Berimbau Rhythms
Any berimbau rhythm consists of the following notes:
Tchi / Chiado: a buzzing sound.
- Strike the arame with the dobrão resting lightly on the arame and the cabaça against the body to deafen the sound.
Tom / Solto: Use a low tone while we don’t press the stone, hit arame below the stone height, and place cabaça away from the stomach.
Tim / Preso: a high tone, the dobrão is pressed firmly to the arame, hit the arame above the stone while placing the cabaça away from the stomach.
Caxixi: No berimbau sound. This sound skipping is filled with a caxixi sound.
Tonch (dobrão): a beat to the arame, and the stone slightly touches the wire after the beat.
This will create a vibration and a sound similar to the “Tchi” but all around.
If you see a sequence of beats with a Tonch and a curve line underneath, the beat is out of the stomach, while the other ones are played the same as a Chiado, placing the cabaça against your stomach.
Benguela
Mestre Bimba created the Benguela rhythm with two main goals: to create a beautiful, well-connected game for presentations and to design a rhythm that calms students down. Benguela is a slow rhythm that is considered a "jogo de floreios", not in the sense of acrobatics, but in the sense that both players assist each other in creating a beautiful and flowing game that demonstrates their skills.
São Bento Grande de Angola
It is a rhythm for a very fast game with ample movement. Leg sweeps and takedowns are common in this game. The toque is identical to São Bento Pequeno, except that the 1/4 note pause is replaced by an additional solto note (i.e., the open note struck below the level of the coin), and the pace can be faster.
Apanha Laranja
Santa Maria / Apanha Laranja No Chão Tico-Tico
This rhythm is used in capoeira to recreate an old practice where players contested to pick up money wrapped up in a cloth with their mouths, the winner keeping the money. Many groups who now use a less aggressive version have modified this potentially violent game.
Players can only pick the money bag up with their mouths. If they touch it with their hands, legs, or any other body parts, a second couple enters the game and tries to do it correctly.
Razor Game / Jogo de Navalha
This rhythm is also used for the razor game, a nod to Capoeira's past when players would use razors on their hands and sometimes on their feet, tying silk scarves around their necks as protection since razors do not cut silk. Today, this is performed safely in demonstrations, maintaining its historical essence without risk.
Angola
The Angola rhythm in Capoeira is a slow, melodic, and grounding toque that emphasizes the game's traditional, ceremonial, and strategic elements.
Iúna de Mestres
Iúna is an old viola guitar rhythm used in the sambas of the Recôncavo, Bahia. Bimba, himself an accomplished master of the viola de samba, brought iuna into capoeira as a rhythm on the berimbau. He said that was an imitation of the Iúna bird's song - of the male calling and the female responding. A medium-paced and graceful game, it is played traditionally by "formados" (graduated students) at the end of the roda. Throws (baloes), in which partners throw each other and must land on their feet, are inserted within the game.
In our group, only Contra-Mestres and Mestres can play this rhythm.
Regional de Bimba
The Regional de Bimba's berimbau rhythm for Capoeira Regional is a fast-paced, energetic toque that emphasizes acrobatics and precision in the game.
Idalina
The berimbau rhythm Idalina creates a joyful and festive atmosphere in the capoeira roda, encouraging players to engage in a more relaxed and improvisational style. This rhythm is also suitable for other capoeira activities, such as performances, competitions, and training sessions. Its lively and celebratory beat fosters a sense of celebration and happiness within the capoeira circle.
Amazonas
The specific use of Amazonas can vary depending on the school or group. Still, it generally promotes an engaging and spirited environment in the roda, encouraging capoeiristas to get ready to display their skills and creativity. More importantly, it’s a Welcoming rhythm to visiting Capoeiristas, especially Mestres, at events such as Batizados.
