Claves are a percussion instrument, consisting of a pair of short (about 20–30 cm, thick dowels. Traditionally they were made of wood, typically rosewood, ebony or grenadilla. Nowadays they are also made of fibreglass or plastics due to the greater durability of these materials. When struck they produce a bright clicking noise. Claves are sometimes hollow and carved in the middle to amplify the sound. Claves are very important in Afro-Cuban music, such as the son and guaguancó.

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  • Claves are a percussion instrument, consisting of a pair of short (about 20–30 cm, thick dowels. Traditionally they were made of wood, typically rosewood, ebony or grenadilla. Nowadays they are also made of fibreglass or plastics due to the greater durability of these materials. When struck they produce a bright clicking noise. Claves are sometimes hollow and carved in the middle to amplify the sound. Claves are very important in Afro-Cuban music, such as the son and guaguancó. They are often used to play a repeating rhythmic figure throughout a piece, known as clave, a key pattern that is also found in African music and Brazilian music. One of the better known recordings featuring claves is the Beatles' recording "And I Love Her. " Steve Reich's Music for Pieces of Wood is written for five pairs of claves.
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  • percussion
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  • 111
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  • Concussion idiophone
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  • Claves
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  • Single note
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  • Claves are a percussion instrument, consisting of a pair of short (about 20–30 cm, thick dowels. Traditionally they were made of wood, typically rosewood, ebony or grenadilla. Nowadays they are also made of fibreglass or plastics due to the greater durability of these materials. When struck they produce a bright clicking noise. Claves are sometimes hollow and carved in the middle to amplify the sound. Claves are very important in Afro-Cuban music, such as the son and guaguancó.
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  • Claves
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