I'm only asking this as my daughter uses the stuff which came with her mass produced violin- (I don't even think it has a name)-even though she has progressed onto a better instrument. She uses Pirastro Obligato strings and I've really given the rosin no further thought, but on the weekend she forgot her rosin and used her teachers and remarked on how nice it smelt. The stuff she uses seems to smell of an old library and is possibly well on its way to fossilizing into amber. I'm just wondering...Is this something else you choose by trial and error, or do you pay up for the more expensive stuff and assume that it will be OK?- and does it have a shelf life?

Non-violinist here, but with experience of violin playing daughter. Yes, is the short answer. There are better rosins and also, I think rosin 'gets old' and benefits from renewal. Your daughter's teacher will be able to give you some suggestions.

It's well worth buying decent rosin. Pirastro Goldflex is very good (as are all the Pirastro rosins). Personally, I wouldn't worry about "shelf life".

Some of the ones which come with student violin outfits are ridiculously hard. I've never heard of shelf life, although as it's of plant origin there must be some form of deterioration - expect to have worn through it or broken it before this becomes a concern!

Try Melos - it's one of the few natural rosins (most others are made from waste product - see here http://www.ultimateviolintools.com/rosin-w...but-should.html ) and has no chemicals or anything added, plus it isn't expensive either.
But yes there's definitely good and bad quality rosin, and trial and error is the best way to find a rosin that works for you

Most people say the 'shelf life' is around a year. I had a cake of Larica gold for about a year and a half and by the time i decided to replace it, it had greatly deteriorated

Agree that Melos is good - I had some for my viol bows. Unfortunately, I seem to have lost it.... Currently using Pirastro Goldflex on the cello bow.

I know a lot of people who like Goldflex

What about it had deteriorated?

I don't know which online shop I used but when I had Pirastro Obligato strings on my viola I bought 'Pirastro Obligato' rosin! It came from either Stringmail or Stringzone.

I also have some Goldflex but I prefer the Pirastro rosin.

I'm curious about this too. I have used Larica Gold and mine is a couple of years old...does it deteriorate?

Me too. It leaves virtually no dust on my violin at all.

In my experience, the poorer qualities of rosin shatter into powder at the least provocation, and they don't stick well to the bow even before they disintegrate into powder. So if you are just going to leave a chunk of rosin in a case as decoration, by all means buy the cheapest you can find. But if you plan to use it, and use it for a year or three, then a reasonable quality will be more cost-effective.

That said, the really dark and sticky rosins don't work well in humid summer weather. I think son has found Bernardel to be one of the best all-rounders, but he has not sampled every rosin in existence...

I didn't think rosin could possibly deteriorate and had planned on keeping it till it ran out, but i found i had to apply it every day and it was very hissy, not gripping the strings as well as it had no matter how much i put on. Bought some new rosin and the problem was solved

Thing is, except for the likes of melos and bakers, surely all rosin may have been on the shelf in a shop for years already... I don't quite understand if i'm honest, but it definitely wasnt working well for me after a year and a half or so

My Liebenzeller Gold must be at least 10 years old and I haven't noticed any problems. Recently I compared it with a friend's new block and couldn't spot any difference.

Maybe there is something in the gold dust after all.

I'm glad of that as I have 2 cakes of Liebenzeller 1 which I want to use once my Melos has had it and am worrying about them 'going off' sat there doing nothing. But it's been there for no-where near 10 years Probably 1 year or so!

I have heard you should have a winter rosin and a summer rosin. The dark one is better in cool environments because it goes soft and sticky more quickly, but on a humid day it will turn into that nasty gloop that sticks to your rosin compartment, and feel like playing on superglue in a hot concert hall. A light rosin OTOH will be too hard to get much out of on a cold winter's day and will not provide a great deal of oomph. In summer it is better than using a soft one which will be overly sticky. Since I needed a violin rosin and a viola rosin anyway I tested this theory out and I do tend to agree. I also have a Dominant rosin which is a middle blend, but the main reason I don't use that one very much is I can't get the top off it! I do put some on my students' bows every now and then because it makes a big difference over the evil brick that came with their violin outfit.

Some people can rhapsodise for months about different rosins, I'm not sure it's that big a deal, but I do find it makes a difference. The question is how much difference does it make and at what level? A beginner is unlikely to tell the difference between different proper quality rosins, but would probably notice the difference between something in a plain box which came with a cheap outfit and a branded rosin, they can even turn those very plasticky bow hairs into something which makes a sound!

ETA: I think the big difference in how long you can keep it depends on changes in temperature and humidity. Proper violin shops tend to keep a consistent temperature and humidity so their rosin is in good nick when purchased. General music shops vary in how much the temperature fluctuates and how long their rosin will be on the shelf. Much as you try to keep an instrument in a stable environment, it never happens that way, and often the rosin is in a case backstage somewhere while you play, and with the instrument out you don't worry about the temperature of the case. If you continually heat rosin up and cool it down again it goes floury and hard more quickly. The last few years of terrible summers have done our rosins a favour.

I've seen this happen, but only in a much warmer climate (central Spain in August), so probably isn't anything to worry about in Britain.

Thank you to all that have commented.. After posting here I found a site that might interest some of you: The big rosin test

I've read enough to believe there is no harm in risking a tenner on a block to replace my collection of evil bricks. Now I just need to choose the right one!

Thanks for posting the link to the big rosin test. I was recently given samples of Andrea Solo and Andrea A Piacere, and can confirm the test result - they sounded amazingly different. (I cleaned the bow hair with alcohol before trying each one.)

I don't need or even want the brilliance and projection of the Solo, but am saving up for a proper cake of A Piacere.