The Best Cello Rosins

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You can’t play a cello without cello rosin, but shopping for a good one is a hassle. Here’s what you need to know.

What is Rosin and How Does it Work?

Rosin is made of resin extracted from pine trees, and creates the friction between your string and bow that’s necessary for your instrument to produce resonant, smooth sound. It’s important to select the right rosin for your particular instrument, but sorting through the dozens of varieties, colors, and forms while accounting for variables such as the type of instrument, season of year, and personal allergies can be time-consuming — not to mention confusing.

Fortunately, while professional and serious cellists may go deep into the weeds into the finer points of rosin purity, hobbyists and beginners only need to look out for a few basic features.

What to Consider When Buying Cello Resin

The most important factors to think about are the rosin’s form, color, and texture. Cellos require a different type of rosin than other instruments, so look for products specifically designed for cellists.

Form: Rosins come in cake or box form, each with their own pros and cons. Boxed rosin is often recommended for students, as many find that it sticks to bows better and is more durable than the cake version. However, cake rosin is generally more pure and of higher quality.

Color: The two basic types of rosin are light and dark, which change the tone the instrument produces. Though you can technically use both types for any stringed instrument, the relatively low tone of the cello works best with rosins on the darker end of the spectrum, while lighter versions are better suited to instruments like violins.

Texture: While harder rosins are best for violins, cellists prefer slightly softer rosins for their bows. This makes the rosin slightly stickier, which makes it easier for the cello bow to gain traction with the thicker strings.