The clave pattern (or hambone, as it is known in the United States) is used in North American popular music as a rhythmic motif or simply a form of rhythmic decoration. The historical roots of the clave …

There are two basic types of clave: son or rumba clave. Most Afro-Cuban styles of music are built around one version of the clave pattern, which is fixed and repeated throughout the song, and forms …

May 21, 2025 · It originated in sub-Saharan Africa, but is now one of the world's most popular rhythms. So what is a clave and how is it used in music today?

The meaning of CLAVE is past tense of cleave.

Aug 3, 2023 · What is a clave? The clave—pronounced clah-vé—is the underlying rhythm pattern used in Afro-Cuban and Latin American music—it is used particularly in mambo, salsa, Brazilian bossa …

Aug 22, 2025 · For beginners, learning the clave is the first step to understanding how Latin music grooves. Once you master the 3:2 and 2:3 patterns, you’ll start hearing them everywhere—from …

Clave is both the keystone that holds all the pieces in balance and the guide to the sonic landscape. It is a clue to the puzzle of how the pieces fit, and the cornerstone of the music structure.