How to Rosin a New Violin Bow
Whether you're a violin beginner, pro or somewhere in between, getting a brand new bow is exciting. It looks wonderful and you can't wait to hear how good it will make the violin sound. But of course, you need rosin. A bow without rosin has no way to grip the strings and produce clear tones, and putting rosin on a new bow for the first time is a bit different than rosining a seasoned bow. If you get your new bow rosined properly right from the start, both the bow and your playing will benefit.
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Instructions
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1
Turn the tension screw clockwise to tighten the bow. Be careful not to over-tighten it. The bow shaft should be roughly parallel to the bow hairs, but you should still be able to see a slight natural upward curve in the shaft near the tip of the bow.
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2
Hold the rosin in your left palm. Hold the bow in a proper bow-hold in your right hand, as if to play your violin, and place the bow hairs on the rosin, starting by the frog--the mostly-rectangular piece near the end of the bow, in front of the tension screw.
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3
Curl your fingers and thumb of your left hand over the bow shaft. Don't squeeze--just let your fingertips touch the bow shaft gently. Your fingers will help guide the bow straight as it moves.
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4
With smooth, even pulls, draw the bow across the rosin, all the way to the tip. Then slide it back to the frog--an up-bow, then again to the tip--a down-bow. Keep going until each up- and down-bow is an extremely smooth, effortless slide over the rosin, usually about 10 strokes total--five down and five up--for a brand new bow.
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5
Test the bow for sound by playing a few open strings on your violin. The notes should be clear and you should be able to faintly feel the string vibrations through the bow. If the sound is breathy or still not there at all, apply a bit more rosin with one down-bow and one up-bow stroke, then test the bow for sound again.
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Tips & Warnings
Normal rosining of a bow takes much less rosin--about three or four up and down strokes--and you won't need to test it for sound each time.
Too much rosin can make the bow feel too "sticky" as you play. To get excess rosin off the bow hairs, tap the bow shaft gently with your fingers. If there's still too much rosin, play open strings from frog to tip until it feels normal and the sound rings clear.
Clean off rosin dust from the wooden bow shaft, and your violin and strings, with a soft dry cloth.
Always loosen your bow by turning the tension screw counterclockwise before storing it in your violin case.
Never touch the bow hairs with your fingers--the oils from your skin will interfere with the rosin.
