Clave patterns explained: 3-2, 2-3 and why they matter
Hear the lesson, then change it
The setup is loaded in AnyBeat below. Press Play, change the tempo, or tap a block to change its accent. BPM counts quarter notes; eighth-note pulses sound twice per beat.
Eighth-note pulses
Tap a block to change its accent. The full pattern repeats when it reaches the end.
Stopped
How the pattern is built
Counted in eighth notes across two bars of 4/4, sixteen positions in total, the 3-2 son clave falls on positions 1, 4, 7, 11 and 13. The first bar carries three strokes, spaced unevenly; the second carries two, on beats two and three.
Direction: why 3-2 and 2-3 are not interchangeable
The two forms contain identical strokes; only the order differs. But the order determines the entire feel of an arrangement, because the melody, bass and piano parts all lean on the clave. Playing a 2-3 melody over a 3-2 clave is described as being "crossed", and to a trained ear it sounds unambiguously wrong, the way a wrong chord sounds wrong, not merely different.
The direction is decided by the melody, not the percussion. Percussionists follow the tune.
Related patterns
- Rumba clave, as son clave but the third stroke shifts one eighth note later, giving a more forward-leaning feel.
- Bossa clave, the Brazilian relative, with the last stroke moved, producing a smoother pattern.
- Tresillo, the first bar of son clave on its own (3+3+2), which underpins an enormous amount of popular music worldwide.
How to practise clave
- Programme the sixteen positions with the five strokes accented and the rest silent, so you hear the pattern rather than a count.
- Clap the clave while walking quarter notes with your feet. The independence is the point.
- Sing the melody of a tune you know over the clave and find which direction agrees with it.
- Practise switching direction mid-loop, this is the skill that separates people who know clave from people who have memorised one pattern.
Frequently asked
What does 3-2 clave mean?
It means the bar containing three clave strokes comes first, followed by the bar containing two. Reversed, it is called 2-3 clave.
How do I know if a song is in 3-2 or 2-3?
Listen to the melody rather than the percussion. Whichever direction lets the melodic accents agree with the clave strokes is the direction the song is in.
Is clave the same as a time signature?
No. Clave is a rhythmic pattern that sits inside a time signature, usually two bars of 4/4, and organises how the other parts are written.
Stop fighting the metronome.
AnyBeat lets you build the bar you are actually practising, at any length and any grouping.
Keep practising
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