About resins: which one do I choose?

There are several aspects to take into account before choosing a rosin: quality, hardness, string material and climate. 

Cheaper – and therefore standard quality – rosins are often associated with a harsher sound, plus they produce more dust than professional ones. Higher quality ones, which are created from purer resins and produce a smoother, more controlled tone, tend to be much better suited to the specific needs of each player, although they are more expensive.

On the other hand, the hardness of the rosin is related to the adhesion of the bow to the string. The softer it is, the more grip it has. In this sense, violinists and violists tend to use harder and drier rosins, while cellists use medium-hard rosins and double bass players use soft rosins.

This responds to the speed of response of the strings. While violins and violas have a faster response and therefore need less grip of the bow on the string, cellos and double basses, with thicker strings, have more difficulty setting them into vibration quickly, and for this reason they need softer rosins, with greater gripping power. 

We cannot talk about hardness without mentioning the material with which the strings are made. That is why various resins are offered for each instrument. Thus, gut strings need resins that provide good adhesion, so a soft resin is ideal for these types of strings. For their part, synthetic core strings require medium-hard resins, although they also admit other types of resin. Finally, those with a metal core work best with hard resins.

Another important factor to take into account and that we sometimes overlook is the climate of the place where we live or perform. And it is that temperature, humidity and other atmospheric factors influence the behavior of the resin, since it softens with heat and hardens with cold. Therefore, in a hot climate it will be preferable to use a hard and dry resin, while in cold climates it is best to opt for soft resins.

However, that ultimately the choice will depend on the musician, his taste in sound, his way of interpreting and the instrument and bow in particular. If you want to take a look at the resins that we have at Xavier Vidal i Roca, you can see them on our website. You can find violin rosin, viola rosin, and cello rosin, depending on the type of instrument you play. And if you need strings for your instrument, find the best brands in our online catalogue.