What are claves made from and how are they played?
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percussion instrument
Flemish rommelpot friction drum; in the Musical Instruments Museum, Brussels.
Claves are a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of cylindrical sticks made from hardwood. They typically measure about 8 inches (20 centimeters) in length and one inch (2 1/2 centimeters) in diameter.12
To play them, the musician holds one stick in their fingertips over their cupped hand, which acts as a resonator. The second stick is then used to strike the first, producing a sharp, ringing sound. These instruments are used to maintain fixed rhythmic patterns in Latin-American dance bands and have roots in Afro-Cuban folk music.1