The Clave By Michael Terrace

The Clave- 2/3 and 3/2

By Michael Terrace

The syncopated rhythm of the clave dictates all Mambo music. It’s the metronomes. That gives Latin music its earthy swing. A full clave has two halves, a front half, and a back half. The dancer’s and teachers , put to use the two side of the clave to accent the count of two,  which is marked on the forward step by the male, and the back step by the female. . If one counts the eight beats in two bars of music the forward clave, called a 3/2 clave, is counted 1, 2-1/2, 4, 6, 7, with the two side being the 6, 7. In a reverse clave called a 2/3 clave, it is counted 2, 3, 5, 6-1/2, 8, with the two side being the 2, 3. The clave is not written in any arrangement and there is no clave player in any band that can read the written sounds of the clave. It takes years for a dancer to acquire and train his  ear to hear the Three two-side and step on the down beat to be an authentic mambo dancer. Clave in Spanish, translated means “key” in English, supporting the fact, that clave is the “key” to the music. Claves are a musical instrument, two mahogany sticks, that when tapped together mark the distinct rhythmic clicking sound of the clave.  Much a-do is made about dancing on the clave and ninty percent of latin dancers say they dance on the clave, but in reality they haven’t the slightest idea what their talking about and can never break in down.