10 Best Rosins for Violin (2020 Reviews)

So you are in the market for the best violin rosin? Look no further. We have compiled a detailed guide to assist you with this decision making. We have included our top ten picks currently available today, followed by a buying guide to ensure you know everything there is to know about rosin.

List Of 10 Best Violin Rosin Reviews

The D’Addario Kaplan Rosin is one of the best rosins on the market right now, not only because of its high quality but also because it comes with a hard protective case. This makes the D’Addario Kaplan rosin very unique. It also includes a dial so you can turn the product in the box, allowing you to use all sides of the rosin.

This rosin is available in light and dark. The Dark rosin option works best for violin players who need extra grip on their rosin. The light rosin is best for someone wishing to have less of this on their bow. Having the choice to choose between the two is another unique feature of the D’Addario rosin!

The D’Addario Kaplan is the best rosin for violin players who are searching for a premium quality rosin at an affordable price. This rosin perfectly balances quality and price. Alongside the quality, having unique features such as a hard case and a dial to turn the product makes the D’Addario Kaplan rosin one of the best choices of rosins on the market right now.

The Sherman dark violin rosin has been a popular choice for many years. Not only is it highly affordable, but it is very reliable also.

One issue with the Sherman is the higher level of dust compared to any other rosin available. This would be an issue for anyone that has sensitivities to the material of the rosin. It also means that there is more of a mess in your case and your instrument. But, if you are willing to sacrifice this for affordable rosin at great quality, then the Sherman is definitely worth it!

Although the Sherman violin rosin is enjoyed by amateurs and professionals alike, we highly recommend beginner players checking this product out. The Sherman products are fantastic at helping young players ‘squeak’ or ‘crunch’ less on their bow while they are playing the violin or viola. Not only this, but the Sherman is a highly affordable product so it is perfect for players who are just starting on their violin journey.

The Salchow Medium dark rosin for violin is a great choice for anyone searching for premium quality rosin. Of course, it is the most expensive on the list, but the price is totally worth it for the quality.

The Salchow rosin produces minimal dust, meaning less mess on your instrument and in your case. It is also great for anyone that is sensitive to the chemicals given off in rosin.

The grip on the Salchow is fantastic and for this reason, this rosin for violin would be suitable for beginners, intermediate players, and professionals. The quality of the Salchow also means that it will not be affected by external weather conditions and you can use it all year round.

The Salchow is the best violin rosin for anyone who is wishing to splash some extra cash on this product. The Salchow rosin for violin is the most premium choice on the list here, so may need some extra consideration by some if they are on a budget. However, the premium choice definitely reflects the premium quality for this rosin for violin. You will certainly not be disappointed by this product!

The Pirastro Goldflex Rosin for violins is definitely the most interesting rosin on the list here. These rosins actually contain gold dust within it. According to Kennedy Violins (1):

By utilizing gold dust within the rosin, the Goldflex rosin gives you a fantastic, warm sound, without too much pressure needed from your bow. The gold dust will give you a bright and clear tone that many violinists are looking for.

This rosin would suit professional or intermediate players. Due to its extra grip, beginner players may find it tricky to play quieter passages using this rosin. As the Pirastro Goldflex is one of the more expensive choices on the market, many of its customers will be those who are serious about their violin career.

The Sound Harbor 2 pack rosins are one of the best choices if you need rosin at a very low price. These products come at such an affordable price that they are very popular among those that are on a strict budget.

It also means that you will leave less of a mess on your instrument when you play!

The grip on the Sound Harbour rosin is not as sticky as the other products mentioned on this list. For this reason, many may find it is not the rosin for them. However, for this price for two rosins in one pack, the slightly less tack on the Sound Harbour rosin will be a fantastic compromise for many violin players out there!

The Sound Harbour rosin is a product for intermediate players who will not be affected too much by the fact that it has less stick than other rosins. As the product comes in a pack of two and is one of the cheapest on the list here, the Sound Harbour rosins are perfect for anyone that is on a very strict budget. This violin rosin is certainly a fantastic product considering the very low price!

The Jade L’Opera rosin is a fantastic choice that will work on violins, violas, and cellos. It is situated within the mid-range budget and produces, overall, a great sound when applied to your bow.

The Jade rosin has been noted as one of the softer rosins on the list given here. This means, not only is less dust produced while you are applying it to your bow, but it will also ‘scratch’ your bow much less too. The l’opera jade rosin will give a much more delicate sound production and is perfect for beginners who are still trying to figure out tone production on the violin.

As the Jade rosin is softer rosin, it is also much easier to apply to your bow, meaning you can spend less time and energy applying your rosin and more time practicing!

The Jade L’Opera rosin is a great rosin for beginners due to its softer than average feature. This means that smaller hands will not have to work as hard to apply their rosin. It also means that beginner players will not have to work as hard to drag the bow across the strings.

The Original Hill Light rosin is the best violin rosin for anyone looking for premium quality rosin that will enhance your tone and overall sound production immensely.

As the quality of this violin rosin is so high, the Original Hill Light Rosin certainly isn’t a cheap choice. It will require some extra thinking as it is one of the most expensive rosins listed here. But, if you are on the market for a high-quality violin and budget is not too much of an issue for you, then you should definitely check out the Original Hill rosin.

The Original Hill Light rosin will give you a clear and smooth tone, but will not brighten your sound. Due to this, this may not be the best rosin for classical players or soloists who need to ensure their sound is cutting through other background instruments.

If you are a classical player then some of the other rosins on the list would be better for you. The Original Hill light rosin would be the best violin rosin for folk or bluegrass fiddle players to check this rosin out. If this is your particular playing style then this would be one of the best rosins to choose from!

Pirastro is one of the most popular brands for violin rosin and violin strings so you can be assured that you are buying a reliable and high-quality product with the Pirastro Oliv violin rosin.

With a good level of stickiness and an excellent tone produced, the Oliv rosin is a great choice for intermediate players and professionals alike. This rosin will enhance your tone and ensure that you will not have to work too hard to drag the bow across the strings.

As this rosin is dark rosin and is also quite soft, it may need extra care to ensure that it does not become affected by external environments. But, if you have a high-quality case then you will not need to worry about this happening!

As this rosin works best for gut strings, it is specifically best for those violin players who use these types of strings. By combining the Pirastro Oliv violin rosin and your Pirastro gut strings, you will get a fantastic sound, with warm and rich tone production. We highly recommend intermediate or professional players who have gut strings to try the Pirastro Oliv violin rosin.

The Melos dark violin rosin is unique in that it is 100% organic. There are no harsh chemicals used in this rosin so it is perfect for anyone that is environmentally conscious or that is allergic to the chemicals in normal rosin.

The Melos rosin has very little dust production so it is perfect for ensuring that you can keep your case and violin clean. It also means you will not be breathing in a lot of the material, so, if you have sensitivities this is perfect for you.

This also means, however, that there will be less grip on your bow, so you will have to work a little harder than usual with this particular violin rosin! For intermediate and professional players this won’t be a problem.

The Melos dark violin rosin is perfect for semi-professional or professional players who understand tone production and do not need much grip on their bow. It is also for those who are environmentally conscious and who wish to purchase the most organic rosin there is on the market right now!

Although the Super Sensitive brand is not one that many have heard of, it is still a fantastic choice, especially for anyone on a strict budget. While it is not the cheapest brand on the list of rosins, it is still highly affordable and perfect for all players who are not wanting to spend too much cash on their rosin.

The Super Sensitive light violin rosin gives off an average level of dust and, being light rosin, will be very suitable for beginner players. As this is recommended for violins, violas, and cellos, the Super Sensitive rosin would be perfect for any multi-instrumentalist out there!

The Super Sensitive light violin rosin is perfect for most players, but we specifically recommend it for beginners or intermediate players. As it is highly affordable it would suit players in this range. Although the quality is decent, you get what you pay for, and therefore, it may not be desired by professional players.

Buying Guide

Light or Dark Rosin

The most important feature that you should be looking for in your new violin rosin is whether it is dark or light rosin. Dark rosin is softer in texture and because of this is much stickier. This means it is more susceptible to changes in the weather, and if it is summer it will be difficult to manage (2). Dark rosin is better in cooler climates. According to the Sydney String Centre (3):

Light Rosin is much harder in texture and, therefore, not as sticky. This works well for many players as it works well year-round and will not be affected by external conditions too much. It also works well on higher strings so it is suited for a violin.

Level of Dust Produced

Ideally, you want rosin that produces minimal dust. Not only does this save your violin and your case from being extremely messy and sticky from the rosin, but it will also work better for anyone that has allergies or that is affected by the chemicals in rosin.

Every rosin will include a description of the level of dust that is produced and you should consider this carefully. The more expensive and premium choices of rosin will have very minimal dust production. It may cost more for a lower level of dust, but paying the extra price is definitely worth it.