ABSTRACT
Triplets and duplets can be thought of as a temporary shift between duple and compound meters, as if a beat or two has been borrowed from one subdivision to the other. Of the two borrowings, the triplet is the more common one by far. Although it is relatively rare, it is also possible to borrow a duple subdivision from simple meters while in a compound meter. Notice how triplets and duplets are notated, with a three or a two calling the readers' attention to them and allowing they to anticipate their performance while sight reading. Hemiola refers to a special form of interplay that is possible between simple-triple and duple-compound meters. The effect of hemiola is similar to that of a triplet or a duplet in that it seems as though the notated meter is temporarily suspended, although the shifts are somewhat less temporary in the case of hemiola.
