Music - Atabaque


	music - berimbau

		The Berimbau is the predominant instrument in Capoeira and "dictates the rhythm and nature of the game taking place in the Roda. The berimbau is made of a hard wooden bow, approximately 1.5 meters long, known as a verga and is strung with a steel wire called an arame which is usually taken from an old tyre. To produce the resonating sounds of the berimbau, a gourd is attached. This gourd is usually made from a dried calabash and is known as a cabaça. A caxixi (a shaker/rattle) is used along with a wooden stick around 12 inches long (baqueta). The baqueta strikes the string of the berimbau to produce its sound. Used in conjunction with these a media (coin) or a dobrão (stone) is pressed against the arame to produce different notes. The Berimbau (thought to be the oldest musical instrument on Earth, older than the Aboriginal Digeridoo) is essential for controlling the rhythm in the game of Capoeira, dictating the pace of the game in the roda depending upon the speed and rhythm played.


			The bottom is the widest end, where a small peg or groove is carved to attatch the wire. Cut a groove at the top and cover it with a small leather patch to stop the wire splitting the wood. The cabaca (amplifier)is made from a Gourd with the top cut off, or can be approximated with paper mache pasted around a baloon. (inflate a baloon to about 4-6 inches diameter and then cover it with strips of newspaper soaked in wallpaper paste). Cut two holes in the bottom of your cabaca and tie a loop of string through them just big enough to stay on the bow as in the picture. The wire for the Berimbau is usually removed from the inside of a car tyre, and a loop should be made at each end.The bottom end goes on the peg and a length of shoelace or similar tied to the top. To string the bow, stand on it to bend it and run the wire through the groove at the top and tie off the string around the top of the bow.
		There are three types of berimbau: Gunga Medio Viola Berimbau Gunga (1) The Gunga, which has the deepest sound, plays the role of the bass; it keeps the rhythm and plays the basic theme. The Gunga is also the largest of the three berimbau." Berimbau Medió (2) The Medió compliments the Gunga by maintaining the rhythm and is the middle size, mid rangeberimbau. Berimbau Viola (3) The Viola or Violinha is the berimbau that has the sharpest sound; it is responsible for the syncopation or the improvisation.The berimbau viola has been described as being the most difficult to play. The rhythms produced by the berimbau, known as Toques control the movement within the Roda. Depending on the rhythm, the participants of the jogo de capoeira (game of capoeira) can play slow and treacherous, fast and aggressive or open and harmonious. There are many different Toques de Berimbau and some are common to all schools, while others are played by certain groups..

How to string your Berimbau (thanks to www.planetcapoeira.com)

			The first step is to attach the wire, or arame, to the berimbau. It is looped over a notched piece of wood at the bottom of the instrument. Then the instrument is carefully, but firmly bent as Mucuiu demonstrates in the picture. It is held against the ground and your foot at bottom, and pulled against your leg. The wire is stretched over the top of the instrument, where a thick piece of leather has been nailed, and then wrapped tightly around the wood of the bow and tied in a knot.
					Here is a close-up detail of how the berimbau is braced against the foot as it is pulled to the proper tension. Note how the foot is placed against the berimbau, and how it is placed behind the opposing leg to create a fulcrum to bend it properly. Berimbaus should be made from biriba wood, a wood native to Brazil known for it's strength, flexebilty and sound properties. Substitues can be maple or ash, though they give different sounds, and don't wear as well. Bamboo makes for a poor berimbau - cheap tourist berimbaus in Brazil are made of bamboo.
		Now the gourd is slid on. The gourd acts as a resonator for the instrument, as it has been dried, hollowed out, and an opening cut. The gourd has a length of string looped through it. This loop is slid on over the berimbau bow and the string. The string can be squeezed closer to the bow to get the gourd on and to the right position on the berimbau. A good measure of where the gourd should rest along the bow would be the length of your outstretched hand, small finger to thumb.
				Here is how it should look. In this picture, you can see the notch at the bottom of the berimbau bow, and how the gourd is attached.


	How to play your Berimbau Now you've made your Berimbau you're going to need to learn how to play it The Berimbau: A minute to learn, a lifetime to master! Note that this is only a VERY basic guide to playing the berimbau and (as with the moves) you really need to be shown by somebody who knows.
		The berimbau is held as shown in the picture. The little finger pulls the string loop upwards so that the wire is tight. The player then strikes the wire with a stick (baqueta) held loosely in the other hand to produce a noise.
	The Berimbau produces 3 notes. DIN -CLOSED The coin is held FORWARD against the wire and the wire struck ABOVE the coin (point a in the picture). At the same time the cabaca (amplifier) is held AWAY from the body. Remember that when you push the coin away from you also push the whole Berimbau away from you. DAN -OPEN The coin is held BACK from the wire and the wire struck BELOW the coin (point b in the picture). At the same time the cebaca (amplifier) is held close to the body. DANº -HALF As with the CLOSED note, but the coin is only lightly pressed against the wire, the cabaca is held to the stomach. This sounds like a metallic sound. Ù -One strike with the Caxixi ÙÙ -Two strikes with the Caxixi & -hit the wire and then push the coin to the wire &º -the same but with the cabaca to your stomach

	Styles and toques Because the berimbau directs the game played, there are as many different game’s as there are toques (rythms). We show you the most popular ones. Originally the capoeirista (player) would only practise one style, but on today's Capoeira the capoeirista is required to play all the most traditional styles. Here's a couple of examples of the most traditional ones. If you want to hear the different rhythms I advice the cd: curso de capoeira from Mestre Bima or go to terravista to hear some togues.

	Toque de São Bento Grande de Regional Created by Mestre Bimba (1900-1974) is the most widely used form of Capoeira. It is high speed game that employs all the martial art style movements. Some acrobatic and balances can be used although the emphasis is more on the fighting moves. It is very important, therefore it follows any type of game, besides being ideal for the accompaniment of the toques of the corridos. Ù DAN Ù DiN Ù DAN DAN DIN

	Toque de Cavalaria It is an acknowledgment toque and it does not stop being used in capoeira game. In the past , when the capoeristas were pursued, the Squadron of Cavalry of the National Guard that had, in one created itself determined time, as bigger incumbency, to fight them. From there it originated the Toque of Cavalry. A capoerista was with one berimbau in a hill or in a esquina, a little distant of where formed it capoeira wheel and, when the Cavalry of Guarda Nacional came close itself, the capoerista that was watching gave beginning to the Toque of the same name, informing to the comrades who ran away or then they were prepared for faces them in violent battles. Ù DAN Ù DAN Ù DAN DIN DAN

	Toque de Banguela This toque was used to follow the "jogo de faca” (today extincted game with knives atouches to the feet). It was one definitive game of capoeira where one or two capoeristas they empunhavam a knife, they fought or they simulated one fight between itself. Ù DAN DIN Ù DAN DIN DIN (Banguela dobrado)

	Toque de Iuna Acrobatics is the name of this game. It is a chance to show off all of the great moves that makes Capoeira so spectacular as a spectator sport. No aggressive kicks are to be used, only the three basic kicks. Strictly no contact. Used specifically for Rodas commemorating the death of any famous Capoeirista. Executed through the Berimbau viola, is the ritual touch, therefore, is only admitted its execution when two experienced capoeristas, generally masters, go " to loiter ", demanding a perfect coordination of the movements that is only adquírida after many years in the practical one of the capoeiragem. DAN &º DAN &º DAN &º DAN &º DAN ÙÙ DAN DANº DANº &º DAN (Iuna Macho) DAN DAN DAN DAN DAN DAN & DAN & DAN ÙÙ DANº DANº &º DAN (Iuna femea)