Intermediate Bass 13: World Music: The Clave and the Tumbao
By Roy Vogt
Bass Instructor, Belmont University 		Print This Lesson
Roy Vogt.Since last month we concerned ourselves with Caribbean music, I thought we'd continue along those lines for the next couple of lessons and look at another favorite groove of mine from Afro-Cuban music.

The initial rhythm, the clave, is defined by a percussion instrument that is also called the clave (2 wooden dowels struck together). The clave can be grouped as either a 3:2 or 2:3 depending on whether the group of 2 or 3 notes are played first. I've included an example part using both. This is a very old African rhythm from Ghana and is also used in the "Bo Diddley" and "hambone" beats. In New Orleans a 3:2 clave is played with a Swing feel and is used for the "second line" rhythm that you hear on Neville Brothers and Meters recordings.

In Afro-Cuban music, the basic bass groove is called the Tumbao. Just as Funk bass is all about the one, the Tumbao is about the and of 2 and 4 as you can see in the written and playing examples. Practice the basic grooves against the 2 claves and next lesson we'll get into a tune.

Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Nashville Bassist
Bass Instructor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

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