From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Claves are a percussion instrument (idiophone), consisting of a pair of short (about 20-30 cm), thick dowels. Traditionally they were made of wood, typically rosewood, ebony or genadillo. Nowadays they are also made of fibreglass or plastics due to the greater durability of these materials. When struck they produce a bright clicking noise. Claves are sometimes hollow and carved in the middle to amplify the sound. The word "clave" is pronounced /ˈklaβe/ in the Spanish style (as in "Ave Maria"), although some American musicians pronounce it as if it were an English word rhyming with brave or gave.
Claves are very important in Afro-Cuban music, such as the Son and Guaguancó. They are often used to play a repeating rhythmic figure throughout a piece, known as the clave, of which there are several different variations, each used for different styles of music.
Steve Reich's Music for Pieces of Wood is written for five pairs of claves.
[edit] Technique
The basic principle when playing claves is to allow at least one of them to resonate. The usual technique is to hold one lightly with the thumb and fingertips of the non-dominant hand, with the palm up. This forms the hand into a resonating chamber for the clave. Holding the clave on top of finger nails makes the sound more clear. The other is held by the dominant hand at one end with a firmer grip, much like how one normally holds a drumstick. With the end of this clave, the player strikes the resting clave in the center.
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