ineffective Rosin is pointless. Trying to learn or play with a Bow less than your ability or needs is also not a good thing and I always tell people to get the best Bow they can afford and then some.

I played for 20 years professionally in NY doing just about everything BUT playing in a regular Symphony Orchestra doing all the classical works. Now that I have been playing in a two Orchestras for about 5 years or so I see now that Orchestral works are the most demanding Bow playing one can possibly do. I have learned more about Bows, Rosins and Bowing in the last 5 years then I did in my 20 years as a NY Pro. Even though I studied with 2 members or the NY Phil., I never got the chance to use all of what I knew until now. Within the last 6 months I have talked with both my former teachers to let them know this and I am sure it was good news to their ears.