Rosin - how do you know when you have enough on the bow?

[Bilbo]

Simple question:what's the answer?

[JoeEvans]

I was told to err on the side of caution, and put a bit more on if you feel that the bow isn't biting properly. If you have to re-apply twice or more, put more on in the first place next time you play, and over time a routine emerges which seems to work.

[yorick]

My experience from my violin days.. If you look like a dandruff victim, you're using too much!!!

[sarah thomas]

I was told to apply rosin until the bow hairs squeak. Seems to work! I bow for about an hour most days and re-apply about once a week. You develop a feel for it.

[fatback]

The whole rosin business is a cause of immense frustration for the beginner. You're doing just fine and then, for no apparent reason,. you're not.

I'm seeing a bit of an improvement since I started using it rarely.

Is it possible to have an amount on the bow that works fine, but then transfers itself to the strings and makes things worse until you wipe it off?

That might have been my problem - I was imagining it was because of too little rosin but in fact rosin was building on the string.

Or something.

[Happy Jack]

Back in the 70s my flatmates used to tell me that, if you had to ask whether you were adding enough resin, then you weren't.

[Dad3353]

[velvetkevorkian]

I learned that it should be sticky enough that you should be able to move the string without making it vibrate.