Role in Capoeira
The pandeiro is probably the second most important instrument in capoeira. In traditional Capoeira Regional, Mestre Bimba always prefered a bateria with just one berimbau and two pandeiros. The pandeiro helps keep the beat and pulse of the game long with the atabaque when available. It also serves to accent certain parts of the game. For example the pandeiro may play a certain variation if a player falls, gets kicked, does a fancy floreio, or a new player buys the game.