| Afro Cuban Rhythms | ||
| In order to understand Afro Cuban rhythms one must pursue an extensive study of the clave role and its relationship with the instruments, compositions and arrangements. For it is the clave rhythm that provides the foundation in this style of music. There are two major clave styles in Afro Cuban music; the son clave and the rumba clave. They are both two bar rhythms, consisting of a bar containing three notes and another containing two. These rhythms can be approached two ways. In the 3-2 often refer to as the "forward clave" and in the 2-3 refer to as "reverse clave". The choice of the direction of the clave rhythm is guided by the melody, which in turn directs all other instruments and arrangements. In many contemporary compositions such as the ones recorded by Fania All Stars, Mongo Santamaria and Ruben Blades, arrangers make use of both directions of the clave in different sections of the tunes. As far as the type of clave rhythm used, it depends on the style. Generally son clave is associated with dance styles, while rumba clave is associated with folkloric rhythms. |
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| Added on the 15/11/2004 |  |
404 Hits |
| Author Alex Expertout | ||
Clave Patterns
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| Covering:- Forward Son Clave, Reverse Son Clave, Forward Rhumba Clave, Reverse Rhumba & Rhumba clave with cascara | ||
| Added on the 18/10/2003 | |
638 Hits |
| Author The Woodshed | ||
| Clave wheel combinations
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| 'There are many ways to look at this clave wheel thing. You can start a wheel on every step of the 12 note matrix in 6/8 (clave is a two bar pattern), as we did on all 16 steps for the 4/4 clave wheels. However, for now in 6/8 we're only starting a new wheel on a note of the clave patterns, resulting in 5 clave wheels, at least for purposes of this page. Here then is an example of the first two 6/8 clave wheels...' | ||
| Added on the 18/10/2003 | |
370 Hits |
| Author The Woodshed | ||
| Funky Clave Exercises | ||
| A 2/3 Clave Idea by Mike Richards | ||
| Added on the 11/06/2003 | 584 Hits | |
| Author DrumLicks Publications | ||
| Son clave wheels
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| With the bembe wheels, each wheel started on a note. We wondered what the result would be if the clave wheels started on each step of the loop, regardless of whether it's a note or a space. These 4/4 clave wheels were the result. Check 'em out! | ||
| Added on the 18/10/2003 | |
297 Hits |
| Author The Woodshed | ||
| Tito Puente's "Para Los Rumberos" | ||
| This article focuses on the importance of the clave in writing melodies, arrangements and in the direction of the rhythms employed by all instruments, for it is the clave pattern the one that provides the foundation in styles based on Afro-Cuban music. This article features a brief analysis of the main theme from Para Los Rumberos written by Tito Puente (please refer to cd Cuban Carnival by Tito Puente and his Orchestra - RCA 2349-2-RL) and its relationship with the clave concept. Tito Puente believes that the arranger is the most important person in the orchestra, for it is the arranger's role to fit the composition, give it the correct timing and the correct clave direction, "very important those insignificant little sticks" he says. | ||
| Added on the 15/11/2004 | |
213 Hits |
| Author Alex Expertout | ||
