I’ve been a violin teacher and performer for many years, and people often ask me, what type of rosin do I use? What’s the best violin rosin to use? I’m happy to help with these sorts of questions, as rosin is very important to making a beautiful sound on the violin.
Quick Look: Best Violin Rosin
★ #1 Best Violin Rosin Overall: Jade L’Opera ★
- Best Cheap Violin Rosin: Jade L’Opera
- Best Violin Rosin for Beginners: Hill Light
- Best Violin Rosin for Advanced Players: Andrea Rosin Solo
- Best Violin Rosin for Professionals: Andrea Rosin Solo
Over the course of my violin career, I’ve used many different brands and types of rosin. You may be overwhelmed by the choices in front of you, or you might be looking for a stocking stuffer for somebody you know. Let me help you find the best violin rosin for you.
What Is a Violin Rosin?
You need some kind of rosin in order to make a sound from your bow. When you get a new bow or brand new horsehair on your bow, there won’t be any sound at all without rosin.
You’ll apply rosin nearly every time you start a practice session, but you don’t use it very much. Rosin comes in a hard cake form and you rub it against the hair. It leaves behind a white dust.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Violin Rosin
You’ll want to know what sort of holder and shape of rosin you want, as well as what kind of sound you want. Various rosins advertise that they’re better for playing clearly or better for playing loudly.
Size
Some rosins are round and others are square or rectangular. There are even some shaped like a violin!
Case
You’ll find many rosins wrapped in cloth, but others come in a wood or plastic case.
Price
You can expect to pay between $10 and $20 on average, with some beginner rosins as low as $4 and some for professionals as much as $65. Keep in mind that whatever you choose could last you for years if you don’t break it by accident.
10 Best Violin Rosins
1. Jade L’Opera JADE Rosin
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Plastic case, rosin wrapped in cloth
- Material & finish: Dark green
- Best for: All players
I probably recommend Jade Rosin the most for my students. They like that it’s beautiful, shiny, and green.
✅Less dust than some
✅Shiny and green
✅Works great in most climates
✅More protection against dropping it
❌Still could break
❌Might not be great in very dry cold weather
Why I Recommend It
This is usually the first rosin my students get after upgrading from the beginning rosin that came with their case. They tend to love the way it looks, and no, it won’t turn your bow green.
But more importantly, it works great and will improve your sound quality for a great value.
2. Andrea Rosin Solo
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Plastic, lid attaches
- Material & finish: Darker color
- Best for: Advanced and professional players looking for a more sensitive sound
Andrea Solo Rosin is a top rosin choice for professionals. It’s not as pricey as some but works really well if you love a beautiful yet loud sound.
✅Doesn’t take much to work
✅Easy to take out and put away
✅Allows for a powerful yet sensitive sound
✅Fairly low dust
❌Will break easily if you drop it
❌Easy to overapply
Why I Recommend It
The cons here are only due to user error, so if you’re careful and methodical with your usage of this rosin, you’ll love it. This is one of the kinds of rosin I personally use with my violin bow. It’s a top violin rosin for a reason.
3. Pirastro Goldflex
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- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Cloth, cardboard box
- Material & finish: Light with little glittery flecks of gold
- Best for: Fiddlers, intermediate to advanced players who like a lighter rosin
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Pirastro Goldflex was one of my first advanced rosins, and I love the look of it. I still have a cake of it at home, and I like the way it works and the sound it makes.
✅Beautiful appearance
✅Works well to make an articulate sound
✅Good for digging into the string
✅Easy to use and apply
❌May produce too much dust
❌Cardboard box is cheaply made
Why I Recommend It
This is a good rosin if you like to play fast and articulate. You’ll find it works well for a variety of styles of playing, and you’ll love the look of it.
4. Thomastik-Infeld Peter Infeld Violin Rosin
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Cloth, leather case
- Material & finish: Darker look, very shiny
- Best for: Those who use Thomastik-Infeld strings, but it’s also good for any advanced or professional violinist
The Thomastik-Infeld Peter Infeld is the rosin I’m currently using on my main bow. It makes a lovely beautiful sound and is articulate and clear.
✅Low dust
✅Less whistling on the E string
✅Good articulate grip
✅Especially good in warmer climates
❌Might not give enough grip
❌Easy to break if you drop it
Why I Recommend It
I love a smooth sound on my violin and want something that just feels good as I play. This rosin fits the bill for that. It might not be as grippy as some kinds, but if you don’t need that you won’t miss it.
5. D’Addario Kaplan Premium
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Plastic box with a dial to keep rotating the rosin
- Material & finish: Can choose light or dark
- Best for: Players looking for something easy to use that will wear evenly and not break easily.
The D’Addario Kaplan Premium is a good quality smooth sounding rosin in a more unusual holder. It’s a good value and a great rosin for intermediate players.
✅Choice of light or dark
✅Case pops open easily
✅Unique turn mechanism for even distribution
✅Lower dust
❌Reviewers say the case doesn’t always work
❌Can be too small to apply easily
Why I Recommend It
This is a good value rosin, and I felt it deserved to be on the list. I don’t have personal experience, but people I trust have had good things to say about it. I will likely try one soon as I’m very curious about its unusual case.
6. Leatherman Bespoke Rosin
- Shape: Rectangle
- Type of holder: Wood holder with leather wrap
- Material & finish: Amber color
- Best for: Professionals
The Leatherman Bespoke Rosin looks and sounds cool. It’s also a fantastic quality of rosin, though you’ll pay for it!
✅Great quality and clarity of sound
✅Feels good in the hand
✅Wooden case protects the rosin from breakage
✅Gives a smooth feel with complexity
❌Can be difficult to apply
❌More expensive than some rosins
Why I Recommend It
This is a terrific rosin for the serious player. I don’t think the price should dissuade you because the best rosin will last for years and years.
Leatherman rosin will make your bow and violin sound great and improve your tone quality. I also think it looks really awesome, while technically that doesn’t matter…does it?
7. Holstein Reserve
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Pouch, microfiber cloth
- Material & finish: Caramel color
- Best for: Advanced and professionals
The Holstein Reserve is the top rosin sold at Fiddlershop.com. It advertises for the “rosin enthusiast,” which I love!
✅Easy application
✅Excellent clarity and grip
✅Low dust
✅Will provide a smooth sound from your bow
❌Might break if you drop it
❌Exclusive to Fiddlershop
Why I Recommend It
This rosin has the top reviews of any rosin I’ve seen. People recommend this rosin to improve your sound and say that it’s as smooth as advertised. I haven’t personally tried it yet but plan to soon, and I swear it’s not (only) because I consider myself a rosin enthusiast.
8. Magic Rosin
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Plastic
- Material & finish: Clear, with a picture at the bottom that you see through it
- Best for: Young players who want to have a little fun with their rosin
Magic Rosin is a good quality rosin, but it focuses on having a unique picture in your rosin. Young players will have a more personal connection and it makes a great gift.
✅Looks great
✅Good grip on the string
✅Doesn’t leave too much dust
✅Easy to use
❌Can be tough to decide what kind to buy!
❌Might break too easily
Why I Recommend It
I’ve bought this rosin as a graduation gift for my students and they love it. It’s a fabulous gift for the young violinist in your life.
Dig around a bit more and you’ll find many different colors and pictures.
9. Millant-Deroux
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Plastic with a cloth
- Material & finish: Darker color
- Best for: Winter, cooler climates, somebody who wants a stickier rosin
Millant-Deroux is a great rosin for the cooler time of the year. If you want to be extra fancy, you can buy Jade and pair the two to have a great rosin no matter what.
✅Great for articulate sound
✅Will provide good stickiness
✅Will last for years upon years
✅Good value
❌Can break easily
❌May be too soft for hot and humid weather
Why I Recommend It
Millant-Deroux is a great rosin for a cool and dry time of year or in the air conditioning in the summer. It will give you a nice and articulate sound, and you’ll be quite happy with the volume as well.
10. Original Hill Rosin
- Shape: Round
- Type of holder: Fuzzy cloth
- Material & finish: Amber with a dark option
- Best for: Intermediate players looking to upgrade
The Original Hill Rosin is a great basic rosin for young players who want something better than what came with their case.
✅Light rosin
✅Smooth finish
✅Not too dusty
✅Great value
❌Might not work well in all climates
❌Not as gritty as some might want
Why I Recommend It
You can’t go wrong with Hill rosin as a basic rosin. It’s a good value and easy to use. You’ll find it a great improvement over many rosins.
Violin Rosin Aesthetics & Build
Rosins can be dark, light, or somewhere in between. You’ll also notice big differences in how they are wrapped and boxed.
Finish
Dark rosins can be better for cool and dry climates, and light is better for hotter and humid. Don’t let that limit you, though, as different violinists may want a darker rosin for a grittier, more articulate sound or a lighter rosin for a smooth and supple sound.
Case
You’ll find some rosins wrapped in cloth and others attached to a plastic bottom. You’ll almost always want to be careful not to drop your rosin or ding it on your frog while rosining.
How Much Do Violin Rosins Cost?
You can pay as little as a few dollars up to $70. Most of the best violin rosins are between $10 and $30, so you should have no problem finding something in your price range.
What Are the Best Violin Rosins?
Jade Rosin: Best Overall
Jade rosin is a great standard rosin that will work well for most violinists.
Andrea Solo Rosin: Best Rosin for a Gorgeous Tone
Andrea Rosin will get a gorgeous sound out of your instrument if you’re able to use it well.
Hill Light Rosin: Best for Intermediate Players
This one is less likely to break if you drop it, and it’s easy to use.
Where to Buy Violin Rosins
Amazon
Amazon is easy to use with quick shipping and great return policies. You’ll find reviews that help you make a decision as well as many options.
Online Music Retailers
Fiddlershop.com, Guitarcenter.com, and some other online retailers carry a variety of violin rosin. Be sure to verify their shipping and returns policies.
Your Local Music Store
It’s always a good idea to deal with your local music store as they will go above and beyond to help you out as well as give you personalized recommendations.
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In Conclusion
The best violin rosin for you and your bow is a personal decision, but I hope that this post has helped give you more information in order to help you make that decision. No matter what you decide, you’ll love having a new rosin to try out.
Please comment below to let me know what sort of rosin you love, and share this post with your friends!
