Berimbau

We can define the berimbau as the most important of the culture of capoeira and the instrument that has the most important function, sets the pace at all times and is the center of the other instruments. The legend tells the story of a young man drinking water in a river, and suddenly a man banged his stick on the head and killed him. They say that this man died and his body became the wood of the berimbau, his arms and legs in the string of the berimbau, his chief sounding board and soul with sentimental music is done with this instrument. The berimbau is a percussion instrument from the family of African cordòfons origin. Thanks to Samba, Candomble and capoeira this instrument is now well known in countries where African slaves lay their roots. The berimbau also has been known by the name of Uricungo, Bucumbunga, Arco Musical or Gunga.

There are 3 types of berimbau, each given a name according to the tone of the sound. Berimbau's name originates in the material of the instrument is made of a type of wood called Beriba (1'50 in length, 20 cm wide) The resonance box is a hollow gourd, painted and well made.

How is the berimbau played ?

The berimbau is struck with a wooden stick on the string or wire (often used wires' tires ) with a small wicker basket with seeds in it. What we take between the fingers and the palm, so we can keep a coin near the rope, and produce a very distinctive and different sound that belongs to the berimbau.

Different utilities berimbau

- In Cuba called the berimbau burumbumba in this country use the berimbau as a tool to communicate with spirits.

- It is said that Africa many years ago the children of the villages when the berimbau began to be built using these tools to drive the animals and can control them better.

- And the best-known function of the berimbau (which began in colonial Brazil) is to accompany stories, songs and dances.

Different types of berimbau:

- Berimbau Gunga:

is the most serious, makes bass.

- Berimbau center:

mark the central theme of the song and is the most known.

- Berimbau Viola:

the sound is sharper.

- The pandeiro

This instrument has Indian origin, was introduced in Brazil by the colonizers, who used to accompany their religious prayers. The Pandeiro caxixi accompanying sound. Pandeiro Touching the players may begin to exhibit their floreios or variants.

- L'atabaque

is an ancient oriental instrument, was used as a mean of communication, was well known on the African continent. When Africans came to Brazil were impressed to see that the Portuguese also had the atabaque and better quality and better sound. It's a great percussion instrument and measures approximately 120cm.

- Agogô

This instrument is of purely African origin, its function is largely accompany the berimbau and atabaque, although it does not seem a very difficult instrument to play, their sound is weak but consistent, an excellent companion to the berimbau.

- Reco-Reco

Although not one of the most important tools the reco-reco creates a basis similar to that of a western box, in many places where you can see a wheel that is not and the reco-reco is a very characteristic of Brazil and even in Brazil is difficult to find. There are other instruments but the most important and the most typical are these.

In a Round traditional almost always will see:

- A berimbau

- Two atabaques

- Two pandeiros

- A agogo

- A reco-reco