Clave
The clave is a fundamental rhythmic pattern and organizing principle in Cuban music. It serves as both a musical pattern and a guiding concept, deeply rooted in Afro-Cuban traditions.
🎵 1. Clave as a Rhythm
There are two main types of clave rhythms:
🔹 Son Clave
Common in Cuban son, salsa, and popular Cuban genres.
| X - - X - - X - | - - X - - - - |
| - - X - - - - | X - - X - - X - |
🔹 Rumba Clave
Used in rumba and more folkloric Afro-Cuban styles. Has a slightly more syncopated feel.
| X - - X - - X - | - - X - - - - |
🧠 2. Clave as a Concept
- The clave is the structural foundation of Cuban music.
- Musicians must "play in clave", meaning their rhythms and phrasing align with the underlying clave pattern.
- The music can be in 3-2 or 2-3 clave, depending on where the stronger accent falls.
⚠️ Switching between 3-2 and 2-3 is called a clave reversal. It must be handled carefully to maintain rhythmic integrity.
🥁 3. Instruments That Play Clave
- Claves: Two hardwood sticks struck together to play the clave rhythm.
- Other instruments imply or support the clave:
- Congas
- bongos">Bongos
- Timbales
- Piano (montuno patterns)
- Horn lines
🚀 4. Clave in Modern Cuban Music
- Genres like timba and modern salsa treat clave more flexibly.
- Advanced arrangements may temporarily obscure the clave or play against it, only to realign later.
- Despite this, the clave always governs the music’s deeper structure.
📌 Summary
- Clave = heartbeat of Cuban music
- Two types: Son and Rumba
- Orientations: 3-2 and 2-3
- Musicians must stay "in clave" or risk disrupting the groove
🎧 Want to Explore Further?
Consider listening to:
- "Quimbara" – Celia Cruz (3-2 son clave)
- "Yambú" or "Guaguancó" styles of rumba (rumba clave)
This section is characterized by a more open and interactive part of the song, where there is a dialogue between the vocals and the instrumentalists, leading to a more improvised feel. The montuno is typically built on repetitive piano and bass patterns and may include call-and-response singing.
Lees meer >Cuban rumba is an Afro-Cuban music and dance genre characterized by complex rhythms, call-and-response vocals, and expressive, often flirtatious movements, rooted in African and Spanish traditions.
Lees meer >
- Oldest of all, Late 1800s
- Clave blanco (Son clave used in yambu)
- Originated in urban areas of Matanzas and Havana
- Not related to religion
- A form of collective culture
Lees meer >The dance involves a flirtatious "chase" between a male and female dancer, with the male attempting a symbolic pelvic thrust called the vacunao,
and the female using body movements to evade or accept it.
Lees meer >The following dances have their origin in Matanzas:
Cuban Dances Originating in Havana
Havana, the cultural heartbeat of Cuba, played a central role in the creation and evolution of several iconic Cuban dances. Some were born directly in the capital, while others were transformed there into the forms we know today.
Lees meer >The clave is a fundamental rhythmic pattern and organizing principle in Cuban music. It serves as both a musical pattern and a guiding concept, deeply rooted in Afro-Cuban traditions.
Lees meer >bongos">
Bongo
A pair of small drums played with fingers and palms.
Bongo
A pair of small drums played with fingers and palms.
