For an instrument that’s essentially just two sticks made of wood meant to be clicked together, the claves have had an disproportionate influence on the trajectory of global music. The claves have a distinct sound that can cut through almost any percussion ensemble, keeping everyone true to the clave/”key” rhythm. Learn bit about the claves and, if you follow to the next video and then the next, how to play them.
COUNTRY: Cuba and many more
KEY GENRES: Salsa, Son and many more
Maracas are nearly ubiquitous throughout Latin America and the Caribbean–they appear almost everywhere. Traditionally maracas are made of a dried calabash, shell of a gourd or a coconut shell filled with beans or seeds, though today maracas can be made of plastic, leather, wood or almost anything. Maracas come in pairs–one with a higher pitch than the other. The best maraca players are able to make use of the pitch differences and anticipate the distinct rhythmic nature of each maraca to make maraca magic.
COUNTRY: All over Latin America
KEY GENRES: So many!
A marimbula is a Latin/Caribbean percussion instrument that appears to be a cross between a cajon and a mbira (thumb piano). The marimbula has its roots in Africa but first appeared in Latin America in Cuba in the 19th century. Musicians used the thick metal strips that are attached to its wooden front to play bass notes in a developing genre of Afro-Cuban music known as changui. The instrument spread across the region and today appears in genres of music such as Dominican merengue and Mexico’s Son Jarocho.
COUNTRY: Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico
KEY GENRES: Changui, Merengue, Son Jarocho
FEATURED ON: La Guacamaya (AATW: Latin America)
