Introduction
The name clave refers to a rhythm instrument consisting of two round wooden sticks. In Latin American music, the clave plays repetitive patterns that are the reference point for all other instruments, much like the 4/4 meter in Western music.
Before we discuss Brazil or Cuba, let’s look at Rock ‘n’ Roll. The most famous beat in American pop history— the Bo Diddley Beat — is actually a traditional **3-2 Son Clave**.
If you can clap the rhythm to “I Want Candy” or “Faith” by George Michael, you already know the Clave. It acts as the “key” (la clave) that organizes the music.
The 3-2 Pattern (Bo Diddley Style)
- Bar 1 (The 3-Side): Three syncopated hits (Tension).
- Bar 2 (The 2-Side): Two heavy, grounding beats (Release).
3-2 and 2-3 Patterns
Accents in Latin music are varied, often stressing a beat every three eighth notes. This results in two-bar patterns played as 3-2 (three beats in the first bar, two in the second) or 2-3 (vice versa).
Practice Method
While clapping the clave with your hands, try the following foot-pulse exercises:
- Mark the basic pulse (1 2 3 4) with your foot.
- Tap only on 1 and 3 with your foot.
- Feel the clave as a basic rhythm without a grid.
The “magic” of the clave rhythm comes from the first half: the **Tresillo** (meaning “Little Three”).
This 1... 2-and... 4 rhythm is the heartbeat of almost all Latin music, and you can hear it clearly in modern Pop (Reggaeton) and Jazz. It creates a syncopated “stumble” that makes the music want to move forward. The “tresillo” (the three-accent pattern) is also a cornerstone of Tango, Milonga, and Habanera.
The Tresillo Pattern
Originating from Cuban Son music, this is the most famous clave. This is the strict grid used in traditional Cuban music and most early Latin Jazz. It defines the “On the Beat” feel.
3-2 Son Clave
The classic forward direction.
- Bar 1: The Tresillo (Note the 3rd hit is squarely on Beat 4).
- Bar 2: Two hits on Beats 2 and 3.
Example: Listen to “El Cuarto de Tula” by the Buena Vista Social Club to identify the Son Clave in action.
2-3 Son Clave
The relaxed direction. This is the foundation of standards like Oye Como Va.
The Rumba Clave is the secret to “Swinging” in Latin Jazz. It is almost identical to the Son Clave, but with one crucial shift.
The Difference
Look at the 3-side (the busy bar).
- Son: The third hit is on Beat 4 (Square).
- Rumba: The third hit is delayed to the “and” of 4 (Syncopated).
Rumba Clave (3-2)
That delayed hit creates a rolling, stumbling feel that pushes into the next measure.
Rumba Clave (2-3)
Common in Salsa and modern Latin Jazz.
In Jazz Bossa (like Blue Bossa or The Girl from Ipanema), the clave is often “implied” by the drum kit rather than played explicitly on percussion.
Common Variation
Jazz musicians often play a hybrid rhythm. They maintain the 2-3 direction of Bossa Nova but may straighten the syncopation slightly to lock in with a walking bass or swing feel.
The Quincy Jones Connection
Jazz legends like Quincy Jones famously integrated Bossa Nova and Clave rhythms into big band and pop contexts.
Latin-Jazz Standards
In Jazz, the Rumba Clave is frequently used as a grid for improvisation over standards like Blue Bossa or Recorda Me. By internalizing the clave, you expand your rhythmic security and allow your solos to interact more deeply with the percussion section.
Modern Application
Even if these rhythms are not explicitly written in every guitar piece, they are essential modern vocabulary. Use the clave as a mental “metronome” to ensure your phrasing maintains the forward motion required for high-level Latin-Jazz performance.
Bossa Nova takes this universal concept and softens it. While Rock and Salsa often play the clave aggressively in a 3-2 direction, Bossa Nova generally flips the script to 2-3.
This “Backwards Clave” creates the smooth, laid-back atmosphere characteristic of the genre.
The Bossa Clave (2-3)
- Bar 1 (The 2-Side): Starts with space and stability.
- Bar 2 (The 3-Side): The Tresillo pattern comes second, providing a subtle push at the end of the phrase.
Rhythmic Dissonance
The Bossa Nova Clave is defined by the shift in the “rhythm of two”. In the 2-3 variant, one beat is played every three eighth notes, creating a “rhythmic dissonance” against the fundamental quarter-note pulse.
The Guitar Application
While João Gilberto treated the guitar itself as a rhythm instrument resembling the clave, modern Bossa often explicitly features the pattern.
- Thumb (p): Takes the basic pulse in half notes (beats 1 and 3).
- Fingers (i-m-a): Pluck the clave rhythm on the upper strings.
Song Example: Menina Moça
To dive into a practical song arrangement featuring a clave pattern, study **Menina Moça** by Luiz Antonio. In larger ensembles, you will often hear the drummer perform this pattern on the snare drum.
The melody of Blue Bossa is a perfect study in Clave alignment.
- The Melody: Often accents the “and” of 2 and beat 4, locking in with the Rumba/Bossa feel.
- The Challenge: Hearing where the “2-side” (Release) and “3-side” (Tension) fall.
Before Clave was 4/4, it was a 12/8 bell pattern used in West African music. This feels like a “rolling triplet” rhythm.
The 12/8 Bell Pattern
(Displayed here on a 12-beat grid to represent triplets)
If you take that rolling 6/8 pattern and “flatten” it into a 4/4 march, you get the Rumba Clave.
This is why Rumba sounds “funky”—it is essentially a triplet rhythm trying to exist inside a 4/4 world.
Try This
Play the Rumba pattern below, but imagine it with a “triplet” feel. You are now bridging the gap between Afro-Cuban folklore and Modern Jazz.