Dende Arts
Capoeira Instruments
The core of the Capoeira bateria. This instrument is iconic to the art of Capoeira and needed in order to have a roda. A traditional angola bateria, and most modern rodas have three berimbaus. All of them play a specific role in the roda, but all are respected and usually played by the most senior people in the roda. Here are the three most important types of berimbaus.
A percussion instruments played in the Capoeira bateria. This instrument is extremely versatile and can be played in many different ways. Pandeiros are used for Capoeira, Samba, and other music genres. A Capoeira pandeiro usually has 5 zills (the shaky things) and is 10 inches in diameter. This is not a hard and fast rule, though it is most common. If the Capoeira Pandeiro is too expensive, below is a discounted option from Amazon. Maybe not the same sound, but great for practice and can be used in a pinch.
The Atabaque is the heartbeat of the bateria. The vintage atabaques are absolutely beautiful and produce incredible sound. They are not the “original” atabaques used in the rodas of the old Mestres, but they are widely used today because of their beauty and terrific sound. The congas are more simple, cheaper, and more closely related to the simple drums that might have been used in the early Capoeira days. Go vintage if you like the style, but go conga if you’re on a budget. Both are adequate for a Capoeira roda.
Reco-reco is an instrument that ads great value to the rhythm of the bateria. It was honestly hard to find a Reco-reco that was not produced in China, but here it is. A solid Reco-reco that you can use in your roda at a good price. This instrument is not “required” in a Capoeira roda, but if you get a chance to include it, definitely do so.
The agogo is loud and helps the other instruments stay on beat. This instrument can be made out of metal or castanha. Metal tends to have a much higher pitched sound is sometimes muted so it doesn’t drown out the other instruments. Castanha looks more elegant and has an earthier sound. Either can be used in a Capoeira roda, though some teachers may have a preference to one or the other.
Samba Instruments – Coming Soon!
Coming soon!
Coming soon!
Coming soon!