Brazilian · samba de roda · 2/2 straight

Samba de roda

220 bpm
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16ths

Samba de roda is the older, rural samba of the Recôncavo Baiano (Bahia), danced inside a circle (roda) of singers and clappers; UNESCO lists it as intangible heritage. It is written in cut time like the other sambas here (half = 110).

The palmas are the heart of it: everyone in the circle claps the 3+3+2 tresillo across each bar while the pandeiro keeps the samba grid, thumb on the two beats, slap on the "and", jingles on the sixteenths in between. The viola (here a guitar in the viola machete role) alternates a thumb bass on each beat with two short chops, so the strings fill exactly the gaps the claps leave.

Listen for the friction between the claps' 3+3+2 and the pandeiro's even pulse: that rub is what moves the dancer's feet in the miudinho.

Practice hint: clap the palmas while tapping the beat with your foot before playing a note.

References & listening

  • Article Ralph Waddey Viola de samba and samba de viola in the Recôncavo of Bahia (Brazil)(Latin American Music Review 1(2): 196–212; part 2 in 2(2), 1981, 1980)
  • Book IPHAN Samba de Roda no Recôncavo Baiano(IPHAN (Dossiê Iphan 4), 2006)
  • Web UNESCO Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo of Bahia(UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage (proclaimed 2005, inscribed 2008))

How this pattern was made

  • standard practice; no transcribed source (palmas, pandeiro and viola roles as commonly taught; pandeiro thumb → kick, slap → rim, jingles → hat)