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.
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.