Topmusicanswers
A hemiola is suddenly going to half speed when the normal rhythm (which can even continue in other instruments at the same time) has an odd number of beats, so at the end of the hemiola the music is again aligned with the "proper" rhythm.
What is hemiola in music theory?
Hemiola. A hemiola is a rhythmic device that gives the impression of the music speeding up. Music which was originally in triple time moves into duple time. This gives the effect of triple metre moving to duple metre. The chord changes move from once every three beats to once every two beats.
What is a famous example of a hemiola?
In the following example, a Ghanaian gyil plays a hemiola as the basis of an ostinato melody. The left hand (lower notes) sounds the two main beats, while the right hand (upper notes) sounds the three cross-beats.
