Editing Clapping

{{Short description|Sound made by striking together two flat body parts}}
{{Redirect|Handclap|the song by Fitz and the Tantrums|HandClap|the Hurricane Chris song|The Hand Clap}}
{{more footnotes|date=May 2011}}
[[File:Clapping hand.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Clapping hand]]
A '''clap''' is the [[percussive]] sound made by striking together two flat surfaces, as in the body parts of humans or animals. Humans clap with the palms of their [[hands]], often quickly and repeatedly to express appreciation or approval (see [[applause]]), but also in [[rhythm]] as a form of [[body percussion]] to match the sounds in [[music]], [[dance]], [[chant]]s, [[hand game]]s, and [[clapping game]]s.

Some people slap the back of one hand into the palm of the other hand to signify urgency or [[enthusiasm]]. This act may be considered uncouth by others.

Clapping is used in many forms of music. In American music, clapping is popular in [[funk]], [[gospel music|gospel]], [[doo-wop]] and early [[Pop music|pop]]. In [[flamenco]] and {{Lang|es|[[sevillanas]]}}, two Spanish musical genres, clapping is called ''[[Palmas (music)|palmas]]'' and often sets the rhythm and is an integral part of the songs. A [[sampling (music)|sampled]] or synthesized clap is also a staple of [[electronic music|electronic]] and pop music.

== Musical works that include clapping ==
'''Classical works performed entirely by clapping'''
* [[Steve Reich]], ''[[Clapping Music]]'' (1972)
* [[Robert Paterson (composer)|Robert Paterson]], ''Voices'' (1988)<ref>[http://robpaterson.com/works-notes/voices.html Voices] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516072623/http://www.robpaterson.com/works-notes/voices.html |date=2008-05-16 }}, ''RobPaterson.com''.</ref>
* [[Pascal Zavaro]], ''Kino-Klap'' (2008)

'''Classical works which include clapping'''
*[[Carlos Surinach]], ''Ritmo Jondo'' (1953)
*[[David Chesky]], ''Flute Concerto'' et ''Violin Concerto'' {{citation needed|date=March 2013}}

The clapping patterns known as [[keplok]] are important in Javanese [[gamelan]]. A type of synthesized clap is popular in many [[rap music|rap]] and [[hip hop music|hip hop]] songs as well. This is derived from and mimics the technique used in older popular music (e.g. [[disco]] and [[funk]] of the 1970s), in which multiple instances of real handclaps were recorded or a single recording was made of a group of performers clapping in unison. This was usually done for the purpose of reinforcing the [[snare drum]] beat on the 2nd and 4th beats of the bar ([[Off-beat (music)|offbeat]]). Modern [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]], hip hop, and rap often omit the snare drum, making the claps a more obvious and central feature of the beat.

== Acoustics and medical applications ==
Clapping is useful in (medical) opening up blocked blood circulation.
Clapping can be used in [[acoustics]] to check the [[reverberation]] time of a room. This is determined by measuring the clap's [[diffusion (acoustics)|decay time]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Papadakis |first1=Nikolaos M. |last2=Stavroulakis |first2= Georgios E. |title=Handclap for Acoustic Measurements: Optimal Application and Limitations.  |journal=Acoustics |year=2020 |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=224–245 |doi=10.3390/acoustics2020015 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Pedagogical applications ==
{{see also|Counting (music)}}
Clapping is often used to help people recognize the rhythm in sounds. It can be used to help musicians count out rhythms.

It is also used to teach [[phonological awareness]] to students learning the ways words are constructed. They often clap out [[syllables]] to learn to break words into their component sounds.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Brown |first1=Carmen Sherry |title=Language and Literacy Development in the Early Years: Foundational Skills that Support Emergent Readers |journal=Language and Literacy Spectrum |volume=24 |issue=Spring 2014 |pages=35–49 |url=https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1034914.pdf |access-date=17 February 2020}}</ref>

== Sports and other pursuits==
[[File:ISL-HRV (16).jpg|thumb|'Viking clapping' of [[Iceland]] fans]]
During [[UEFA Euro 2016]], Iceland's fans became widely known for their '[[volcano clap]]' (or 'Viking clap') with a 'huh' chant, though it originated with fans of Scottish club [[Motherwell F.C.]]<ref>{{cite web |date=29 June 2016 |title=WATCH: Are Motherwell the inspiration behind Iceland's 'volcano clap'? |url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/33867/10328533/watch-are-motherwell-the-inspiration-behind-icelands-volcano-clap |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=Sky Sports}}</ref>
[[Canberra Raiders]] fans subsequently adopted the 'Viking clap'.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dutton |first=Chris |date=4 September 2016 |title=NRL what we learnt: The Viking Clap to return for Raiders finals after record-setting win |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-league/canberra-raiders/nrl-what-we-learnt-the-viking-clap-to-return-for-raiders-finals-after-recordsetting-win-20160904-gr8cv3.html |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=The Canberra Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Helmers |first=Caden |date=21 August 2016 |title=NRL talking points: Raiders fans got nuts for 'Viking Clap' and the Josh Hodgson effect |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-league/canberra-raiders/nrl-talking-points-the-canberra-raiders-viking-clap-and-the-josh-hodgson-effect-20160821-gqxjjb.html |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=The Canberra Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=21 August 2016 |title=NRL 2016 video: Canberra Raiders' fans do Viking clap before win over Parramatta Eels |url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/raiders/canberra-raiders-fans-perform-viking-clap-before-win-over-parramatta-eels-at-gio-stadium/news-story/06558a256cbc7155f6601c28f4284376 |access-date=8 April 2018 |website=FOX Sports}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-canberra-raiders-luke-bateman-and-sia-soliola-want-the-viking-clap-to-stay-20160823-gqz1po.html|title=NRL: Canberra Raiders Luke Bateman and Sia Soliola want the Viking Clap to stay|first=Caden|last=Helmers|date=24 August 2016|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref> Similarly, fans of the [[Minnesota Vikings]] have also adopted the 'Viking clap' to show support for the team, chanting '[[Skol, Vikings#Skol Chant|skol]]' rather than the original 'huh' chant.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

In the mid 2010s, a practice of clapping as a way to emphasize talking points emerged among African American women, especially when clapping out individual syllables in words. This was pointed out in popular media by the comedian [[Robin Thede]] on ''[[The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Nightly Show - Women's History Month Report: Black Lady Sign Language |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34PjKtcVhVE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/34PjKtcVhVE |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|website=Youtube |publisher=Comedy Central |access-date=17 February 2020 |date=Mar 17, 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It has since become more widely applied both online, often using the "hand clap" emoji, and in person.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waldman |first1=Katy |title=Stop 👏 Emphasizing 👏 Your 👏 Point 👏 by 👏 Putting 👏 Clap 👏 Emojis 👏 After 👏 Every 👏 Word |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/04/tweets-with-clap-emojis-between-the-words-are-annoying.html |access-date=17 February 2020 |agency=Slate |date=April 6, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=LaBouvier |first1=Chaédria |title=The Clap and the Clap Back: How Twitter Erased Black Culture From an Emoji |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-clap-and-the-clap-back-how-twitter-erased-black-culture-from-an-emoji/ |access-date=17 February 2020 |agency=Vice |date=16 May 2017}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{div col}}
* [[Applause]]
* [[Chest physiotherapy]]
* [[The Clapper]]
* [[Clapper (musical instrument)]]
* [[Clapping game]]
* [[Concert etiquette]]
* [[Finger snapping]]
* [[Palmas (music)]]
* [[Pat-a-cake]]
* [[Tejime]]
* [[The Clapping Song]]
{{div col end}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* Brown, T. Pierce (2002). "[http://www.gospelgazette.com/gazette/2002/sep/page17.htm Is Clapping Hands in Worship Appropriate?]", ''Gospel Gazette.''

[[Category:Body percussion]]
[[Category:Concussion idiophones]]
[[Category:Human communication]]
[[Category:Hand gestures]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]