clave pattern
The foundational rhythmic pattern of Afro-Cuban and broader Latin music, consisting of a two-bar pattern of either 3-2 or 2-3 configuration that governs the entire musical structure.
In Depth
The clave (from Spanish: "key" or "keystone") is a five-note rhythmic pattern distributed across two bars in either a "3-2" pattern (three strokes in the first bar, two in the second) or "2-3" (reversed). This pattern is not merely an accompaniment — it is the structural foundation that determines the rhythmic placement of every other instrument and melodic line. All rhythmic patterns in son cubano, salsa, rumba, and related styles either align with or deliberately tension against the clave.
The son clave, rumba clave, and 6/8 clave are the three main variants, each governing different styles. Musicians are said to be "in clave" when their parts align correctly with the pattern, and "out of clave" — a serious musical error — when they don't. The clave concept has influenced music far beyond Latin genres: the Bo Diddley beat, many rock rhythms, and patterns in Afrobeat and West African popular music all relate to clave structures. Understanding clave is essential for performing any Latin music authentically, and the pattern's asymmetric tension-resolution cycle is one of the most sophisticated rhythmic concepts in world music.
Being "out of clave" — playing a pattern that conflicts with the underlying clave — is considered such a fundamental error in Latin music that an entire performance can be derailed by a single musician who loses the clave orientation.