Clave is a Spanish word meaning 'code,' 'key,' as in key to a mystery or puzzle, or ' keystone,' the wedge-shaped stone in the center of an arch that ties the other stones together. The rhythm also gave the name to the claves Afro-Cuban musical instrument which consists of a pair of hardwood sticks. [10]
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 the foundation for percussionists, as well as the other musicians in the ensemble.
It’s not to do with tonality as the term ‘key’ usually refers to, but instead, the clave holds the music together like a keystone. It’s essentially a repeating rhythmic pattern that is often played on a pair of sticks that are appropriately (or confusingly!) called claves.
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 traditional son Cubano to modern jazz and pop.
Clave [pronounced kla’-veh] is the essential code to many styles of percussion based music, music which is formed of separate, repeating, interlocking rhythmic cells. Clave is both the keystone that holds all the pieces in balance and the guide to the sonic landscape.
The basic forms of the clave are distinguished by the distribution of strokes across the two bars: the 3-2 clave places three strokes in the first bar and two in the second, while the 2-3 clave reverses this to two in the first bar and three in the second.