Berimbau

Sound and Character

The sound of the berimbau is hypnotic, ringing, with a characteristic metallic buzz and the ability to change pitch by a half-step using a small stone or metal coin.

Design and Features

A flexible wooden branch with a stretched steel wire (taken from an automobile tire). A hollow calabash gourd is attached to the base of the arch to act as a resonator. The musician holds the instrument with one hand, striking the string with a thin wooden stick while simultaneously pressing a small stone against it, and holds a small noise shaker (caxixi) in the other hand.

Genres Used In

• Capoeira (Brazilian martial art-dance)
• Brazilian folklore and ethno-fusion