The pattern
180 BPM · 4/4 · 32 step
| Instrument | Beat 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Beat 2 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Beat 3 | Step 10 | Step 11 | Step 12 | Beat 4 | Step 14 | Step 15 | Step 16 | Beat 5 | Step 18 | Step 19 | Step 20 | Beat 6 | Step 22 | Step 23 | Step 24 | Beat 7 | Step 26 | Step 27 | Step 28 | Beat 8 | Step 30 | Step 31 | Step 32 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clave | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest | rest |
| Timbales | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest | hit | rest | rest | rest | hit | rest |
How to play it and where it comes from
The cáscara is the figure the timbalero plays on the shell (paila) of the timbal in salsa and son verses, in eighths over two bars; in 3-2: 1, 2, the "and" of 2, the "and" of 3, the "and" of 4 | 1, 2, 3, the "and" of 3, the "and" of 4. It coincides with most of the clave hits (shown alongside here for comparison). The left hand usually holds the clave on the block or the tumbao notes on the low timbal. In the chorus/montuno the timbalero switches to the mambo bell. On the drum kit (Latin jazz) it is played on the ride or on the rim.