Claves

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claves percussion instrument (idiophone), consisting of a pair of short (about 20-30 cm), thick dowels. Normally they are made of wood but nowadays they are also made of fibreglass or plastics due to the longer 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 rhythm:

is often played on the claves in latin music, and it is known as the clave. So the claves are very important in many latin music styles as the Son and Salsa as they build the rhythmic basis.

Steve Reich's Music for Pieces of Wood is written for five pairs of claves.

Technique

The basic principle when playing claves is to allow at least one of them to resonate. The usual technique is to hold one horizontally by cupping it in the hand, touching the clave only at either end using fingers to stabilise it. It is then struck at its centre with the other clave.

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