Rosin is one of those must-have items for violin. And there are quite a few brands on the market, all with different playing characteristics. I was recently given samples of a brand new variety called Magic Rosin (love the name!), which comes in two varieties. Magic Rosin 1 is designed for violin, and magic rosin 2, which is stickier, is geared toward the lower stringed instruments. Magic Rosin retails for $6.00 per cake.Two of my upcoming new books feature fiddle tunes, and, with my current (and pricey) rosin, darker Chinese violin, and a bow that could benefit from a rehair soon, I wasn't getting very good grip and was experiencing sliding. I'd tried several rosins, including cello rosin, to try improve sound and grip, but to no avail.
So, finally, I reached for my new sample of Magic Rosin 2, hoping that it would live up to its name! What struck me first was the beautiful art label and durable, compact plastic case. I applied a few strokes and sat down to read through the arrangements. And then came the "wow" -- which is frankly not a word I would usually associate with any rosin. But this rosin was a game changer. My bow came alive in my hands, and it traveled easily across the strings with minimal dust and maximal, rich sound. And it was a clean, clear sound, without grit or bow noise in my ear. The double stops felt easier than usual to play. Most impressively, I no longer felt I needed a rehair. I was impressed: the Magic Rosin really made a difference. It lived up to its moniker: a special rosin at a special price.
Next, I decided to try Magic Rosin 1 on a recently rehaired French bow matched with a sweet, old Italian violin -- perhaps the ideal classical setup, to see how this rosin would perform for the professional classical musician. Again, I was impressed with the clean, clear sound achieved with such little effort. Increased volume was another benefit that I enjoyed.
I must say that the price is another great feature of this rosin. So many of the "fancy" rosins on the market can be quite expensive. For instance, Liebenzeller rosin (back now under a new name, Larica) costs over $30, as does Andrea Rosin. In fact, it is pretty difficult to spend under $10 for a professional grade brand. Yet, the $6.00 cake of Magic Rosin outperformed all the rosins I have tried in recent memory. For one who likes to try out products and has used many of the top selling brands of rosin (Andrea, Bernadel, several Pirastro offerings, Liebenzeller/Larica, Hill, Jade, Melos, and others), I feel that Magic Rosin is a wonderful find, and one I can recommend to students and professionals alike. In particular, I think that Magic Rosin 2 will be appreciated by fiddlers (and those with bow hair at the end of its life), and that Magic Rosin 1 would be a great choice for the classical violinist.
