- Related Topics:
- capoeira
- musical bow
berimbau
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What is a berimbau?
The berimbau is a Brazilian musical bow, made of wood and metal wire, that accompanies the martial art capoeira. A gourd resonator (cabaça) is attached to the instrument. The berimbau is held upright, and the player uses a stick (baqueta) to strike the wire, while a metal disc or stone (dobrão) controls pitch. A rattle (caxixí) underscores the rhythm.
The instrument produces rhythms (toques) recognized by capoeiristas, influencing movement and interaction. Though incorporated into Brazilian popular music, it remains tied to capoeira. In capoeira, the berimbau leads an ensemble with secondary berimbaus, tambourine, and drum, accompanying call-and-response singing.
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Where does the berimbau come from?
The berimbau is a Brazilian musical bow primarily used to accompany capoeira, a martial art. The earliest records of the berimbau in Brazil date back to the early 19th century, and it was introduced to the country by the African slave population.
Although its exact origins are uncertain, musical bows of similar construction have been found in South Africa, Mozambique, and Angola, with similar designs existing in other sub-Saharan African countries. It is likely that the berimbau emerged in Brazil from a combination of African traditions. The instrument was not initially associated with capoeira but was added later to disguise the martial art as a dance.
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What does a berimbau look like?
The berimbau is a Brazilian musical bow, about 5 feet long, made of wood, with a single metal wire (arame) strung along its length. A dried, hollowed gourd resonator (cabaça) is attached near the lower end. When played, it's held upright, usually in the left hand, with the gourd against the stomach. The player uses a thin stick (baqueta) to strike the wire, and a metal disc or stone (dobrão) to change the sound. A rattle (caxixí) often accompanies the instrument.
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How is sound produced on a berimbau?
The berimbau is a Brazilian musical bow used to accompany capoeira. Players hold the berimbau upright, with a gourd against their stomach, using one hand to manage a metal disc (dobrão) and a stick (baqueta).
To produce sound, the baqueta strikes the wire of the berimbau, while the dobrão and gourd control the instrument’s pitch, timbre, and resonance. The player generates rhythms by combining a low pitch from the open wire, a higher pitch when the dobrão stops the wire, and a non-pitched buzz when the dobrão rests lightly against the wire. Pulling the gourd strategically toward and away from the stomach controls resonance, while a rattle underscores the strong beats.
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How is the berimbau connected to the Brazilian martial art of capoeira?
The berimbau is a Brazilian musical bow made of wood and strung with a metal wire. It is primarily used to accompany capoeira, a Brazilian martial art. The berimbau player uses a thin stick to strike the wire of the berimbau and a metal disc or smooth stone to control the instrument’s pitch, timbre, and resonance, generating rhythms known as toques. These toques dictate the movements and interactions between capoeira opponents. The berimbau leads an ensemble that includes secondary berimbaus, a pandeiro (tambourine), and an atabaque (drum). The instrument was introduced by the African slave population and later added to capoeira to disguise the martial art as a dance.
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What different rhythms can be played on the berimbau and how do they influence capoeira?
The berimbau, a Brazilian musical bow, is central to capoeira, a dancelike martial art. Berimbau rhythms, known as toques, are created by striking the wire with a baqueta (stick) and using a dobrão (metal disc or stone) and cabaça (gourd resonator) to manipulate pitch, timbre, and resonance.
These toques consist of a combination of sounds: a low pitch from the open wire; a higher pitch when the wire is stopped firmly; and a buzzing sound made by lightly resting the dobrão against the wire.
Different toques influence the quality of movement and interaction between capoeiristas (capoeira practitioners). Some rhythms are unique to specific capoeira schools or masters, while others are common in certain regions. Recognized by experienced capoeiristas, the toques dictate the flow and strategy of the capoeira game.
Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
berimbau, Brazilian musical bow, made of wood, that is used primarily to accompany the martial art known as capoeira. Most instruments are just under 5 feet (1.5 metres) long, and they are strung with a single metal wire, called an arame, that is typically drawn from an old truck or automobile tire. A dried, hollowed, open-backed gourd resonator—called a cabaça—is attached to the instrument near its lower end; the resonator is held in place by a loop of string that passes through the top of the gourd and around both the wood and the wire of the bow.
When it is played, the berimbau is held in an upright position—usually in the left hand—with the open back of the gourd against the stomach. The little finger of the supporting hand is slipped under the string that secures the gourd to the bow, while the ring and middle fingers are wrapped around the wooden pole just above the gourd. The index finger and thumb manipulate the dobrão, a thick metal disc or smooth stone that is pressed against the wire to generate different sounds during performance. Held in the other hand are a thin stick, roughly 12 inches (30 cm) long, called a baqueta, and a small rattle, called a caxixí.
Using the baqueta to strike the wire of the berimbau and the dobrão and cabaça to control the instrument’s pitch, timbre, and resonance, the berimbau player generates an array of discrete rhythms known as toques. These toques are built from a combination of three fundamental sounds: a low pitch produced by the open wire; a higher pitch produced by stopping the wire firmly with the dobrão; and a nonpitched buzz, generated by allowing the dobrão to rest lightly against the wire when it is struck. Resonance and timbre are controlled by strategically pulling the gourd toward and away from the stomach. Meanwhile, the rattle underscores the strong beats of each rhythmic pattern.
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Some berimbau rhythms are characteristic of a particular capoeira school or master, while others may be typical of a certain region. Many of the toques are named after Roman Catholic saints or African spiritual societies (such as Nagô). One well-known rhythm called “Cavalaría,” however, is a reference to the mounted police; historically, it was used to advise capoeiristas (practitioners of capoeira) of the approach of the authorities. Indeed, the different toques, which are readily recognized by seasoned capoeiristas, call for different qualities of movement and interaction between opponents.
Although many Brazilian popular musicians, such as Antonio Carlos (“Tom”) Jobim and Baden Powell, have incorporated the berimbau or its characteristic rhythms into their works to various aesthetic and nationalistic ends, the instrument has remained most strongly—and inextricably—associated with capoeira. When performed in the capoeira context, the berimbau typically leads an ensemble consisting of one or two secondary berimbaus, a pandeiro (tambourine), and an atabaque (drum); somewhat less frequently, a reco-reco (notched scraper) and an agogô (double-bell) are added to the mix. The ensemble also accompanies call-and-response singing between a soloist (typically the lead berimbau player) and a chorus (the other musicians and the capoeiristas). If the ensemble contains more than one berimbau, each instrument normally assumes a different musical role in the ensemble. The largest and lowest-pitched berimbau—the gunga—outlines the basic rhythm. The middle instrument—the berimbau de centro or berimbau médio—carries the main rhythm, with moderate variations. The highest-pitched berimbau—the berimbau viola—performs more elaborate variations.
The first records of the berimbau in Brazil date to the early 19th century. Although it is undeniable that the instrument was introduced by the African slave population, it is uncertain from which group the berimbau ultimately derives. Musical bows of nearly identical construction have been documented in South Africa, Mozambique, and Angola, and instruments of similar design have been found in other sub-Saharan countries, particularly in West Africa. Indeed, it is unlikely that the berimbau is traceable to any one African society; rather, it probably emerged in a unique Brazilian form from a combination of African traditions. Moreover, the berimbau evidently was not initially associated with capoeira but was added later to disguise the martial art as a dance.