For Capoeira Angola, unlike many games or martial arts, music is essential to play; without it the game is unimaginable. In this the art resembles many cultural manifestations of African origin, dependent on the intimate relation between music, movement, play, and spirituality. The music of Capoeira Angola is so important in part because it helps to integrate the body and mind of the capoeirista, and also because it contributes to the playful character of the game. Not only the speed, quality and intensity of the music determine the timing and movement of the players; the aesthetic demand that a player move in relation to the rhythm also prevents the art from becoming simplistic or purely aggressive. A good player must learn to balance the aesthetic and athletic, the artistic and combative aspects of the art simultaneously. Powered by the fusion of rhythms summoned by the musicians, moving to what is simultaneously a rhythm of dance and war, the capoeirista can often find unrecognized resources in her or himself or have experiences which can only be described as spiritual.

To say that the art is profound does not imply that it is not playful. On the contrary, it is exactly the blend of intimacy and respect, humour and gravity, which can make the roda (the ring in which Capoeira Angola is played) a place where the everyday and the spiritual can come together. For this reason, the roda is entered with joy and laughter, but also with profound reverence. It is music that, in so many cultures of Africa and the African diaspora, brings together the natural and supernatural, providing a common language through which gods and humans can communicate. The instruments and music of the roda are a link to religious traditions, not just musical accompaniment for the game.

Music also assures a relationship between the players and the audience. Through the music, the leader of the orchestra can help preserve the correct relationship between the players, prevent the contest from spinning out of control, and simultaneously add energy to the interplay. Sometimes this is done overtly in the lyrics of the songs – the singers may cajole, criticize, mock, praise, or challenge the players. Always, however, it is the unbreakable link between the music and the movement of the players – rhythm – that creates and maintains the roda.