[Listening extract, audio available. See printed QP for questions.] In an Afro-Cuban ensemble, two wooden sticks strike a repeating two-bar pattern that pro...
Question 1 Report
[Listening extract, audio available. See printed QP for questions.]
In an Afro-Cuban ensemble, two wooden sticks strike a repeating two-bar pattern that provides the rhythmic foundation.
What foundational is this rhythmic pattern. [1]
[Total: 1 mark]
Answer Details
The correct answer is the clave. [1]
The clave is a foundational rhythmic pattern in Afro-Cuban music. The term refers both to the pattern itself and to the pair of wooden sticks (called claves) used to play it. The clave pattern spans two bars and provides the rhythmic framework around which all other parts in the ensemble are organised. The two most common forms are the son clave (with a 3-2 or 2-3 grouping of strikes across the two bars) and the rumba clave (similar structure but with a slightly different placement of the third stroke in the "3" side). Every instrument and vocal part in an Afro-Cuban ensemble aligns with the clave, either emphasising its accents or playing complementary patterns around it. Even when the claves (sticks) are not physically played, the clave pattern is understood and felt by all musicians as the organising principle of the rhythm.
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