Rosin

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Rick Auvil

Ken's description, "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" validates something I wondered about.
I noticed our principal bassist applying his rosin in exactly the manner Ken described. I started doing this with various brands and have found much success with Carlsson and Pirastro (medium). This technique seems to give me a nice, even grab. Is there a specific reason for applying it in the "frog to tip" direction?

Yes, because the stickier Bass Rosin will pull enough to break the hairs for one. Second, the dominant stroke with the Bow is a down stroke so why not Rosin in the same direction? Down stroke always and only with Bass Rosin. It's just how I learned..

[Joel Larsson]

Also, since nearer to the frog is most player's favourite spot, it wears off quicker there, and sweeps from the frog to the tip naturally applies a little more there, because of your natural arm weight. Also, long strokes eliminates any irregularities that might be the result of more ferocious rubbing in the the hair. That's how I learned it. Although, I think I've also heard that the dustier and harder brands might call for more "rubbing", but any hard cakes have proven themselves quite unplayable back home in Scandinavia so I've yet to actually try a really hard rosin. (What I also learned from one of my teachers was that you can apply just a little extra at the tip, to improve the grip out there - but be careful; as Ken said, the tip is where the hair tends to come loose.)

An update on how my rosin voyage is proceeding:
I really loved the Liebenzeller Metall-Kolophonoum - the really expensive one with gold and meteoric iron dust in it - as it had a very versatile sound that allowed you to take full advantage of the dynamics of the instrument, but when I got a week in an orchestra I found that despite my hopes and my efforts, it just wouldn't produce the loudness and bite that is kind of essential in a small-size section playing Romanti symphonies... hopefully, if I ever get that other bow of mine back from the repairman, I could use one bow for solo/chamber/Classical playing and one for the heavier duties.
Also, if you have an instrument of a really high grade, where you don't have to work so much for the loud, ringing notes, I think that the Liebenzeller would make you enjoy yourself even more.

Anyways, so I immediately changed to Petz Premium, which is probably as close to Pops you can come without adding artificials. Really nice bite, quite good tone (although not as sweet as the Liebenzeller or Gaston Brohan's Oak) it really is a Pops without the rough edges, so to speak. Like Pops, it leaves gunk rather than dust on the strings, but thankfully, not as much and so far it's stayed away from the table. It sizzles a bit, which the Liebenzeller didn't, but again, not as much as Pops.