Toques

In the game of Capoeira, toques are the rhythms played on the berimbau. Many toques are associated with a specific game (i.e. style and speed of play) though organizations differ on how to play each toque.

A note on notation:

"Mestre Bola Sete shows in his book (Capoeira Angola da Bahia, Pallas, Rio de Janeiro, 1997) an interesting graphic representation to describe the different beats:"

tim = a high note

tish = a buzz

tum = a low note 

Video indroduction to playing the berimbau :     http://www.virtualcapoeira.com/play-berimbau.htm

Angola

Considered the oldest and most traditional toque, it is the specific toque of Capoeira Angola. It is appropriate for a slow game, near to the ground, dangerous, malicious, expressive, theatrical and spontaneous.
It is used to accompany the ladainha, the chula and the songs of Capoeira Angola. In this rhythm, one doesn't clap the hands.

The basic: xxv^ Contra-toque by the medio: xx^v

some players shake the caxixi on the last beat, aka the second to last unit giving:

xxv^s

where s = the shake

Angola: tish, tish, tum, tim

São Bento grande de Angola

It is the fastest toque of Capoeira Angola. The toque of São Bento Grande de Angola is used for a faster and decisive Angola game, released and less near to the ground than Angola, with occasionally some floreios.

It is also played as a contra-toque by the medio while playing Angola.

The basic: xx^vv Contra-toque by the medio: xx^xv

São Bento grande: tish, tish, tim, tum, tum

São Bento pequeno de Angola

Toque of Capoeira Angola. It is used for a light "jogo de dentro", nimble, a game of technical exhibition. It is an intermediate toque between the toque of Angola and São Bento Grande de Angola. It is also played as a contra-toque by the medio while playing Angola.

The basic: xx^v

São Bento pequeno: tish, tish, tim, tum

São Bento grande de Regional

It is the most known toque of the Capoeira Regional. Created by Mestre Bimba, This game is very fast, virile and agile. It is an attack-response game, vigorous and decisive in which the blows are strong and explosive. It is the rhythm most often associated with Regional.

The basic: xxvx^|xxvv^ Contra-toque by the medio: xx^^v|v^^v

São Bento grande de Regional: tish, tish, tum, tish, tim / tish, tish, tum, tum, tim

Benguela

Formerly called "Banguela", the name Benguela derives from the name of a province in western Angola.

This toque was created by Mestre Bimba. At that time, the game associated with this rhythm had not been developed yet, but Bimba defined it as a jogo de dentro, imbricated and highly technical, a close game of self-defense against knife attacks.

The main particularity of Benguela is to "transform" movements so one can get out of blockings in a fluide way. That is why it is the most technical game style of Capoeira Regional, one of the most difficult to play. In Benguela, "aggressive" hits are prohibited (like martelo, ponteira...).
Theoretically, no kick should be done higher than the waist, the game and body are very closed and suspicious, and one does the ginga as little as possible.

The basic: xxv^^ Contra-toque by the medio: xx^xv

Benguela: tish, tish, tum, tim, tim

Iúna

This toque of Capoeira Regional was created by Mestre Bimba, inspired by the bird's singing which has the same name, "iúna". He created it because his students had become too use to playing standing up.

It is a game which is characterized mainly by its aesthetic side but without forgetting the technique. The movements must be wide, supple, less cautious, controlled (it is not the rhythm in which one tests movements that one does not control), and the game requires a perfect coordination of the movements, which is only acquired after many years of practice. This is why it is reserved only for graduated students.

At the time of Bimba, only the most advanced could access to this game, which means that it was the game of the contra-mestres. This is why one must play it with respect. It is generally used in ceremonies or at the end of rodas. In this rhythm, there is no singing or hand clapping, and in many schools may only be played when a Mestre is present.

The word iúna is the shortened name of the bird, "inhuma" or "anhuma", of the family Anhimidae. The word derives from Tupi a'um, which means "black bird". The English name of this bird is the "Horned screamer" (Anhima cornuta).

Iuna: tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tish, tish, tim, tum / tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tish, tish, tim, tum /

tum, tum, tum, tum ,tum, tish, tish, tim, tum / tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tish, tish, tim, tum / tum, tish, tish, tim, tum, tum, tish, tish, tim, tum / tum, tim, tum, tim, tum, tim, tish, tish, tim, tum / tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tum, tish, tish, tim, tum

Idalina

A toque created by Mestre Bimba, who did not have time to define the game principles. Now one associates it to a game formerly practised for mortal confrontations, with razors or knives, at the foot or the hand. The maltas who clashed generally put a silk scarf around the neck in case a blade would come to attack there, so that it remains wedged.

The basic: xxvv^|vv^^

Idalina: tum, tum, tim, tum / tum, tish, tish, tim

Santa Maria (de Regional)

(Sometimes called "Apanha Laranja no chão, tico-tico")
This toque was created by Mestre Bimba, who called it "Hino da Capoeira Regional" (Anthem of Capoeira Regional), and had not attributed a way to play it. It is now associated with a game which exists for a long time:
It is a game which was common to the festivals of Santa Barbara, where a tournament was organized to catch a reward placed at the center of the roda. At the beginning one put money on the floor, then for higiene and ethics reasons, one placed it in a white cloth.
Currently, one plays it by putting an object (generally a caxixí) in the medium of the roda, which one must catch with the teeth. The one who picks up it won. The adversary must prevent him by blocking him, without moving the object, which makes of it a rather technical game. Before, one did not hesitate to hit the head which approached the reward, this is why it is advisable to play prudently. Normally, one does not sing in this rhythm, although some uses the song "Apanha Laranja no chão, tico-tico" to accompany the game.

The basic: xxvvvvv|xxvvv^|xx^^^^|xx^v^v

Santa Maria: tish, tish, tum, tum, tum, tum, / tish, tish, tum, tum, tum, tim / tish, tish, tim, tim, tim, tim / tish, tish, tim, tum, tim, tum

Amazonas

Amazonas is a toque of Capoeira regional created by Mestre Bimba, but the corresponding game by Mestre Camisa.
The toque of Amazonas characterizes a game in which the animals movements are imitated. There are certain basic animals and movements (caranguejo, cachorro, escorpião, macaco, sapo, crocodilo, beija-flor, elefante, canguru, grilo, cobra, coelho, aranha, caracol...) but one does not limit oneself with that, and the creativity of the players can give rise to new tricks, as long as the expression of the animal imitated is there.
On the game level, there is no ginga; the "speed" is the same one as for the benguela, the kicks used too. But there is a great difference. Contrary to the benguela in which one closes the body when the adversary tries to penetrate, here the play must be open.
It is a imbricated game, where the partners must pass one below the other, on the top, by the sides; between the legs, the arms... while moving like an animal.

Camisa attaches great importance to ecology, and wants to awake the conscience of the capoeirists, to sensitize them.
This toque puts the capoeirists in the animals place.
One does not sing nor does not clap in the hands during this rhythm.

The basic: xxvxv^|xxvv^

Amazonas: tish, tish, tum, tish, tum, tim / tish, tish, tum, tum, tim

Cavalaria

It is the alarm toque. At the time of slavery, this toque was used to inform the capoeirists of the arrival of the administrator and, during the Republic (when capoeira was prohibited), the capoeiristas used the "cavalaria" to prevent the arrival of the mounted police, the cavalry.
When they heard this toque during their fighting training, they dispersed or transformed their game by dancing, making floreios, to make them believe that it was just an entertainment.
In certain groups, one now uses this toque to inform the danger in the game, the violence and the discord to be avoided.

The basic: xxvxv|xxv^v

Cavalaria: tish, tish, tum, tish, tum / tish, tish, tum, tim, tum

Miudinho

Created by Mestre Suassuna. The game is like Angola, but faster. There is no singing. The toque sounds like a reverse Cavalaria.

Mestre Suassuna: "The game of miudinho is generating controversy because it is being misinterpreted. People are thinking it's a new capoeira, and it's nothing like that. I simply rescued an older capoeira, modernized the manner of playing it, changed the sequences... the name miudinho arose because I was observing that capoeiristas were playing very distant from each other and in our time we played very close; thus, I said to people, 'I want the game more minute, closer, play very tiny.' Then, I created a toque on the berimbau. Miudinho is not a new capoeira, it's a different manner to display capoeira. Just like the games of Iuna and São Bento Grande exist, the game of miudinho exists."

The basic: ^xx|^xx|^xx|^v

Miudinho: tim, tish, tish, tim, tish, tish, tim, tish, tish, tim, tum

Samba de roda

Performed by many capoeira groups, samba de roda is a traditional Afro-Brazilian dance that has been associated with capoeira for many years. The orchestra is composed by pandeiro (tambourine), atabaque (drum), berimbau, viola (a stringed instrument of the violin family, slightly larger than a violin), chocalho (rattle - a percussion instrument), accompanied by singing and clapping. Often used to finish a roda. A man and woman dance together, and when another man wants to dance, he fakes a leg trip on the man dancing and takes his place. Women can do the same thing by pushing the woman in the middle with their hip and taking her place.

The basic: xxvxxv|xxvvvv

Samba de roda: tish, tish, tum, tish, tish, tum / tish, tish, tum, tum, tum, tum

Samango

Samango was created by the late great Mestre Canjiquinha. The rhythm fits maculelê drumming, and the game looks more "fight" than "dance". During samango, the players stand in front of each other, almost no ginga. Inline attacks are almost the only ones: martelo, benção, gancho, chapa, escorão.

It's said that once somebody asked Canjiquinha why he called the rhythm "samango" (which is an offensive slang for "police officer"), and he said "just for fun".

The basic: vxvxv^

Samango: tum, tish, tum, tish, tum, tim

Jogo De Dentro

Jogo de Dentro is a fast, low game in which players play within close proximity to each other.

The basic: xx^v^

Jogo De Dentro: tish, tish, tim, tum, tim

Jogo De Fora

Jogo de Fora is an of Angola game which characterizes a standing game where one cannot put the hands to the ground. It is also played as a contra-toque by the medio while playing São Bento grande de Angola, and Benguela.

The basic: xx^xv

Jogo De Fora: tish, tish, tim, tish, tum