History

From the 10th to 12th century, people used resin obtained from fir and pine trees for painting and to make their wooden boats waterproof. It was also around that time that people from the eastern parts of the Mediterranean region started to look for new and better ways how to play their stringed instruments. Initially, they would use sticks made from dried sheep gut which had a rather rough surface to strike the strings. Later on, people discovered the benefits of using horsehair for bowing their strings. With a layer of rosin applied onto the bow hair this proved to be the perfect invention. Only bow hair coated with rosin would grab the strings enough for them to be caused to vibrate.

Extraction

Natural resin was and still is obtained from pine trees during fall and turpentine oil is the product which is gained through its distillation. Pieces of natural resin are heated up in a boiler in order to evaporate water from it while at the same time impure components within the now liquefied resin slowly sink towards the bottom of the boiler. As a last step, the pure liquid resin is skimmed off and then cooled down.

• violinists and violists use a harder, dryer rosin
• cellists use a medium strong rosin
• bassists a softer rosin

Another important aspect for choosing the right rosin is the core material of the string that are being used:

• steel strings are easier played if you use a hard, dry rosin
• for synthetic, gut and gut wound strings use a softer rosin