A Review of Magic Rosin: The Wow Factor

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.

Where can I purchase Liebenzeller Gold I rosin?

New Larica Rosin (Liebenzeller Formula)

UPDATE: 01/28/11
Liebenzeller is back! Now under a new name, Larica. The company states that they use the same manufacturing process and materials as the original Liebenzeller. Indeed, after sampling the new product, I think they have indeed brought this rosin back to life.
There have been some issues keeping the product in stock, and, as was the case with the original Liebenzeller, the price is high (around $50.00 per cake). However, it is excellent rosin and I'm very glad to see it back.

Original Post

Original Liebenzeller Rosin

Liebenzeller rosin has been around a long time. In fact, I still have a cake of it from the 1980s, and, when I found out it was going to be discontinued, I bought several more cakes of the gold I and gold II from a local violin shop. From what I understand, it is unlikely that this rosin will be available again, unless it is produced and sold by a different company. Although it may be possible to find Gold II, I do believe that Gold I may be nearly impossible to find. I did a thorough search of shops with an Internet presence both in the United States and abroad, as well as looking on ebay and craigslist, and I couldn’t come up with anything. A couple of stores that still sold it about a year ago (one in Australia and one in England) are now out of stock too.

But not every shop advertises its products on the internet, and I suspect that if you called a few string shops that don’t have a strong internet presence for selling accessories (such as Moenning in Philadelphia, Reuning in Boston, Claire Givens in Minneapolis, or John Waddle in St. Paul) you might find that somebody still has some supply left.

However, many different brands of rosin have come out since Liebenzeller first appeared on the market that are, in my opinion, just as good; and some (such as Andrea Paganinni) have qualities similar to the refined nature of the Liebenzeller. I’d highly recommend looking into these options for fine and light (rather than coarse and dark) rosins that you might like just as much or even better. In my experience, Liebenzeller Gold I has a tendency to apply rather lightly and come off quickly. Because of this, even within a rehearsal or performance, one might feel that the bow already needs more rosin. I hope you are able to locate some of the Gold I, but, in any event, I do think there are a lot of other good options available to you.

Which rosin brand is the best?

First, what is rosin, and how does it work?
Rosin is a resin collected from one of about a hundred different types of pine tree throughout Europe, Asia, North America, and New Zealand. Rosin comes from from living trees by tapping -- just like maple syrup. After the resin is collected, it is sometimes mixed with other tree saps from different species of trees to create a unique formula. This formula is then purified by straining and heating it in large vats until the resins are completely melted. Once cooked, the concoction is poured into molds. After the mixture sets, the rosin is polished and placed in cloth or another type of housing. The color of rosin is determined by when in the year it is collected. If the resin is tapped in late winter or early spring, it will be gold or amber in color and hard when set up. As the seasons change to summer and fall, the color of the resin darkens and the consistency softens. Rosin works by keeping the bow hair stuck to the string. The bow pulls the string in the direction of the bow motion until the adhesion breaks. Then, the string snaps to its original position and vibrates, to create sound.

So, Rosin. So many brands to choose from. But how do we evaluate which one sounds the best? This is a very difficult question to answer, because players have different preferences for how their rosin functions, and what sound or feel they are looking to derive from it. But one thing is very clear: cheap rosin (usually in the rectangular shape inside a wood housing and costing a couple of dollars) is NOT a good choice for any player, except for perhaps a beginner. Why? Because this rosin tends to stick to the strings like glue and feel and sound grainy.

But one thing is very clear: cheap rosin (usually in the rectangular shape inside a wood housing and costing a couple of dollars) is NOT a good choice for any player, except for perhaps a beginner. Why? Because this rosin tends to stick to the strings like glue and feel and sound grainy.

For some reason, most of the finer rosin is circular and often encased in cloth. When it is darker, it tends to be stickier. When lighter, it tends to glide more over the instrument. If you are a player who likes to “dig in,” or you have a violin that responds well to pressure, a dark rosin may be your choice. You might even opt for cello rosine (such as the Hidersine), for its extra grab.

For those of you who like the feel of a lighter, smoother rosin (or you tend to under-rosin your bow to avoid the feel of excessive grain, grit, or stick, a lighter rosin might be your choice. Often, some of the finest rosin brands will offer different formulations to suit the tastes of both those who prefer a darker rosin and those who tend to opt for the lighter versions.

Below is a list of rosins and descriptions. Although you may find this list helpful, experimentation and trying different brands is the best way to choose your preferred rosin.

One top choice of the pros is Andrea Rosin (formerly Tartini Rosin). This Rosin is relatively expensive (around $30.00) and comes in several varieties from the lightest version (termed “Paganinni”) to the darkest, which is designed for cello but often used by violinists searching for that rich, dark sound.



Pirastro (of string-making fame) sells a large line of rosins, largely named after its string brand. There is Pirastro Gold, tonica, Eudoxa, and Oliv, among others. How much difference there is between these is questionable but they are an affordable alternative to “the block” cheap rosiin at around $10.00

Jade Rosin is another popular and reasonably-priced option that seems to work well for a wide variety of bows and players. It is considered to produce a smooth yet firm grip.

Liebenzeller rosin is a particular favorite of mine. In fact, I have carried this rosin around for almost 20 years. Unfortunately, it is temporarily discontinued, but if you can find yourself this rosin, you will find that it comes infused with various metals from gold to nickel to copper, that lend the rosin different characteristics and grips.

In the end, most of the rosins priced above $8.00 or so are reasonable choices, and the biggest factor as to which one you prefer is whether you want more grip and grit (softer, darker rosin) or a lighter and smoother feel (lighter, harder, rosin). You might even be surprised at which option you prefer in the end -- after all, your particular bow and violin may have preferences of their own!