Best Claves & Best Clave Brands
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Claves are among the most unique instruments you can add to your collection of percussion items. Percussion instruments are regarded as the bedrock of different forms of traditional styles of music. They offer a unique and wonderful way to add texture, color, and motion to modern day music. Claves plays an integral role in this process also.
What are claves?
Claves refers to a pair of hardwood sticks that are cylindrical in nature. It measures about 20 centimeters long and 2 1/ 2 centimeter in diameter. Claves are idiophones and one of the most famous percussion instruments. They originated from Cuba, and have been standard rhythmic pieces of instruments featuring prominently in Latin America dance band music, and also in Africa. It is very prominent in the Cuban Son and Rumba.
When one of the sticks is struck against the other which has an open chamber in the center, it produces a sharp resonance.
What are the Best Claves to Buy?
2) Mеinl Percussion CL1RW 8″ Rеdwооd
- Reputable
- Rich Tones
- Lightweight Redwood Body
1) Latin Pеrсuѕѕiоn Whitе Wood Clave
- High Quality
- Attractive Finish
- Exceptionally Resonant
3) Hоhnеr S2603 Hardwood Claves
- Full and Resonant sound
- Hardwood
- Comfortable Playing
Categories of claves
There are two main categories of claves. These are; the solid claves and the hollow claves. While the solid claves come with a high pitch, the hollow claves are designed to elicit low pitch frequency. The solid and hollow claves both traced their origin to Cuba where they have been used for so many years. However, it was the solid claves that were first designed before the hollow claves came into being.
So remember this when shopping for your claves.
What are the types of claves to buy?
When you are out shopping for a pair of claves, you might want to ensure you get the best in quality and in performance. The majority of Claves come in wooden construction. However, these wood designs also differ in type and quality.
For instance, we have claves made of white wood, which is fairly durable but not suitable for a large band playing. Another popular model is rosewood, which is considerably strong, but not too strong for extensive play and intense stage performance. But when the claves are made of old Brazilian rosewood, you can boastfully be assured that they will last for a good time.
Another type of claves design you may love is the one made of granadilla wood. These types of claves are usually loud, and the wood itself is very tough and can withstand extensive use. Claves made of granadilla wood will definitely appear more costly in price. But you can expect them to get the job done.
The bottom line is that when buying your claves; ensure that it is made of dense and exotic wood types that produce the right and appropriate striking sound expected from a clave. Other examples of such woods are mahogany wood, teak wood, maple, oak and ebony wood.
Also remember that you can have more than one set of claves since they produce different sound, especially when given a quarter turn.
Claves designs
How your claves are designed is also important when it comes to the nature of percussion performance you wish to achieve. For instance, the Cuban claves derive its craftsmanship from Benin and are created in a four-beat measure. That is a sixteenth note in a 4/4.
The construction of the Cuban claves is centered on the principles of shifting 3 against 4 in a similar fashion to the Brazilian bossa nova and the African beguine. This means you will be playing a rhythm in 3 beats on a 4 beats rhythm – the absolute repetitive polyrhythm developing on the duration of one measure. This is why it is called ‘clave’ in Spanish, which means ‘key’ and is often used as a point of reference.
Whatever you choose, just make sure that you get the best from your claves. Below are the top best selected claves you can buy in the market.
10 Best Clave Reviews and the Best Clave Brands
1) Latin Pеrсuѕѕiоn Whitе Wood Clave
Amazing is all we can say about these claves. For the percussionists, these are the claves sent down straight from heaven. They fit perfectly with any gig you want to play. With such fine white wood construction, the company making these claves is doing a terrific job.
These white Latin percussion claves produce good sound with clear-cut amazing resonance. As the name implies, you will get a clicking tempo sound by hitting the claves together during play.
Measuring 0.7 x 8.4 x 2.5 inches in dimensions, these are the perfect clays that lay between the tips of your fingers and the heel of your hand—creating a space that in turn produces a great sound chamber.
These are the types of claves you can use on stage to draw applause from the crowd. They possess a crisp outcome when used in consonant with traditional playing scheme. These claves can enable you to mimic the glorious sound of the agogo bell.
2) Mеinl Percussion CL1RW 8″ Clаѕѕiс Sоlid Rеdwооd
It’s time to prove to the critics that you can play something nice and classic by using these Meinl percussion claves. They are just the solid type of claves you need to hammer out that tasty, resounding, bright and rich tone driven by cut and clarity.
It features a redwood design and the body carries a lightweight frame, measuring 9.1 x 8.7 x 9.1 inches in dimensions. At a weight of 8.2 pounds, you know these claves are a bit heavy, but certainly not for adults who will find them easy to manipulate across drum sets.
Any musicians—professionals and beginners–can make use of them. If you are looking for claves that function well for Afro-Latin style of play, you have found them. Their solid wood construction makes them the claves of choice for the serious-minded drummer and percussionists.
3) Hоhnеr S2603 Hardwood Claves
The drum set is one of the musical instruments that give amazing and heart-warming sound. But you really cannot achieve much from it without the right tool to play alongside of it—and that is what these claves from Hohner represent.
These are some of the best cheap claves your money can buy in the market. They are constructed from hardwood. As long as you don’t need a tuned clave, these claves will do just fine. The claves come in two pairs and they measure 12 x 4.8 x 0.9 inches in dimension, which means they are short, stubble, but smooth and very thick. They will last for a considerable length of time.
The Hohner claves create a great resonance that brings out the professionalism in your child drumming skills. Although they are designed to suit the drumming skills of a child from the age of 3 and above, you may just find them as serious competitors for the adult playing skills.
4) Ninо Percussion NINO502 5″ Kidѕ Smаll Natural Wood Claves
These are small handheld percussion wooden claves that provide outstanding performance in definition terms for kids. The claves are made from natural wood, which is durable. They are designed to provide a great resonant tone and ease of use. At 5 x 1 x 1 inches in dimensions, these claves are perfect for any classroom practical session on any form of percussion instrument.
The body dynamism of the Nino claves is one that defines solidness while being lightweight at 1 pound. The claves enable children to know more and understand the concept of rhythmic pattern and foundation in a musical context.
The Nino percussion claves work well on all claves-needed instruments and are the best for children.
5) Lаtin Pеrсuѕѕiоn LP261 Grеnаdillа Wооd Clаvе
We can say this is a premium product at your fingertips. They come with amazing finish are also designed to represent a smooth and satisfactory feel. The sound that proceeds from this one is nice and sound perfect if you are looking to have a loud clicking tone.
Apart from the bright sound, this percussion wood clave is highly beautiful, and the hardwood design makes it even more suitable for the rumba. 1 x 8.4 x 4 inches in dimensions, which provides a perfect size option for the choice of any musician, be it professional or beginner.
The good aspect of this clave is that they make the appropriate tone that you need, without making much effort. Although these claves may appear too big for people with small hands, the strength it possessed and the sound that comes from it makes it a top choice among many clave lovers.
6) Rhуthm Band Claves Economy
From a lofty height stand these wonderful claves that are designed to provide excellent tone and clarity. The claves require precise beating to produce the right sound and resonance. However, they appear different from the likes of LP Aspire’s quality claves.
In size, the Rhythm Economy looks just like every other clave in the market. They are the perfect short and thick claves that will come in handy for solemn occasions like in the church. But they may not be too suitable for a large group band playing theme.
The claves are just the perfect design you can add to your son’s collection of musical instruments’ aiding tools. They measure 9.1 x 1 x 1 inches in dimensions, showing just how compact they are. But take note that they are designed to sound differently depending on the material on which they are used.
7) Lаtin Pеrсuѕѕiоn LP212R Exotic Wооd African Clаvе
Now, let’s go back to Africa and learn from the traditional music of the gods clothed in their peaceful nakedness as they strike away in these large claves. These calves measure 0.8 x 14.9 x 4 inches in dimensions, making them one of the largest in sizes. These claves patterns mimic the African traditional design, which is also a great feature of Latin American music.
The two sticks that come with this claves provide a good sound because of the fact that there is a hollow center in the cutaway chamber that provides more open and broader tones.
Apart from the disparity in size, this African Clave features the same high-quality hardwood design that produces a deep and richer tone with excellent projection.
If you have a heavy African percussion instrument like the djembe, these claves are yours for the taking.
8) ProKussion Wооdеn Rosewood Trаditiоnаl Percussion Muѕiсаl Claves
The ProKussion claves provide an excellent example of a classic percussion instrument. The sound it is designed to generate is amazingly striking and bold at the same time. For the ardent percussionists, these are the claves sent down straight from heaven. They fit perfectly with any gig you want to play.
These particular claves are deceptively simple yet, clever and reliable at what they do. Any musician of any age can use them conveniently. It also doesn’t matter which of the playing category you belong; these claves will do the magic for you.
The ProKussion claves are particularly good for children, and at 8.8 x 2 x 0.6 in dimensions, you know this one is for the kids to cheer about. Well, you may not like the built quality that much, but they are quite snappy in sound and healthy in size.
9) Trорhу Clаvе Pair
A good sound is what defines good claves – whether beautifully looking or not. The Trophy Pair Claves actually carried the day for their amazing quality and excellent performance. They even perform better than a host of other pairs of claves bought 5 times costlier than these.
So what makes them the talk of town?
Well, no big deal, but these are the finest beginners instrument you can find for such quality at such cheap price. The claves come with a nice-looking color of dark wine. They are highly smooth and the sound that they generate would make you think the gods of Africa are percussionists.
They are designed to be small in so much that they can fit in your purse. The sound is crisp and sharp, making them a beautiful addition to your music box. They are the type of drum set claves that turns head at the park or in church.
10) Rosewood Rhуthm Sticks (Clаvеѕ)
Here is a pair of claves produced by one of the most reliable brands in the percussion instrument market—Mid-East. The Indian based company rolls this one out with elegant design and just the perfect size for professional and beginner players to enjoy.
The size measures 6 x 6 x 7 inches in dimensions, which is just the right size for anyone that wants to play something out of nothing. The claves feature a rosewood design, which is certainly durable, provided you know what you are doing during play.
Another interesting aspect of these claves is the color they came in. The dark brown/chocolate design leaves a compelling finish on these claves. But the problem with these claves is that they tend to split during play. However, not every piece of them has this problem.
Choosing the Best Claves from the Best Clave Brands
The claves are a wonderful set of percussion instrument that defines the very best of traditional music. They come in different wood designs and are also available in different sizes and colors. The claves are two cylinders of solid and exotic wood that are struck together to make a cracking sound.
Claves are regarded as the most primitive of all percussion instruments but are superb in what they are designed to do. Buying a pair of claves is not a difficult thing to do, but knowing how to play them the right way can be a bit of a challenge.
2) Mеinl Percussion CL1RW 8″ Rеdwооd
- Reputable
- Rich Tones
- Lightweight Redwood Body
1) Latin Pеrсuѕѕiоn Whitе Wood Clave
- High Quality
- Attractive Finish
- Exceptionally Resonant
3) Hоhnеr S2603 Hardwood Claves
- Full and Resonant sound
- Hardwood
- Comfortable Playing
For someone to play the claves successfully, he or she must hold the instrument using the fingertips in order to enhance their resonance. Another thing you can do is making a hollow with the hand with which you are carrying a clave to as a way of creating a bounding box, and then hit with the other hand just like you were holding a drumstick.
You must also realize that some claves in an asymmetrical design—one in which one clave is larger and hollow than the other pair, and also having a longitudinal opening.
Whatever it is that you intend to do with the claves, always remember that there are designs for kids and for adults. A pair of claves designed for children is usually lightweight, extremely cheap, but largely durable as well.
Adult claves are more on the expensive side, although not every one of them is costly. But the key to selecting the best claves is the material used in designing them. If you want something nice, crisp and clear in sound, then think of claves made of rosewoods and maple woods. But if you want something that blows loud and resounding, go for granadilla wood design.