What is clave
Clave is the five-stroke pattern that organises son, salsa and much Afro-Cuban music. It spans two bars: one with three strokes and one with two.
3-2 or 2-3
In 3-2 clave the three-stroke bar comes first. Many songs are in 2-3: in that case, start playing on the second bar of the pattern.
Rumba clave
Rumba clave differs by a single stroke, the third, which comes later. It's in the pattern selector too.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the tempo?
Yes. The pattern spans two bars of 4/4 and the tempo counts eighth notes: 360 equals salsa at 180 quarter notes per minute.