In Africa, the musical bow is primarily a solo instrument, whereas in Brazil Berimbau has developed into an ensemble instrument, used most often in capoeira and samba.
The Brazilian berimbau, a wooden pole about 56 inches long, is held in the left hand, the string struck with the small stick held in the other hand. The stick hand also holds a small, woven rattle. Between the thumb and index finger of the bow hand, the player holds a coin or stone, which is used to stop the string, producing two main tones. Capoeira rhythms on the berimbau sound at first like an alternation between two basic tones: a high note produced by coin or stone, and a low note on the open string. There is a third tone, a buzz tone, produced by holding the coin lightly against the string. Practically speaking, a musician lingers on the buzz note, which acts as a drone, from which he can move to the high or low tones, forming patterns.
