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Hemiola

A rhythmic device in which two bars of triple time are made to sound like three bars of duple time, or vice versa.

Category
rhythm
Pronunciation
/ˌhɛmiˈəʊlə/
Origin

Greek (hemiolios, one and a half)

Length
191 words · 1 min read

About Hemiola

Hemiola creates a momentary shift in the perceived metre without changing the time signature. In its most common form, within 3/4 time, the natural pattern of three groups of two quavers is replaced by two groups of three quavers across two bars, making three beats feel like two broader beats.

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v1 · 10/04/2026Browse all terms →