Arts >> Music >> Music Basics

How to Teach Hemiola in Music Elementary Class

A hemiola is a type of musical rhythm that uses the juxtaposition of triplets and duple meter. This type of rhythm typically occurs in the time signature known as "6/8" time. Some Baroque musical pieces, along with later Viennese waltzes, commonly employed the hemiola. If you are teaching elementary school students, you can expose them to the hemiola through a variety of simple instructional methods.

Things You'll Need

  • Recorded music
  • Music player
  • Classroom instruments
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Play a musical piece that features a hemiola. Ask the students to tap the steady beat as they listen. Explain that the hemiola is a combination of six eighth notes being played against the background of two three-beat notes (duple meter).

    • 2

      Clap the six eighth notes (or two sets of triplets) in the standard hemiola rhythm and have your student imitate you.

    • 3

      Demonstrate the duple meter used along with hemiolas by clapping dotted quarter notes within the same tempo. Ask your students to copy you again.

    • 4

      Divide the class into two groups. Have one group stomp the duple meter on beats one and four. Have the other group clap the six eighth notes.

    • 5

      Repeat the same activity from Step 4, but this time use classroom instruments such as drums, shakers and tambourines.

+:
+:

Music Basics

Related Categories