Meaning & use
clave
Last updated
either of a pair of short wooden sticks struck together as a percussion instrument, or the rhythmic pattern played on them in Afro-Cuban music.
See it in a sentence
The percussionist kept the beat steady with the clave throughout the song.
Salsa music is built around a repeating rhythmic pattern called the clave.
A note on using this word
Borrowed from Spanish, where it also means "key"; in English it's specifically a music term for the instrument and its signature rhythm.
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