During slavery, in Brazil, music and song helped disguise training. Women would come into the roda and dance samba when the berimbau changed its rhythm to rapidly hide the martial art. After slavery, capoeira was still hidden because it was against the law to play this game of balance. When the police was near, the rhythm would change to alert the people practicing the artform.

Still today, music is very important in the roda; it brings energy, sets the type of game and the songs tell stories. The bateria (instruments lined up to play or the band) involves several instruments but the most important of them, is the berimbau (usually 3 are played), atabaque and pandeiro. Of the three, the most important being the berimbau.

There are hundreds of songs sung around the world in rodas.

Often a roda will start with a ladainha (litany), most often sung by the most advanced person present, if not a master. Ladainhas are usually famous songs that tell of the history of capoeira.

Corridos, shorter than ladainhas are sung afterwards.

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