CM Manranhao and CM Fenix string the berimbaus for the roda. Instructora Gatinha watches with glee

People worry too much about sounding bad.

Music is hard, and it’s really hard to sounds good, which is such a small part of sounding cool. Willing to sound bad is a hump that must be stumbled over in order to start this journey. Also, capoeira music has a very unique take on music progression.

The teaching tends to be lax.

It’s more of repeat after me rather than work on these songs or work on these scales. Even like with other percussion instruments, the rhythms aren’t written (and the process of those notes are not standardized between capoeira groups.) The learning process isn’t structured and each group has their own take on music.

This isn’t an impossible task though.

Like most things in capoeira, it takes a lot of effort. Many attempts and the consistent reps that drive success in learning. It requires a stubbornness and willingness to sound silly. Most of capoeira requires you to sound and look like a fool to really understand what’s going on.

The funny part is how the required foolishness leads to all the cool stuff.