Does anyone know if there has been an investigations done on any possible health risks associated with the dust from rosin? Having just taken up the violin, it has occured to me that bowing it is producing a cloud of fine organic rosin particles close to my face, some of which I am then inhaling. This doesn't strike me as a particularly good thing. Does anyone know if there's any evidence/studies done on possible rhespiratory problems with violinists?

Never heard of violinists getting mysterious illnesses and Yehudi Menuhin and Stephane Grappelli lived well into their 80s - wasn't Grappelli 89? Heifetz lived to 86, Joseph Fuchs was still playing at 88! Nathan Milstein lived to 89! Efrem Zimbalist lived to 96 and Fritz Kreisler lived to 87. Joachim died younger but of a rare infectious disease, and Enescu who also died younger succumbed a diabetes-related illness. I think that should tell you there's not too much to worry about when you consider how much rosin those people must have used over several decades.

Here's a couple of posts from a violin forum where they're discussing the very same thing:





Anyway, you can read the whole thread, it's here:

http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=6139

I don't think anyone on there thinks it's a real problem and the best safeguard seems to be to use it sparingly if at all possible, or use a hypoallergenic one, but then we don't know if they pose different dangers do we?

I think we can worry too much about all this stuff - we breathe in all sorts of nasties as soon as we walk out the door.

As I've said before, if you are producing a lot of rosin dust then you're using way too much. Some rosins are more clean in use than others and there will always be some dust with any rosin no matter how much you use but if you see much in the way of dust on your violin after you've been playing then don't use so much. 4 to 6 swipes or so a couple of times a week should be ample for a couple of hours a day of playing.

As stated above there are hypo-allergenic rosins and some are more natural than others.
I like Melos, it's natural, hand made and very clean in use. I use the light and the dark.

Some people do have a sensitivity to rosin dust but if you do you'll already know.
Just enjoy playing and try not to worry.

Mrs Fiddle's right - the only time you need to put a lot of rosin on is when you're rosinning up a brand new bow. The rest of the time use just a little.

Rosin. Health risks? I suppose if your hands were sticky, and you wandered into a bank...

More seriously, I'm using an all natural rosin made from a material produced by trees. I suppose there's always a possibility someone will produce a rosin compound that contains something to which one might have an allergy. There are people allergic to walnuts, and I suspect rosin made from walnut tree sap might cause them a problem.

Allergies are funny things, as is asthma. If you have one of these problems, you might want to consult a medical authority. I wouldn't ask a doctor about bow technique, and, quite honestly, wouldn't be inclined to consult a musician about my health. On those grounds, I'll stop here.

If you're getting clouds of rosin you're using too much.

I see what you mean though - inhaling rosin dust isn't a great thought.

Though, you can get hypoallergenic (if thats the right word) for people with asthma and stuff.



Edit: I just realised i've repeated what others have said... sorry!

I think that... it will always be an endless debate. Nobody will ever know, but logically thinking, it surely cannot be healthy to be breathing in rosin dust on a regular basis for years and years. That's why it's probably better to get a rosin that produces very little dust... and it'll keep your instrument cleaner too.

Didn't want to give the impression I was producing visible clouds of dust! I actually just get a little on the strings at the moment, but I've only just taken it up and I cannot play for long at the moment withot my bow hand and left arm getting tired. If and when I can play longer I was just worried about breathing in what is basicly and organic powder for any length of time. But I assume that if it was a real problem then the Health & Safety would have got involved, and required orchestra's string sections to wear dust masks. Which is an interesting image!

Hehe, an orchestra wearing dust masks!

I don't always put rosin on my bow every time I play if I know my bow has enough rosin on it.

I honestly don't think you need to worry when you consider the ripe old ages of all those violinists I mentioned above. They must have used truckloads of the stuff over their lifetimes!

I'm allergic to rosin because of my eczema. I have to use a minimal dust one otherwise my face comes out in a huge rash.

Needless to say that woodwind is now my priority!!

ALL ROSIN (except that which is made specially for allergics) is made from the sticky residue obtained from pine cones. It is not made from the sap of any tree.

Orchestral violinists are more likely to suffer hearing loss than lung damage from rosin dust. Rosin dust is not harmful to your skin or your bronchial passages. If you are allergic to the pine cone rosin (the standard stuff), there are a range of synthetic rosins available specially made for people who suffer skin or dust allergies.

I've seen several articles that show the sap from pine trees being 'harvested' to make rosin by cutting diagonal lines in the bark of trees and draining the raw sap (also called resin) into containers which then goes through several processes to make instrument rosin - nothing to do with the cones

Also found this which explains the whole process http://www.stringsmagazine.com/issues/strings98/rosin.html

There's a picture of the tree being tapped for sap here http://www.petzkolophonium.com/rosinweb/wissenswertes.htm

OK, so the tree sap is used, but I was right in that it is the Pine and certainly nothing to do with walnuts!