Music

The agogô is an instrument originating from the Yoruba tradition. It is made with two bells and it is used in different types of music such as samba or rock… The name agogô means bell in Yoruba. It has been used in traditional Yoruba music for centuries even up to today. There it is usually accompanied by various drums in ceremonies and festivals. The Yorubas of West Africa have been involved with bronze and iron casting for centuries and it is from this era that the agogô was born. The blacksmiths created sculptures from iron, through hand-beating, welding, and casting. Also, Ogun (a god still honored today in Brazilian Candomblé) is honored as the god of iron. It is the official instrument of Obatala in the religion of Yoruba. Often made in metal, the agogo has the most high-pitched sound in the Capoeira bateria. It can also be made in wood and nuts (Agogô de Castanha) which gives it a more stifled and deep sound. Its role is to keep the tempo along with the atabaque. Although the agogô may be seen as dispensable in Capoeira, it is still however a major part of Maculelê and Samba de Roda. The agogô was...

This scraper made of bamboo, wood or metal most likely originated from the Brazilian Natives who used it in their traditional ceremonies. Similar instruments are found all across South America and among various Native groups as far as Cuba and Puerto Rico. This is the last instrument to enter the capoeira bateria. It is also sometimes used in Maculelê, Samba de Roda as well as in contemporary Capoeira rodas. The reco-reco is a pretty simple instrument and a good one to start out with. ...

This instrument has a long rich history and has remained virtually unchanged through time. The pandeiro as it is found in Brazil is a variation of the tambourine which is thought to be of Middle Eastern in origin but also found all across Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean. Across the Middle East the tambourine was used mainly in religious ceremonies and by dancers. Crusaders brought this instrument to Europe sometime in the 13th century. Tambourines were played in ancient Greece and Rome, travelling across Europe with the gypsy movement. It eventually made its way to Portugal where it was called pandereta or adufe. The Portuguese then brought this instrument along with them to Brazil. The pandeiro was and is still used in many styles of Brazilian music from Samba, Chorro, Coco to Bossa Nova. The pandeiro was eventually introduced to Capoeira by way of Samba. It is the second most important instrument in Capoeira. In his Capoeira Regional, Mestre Bimba always preferred a bateria with just one berimbau and two pandeiros. The pandeiro helps keep the beat and pulse of the game along with the atabaque when available. It also serves to accent certain parts of the game. ...

The bateria consists of the ensemble of instruments making up the music part in Capoeira. Its correctness depends on the harmony between these instruments, on the knowledge of the Capoeiristas that play it and on other details. Capoeira includes more than thirty different rhythms. Sometimes the difference between the rhythms is obvious and sometimes less obvious. Each rhythm is accompanied by its own game. One wouldn’t dance a waltz on rock music, isn’t it? Based on this same principle, playing a quick and aerial game on a slow and very calm rhythm wouldn’t work. However, certain Capoeiristas often mix things up. Capoeira is its own style which contains other elements making it a complex art and its music is not exception to this rule. To make things easier, we could once again classify its music into three commons: Angola Regional Contemporeana   The bateria, managed by the Mestre or the organizer of the roda, is the base of Capoeira music. Its composition not only depends on the style but also of the group. These days, all the baterias at least have a berimbau and a pandeiro. This was not always the case. It appears that when it originated, Capoeira was played at the sound...

It is the central instrument of Capoeira, there is no roda without berimbau. In certain groups, students are not allowed to play it before undergoing training. The reason for this is that to manipulate the berimbau, it means that we should be able to play it for the entire time in the roda and to understand its importance with respect to the game. The ones who have the responsibility of playing the berimbau must also have other capabilities such as being able to have an overall control of the roda, being able to sing and keep the singing going, deciding when a game must be stopped or not. This requires an understanding of Capoeira because the berimbau is the sole master of Capoeira. Technically speaking, the berimbau is a musical bow used in Capoeira. It may be one of the most primitive of all musical instruments. Various forms of it can be found in different cultures, including New Mexico (USA), Patagonia, Central Africa, South Africa and Brazil. There are different theories about the origins of the musical bow in connection to the weapon. One may be at the origin of the other or their creations may have been separate from each other....

The lyrics and recordings of the songs most commonly used by the Ginga Saroba group ...