Tresillo vs Hemiola: Triplets, Dotted Notes and Accents Explained
The tresillo divides the beat into four sixteenth notes and accents them in an irregular 3+3+2 grouping, while the hemiola is a true triplet that divides time into three equal parts, such as three quarter notes in the space of two beats.
Key points
- The tresillo uses sixteenth notes grouped 3+3+2, with hits on 1, the a of 1 and the and of 2; it is not a triplet.
- A true triplet divides time into three equal parts; a quarter-note triplet puts three notes in the space of two beats, creating a 3:2 hemiola.
- Accented patterns like 3+3+3+3+2+2 and dotted-eighth chains sound like threes but sit inside an ordinary 4/4 pulse.
- Always feel the pulse first, then the division system, then whether it is an equal division or an irregular accent pattern.
Many grooves in modern music sound as if they are built on threes, but only some of them are real triplets. In this lesson Jason Zac of Nathaniel School of Music compares the tresillo, which is not a triplet, with the hemiola or triplet feel, which is. He then looks at accented patterns and dotted notes, two more rhythms that are often mistaken for triplets. It suits pianists and any musician who wants to count and feel modern rhythm with confidence.
The tresillo: sixteenth notes grouped 3+3+2
In the sixteenth-note tresillo you divide each beat into four and count 1 e and a, 2 e and a. You do not count triplets. The hits fall on:
- beat 1
- the a of beat 1
- the and of beat 2
That makes a two-beat phrase that groups the eight sixteenths as 3+3+2, and then it repeats. It is very dancy and salsa-like, and you can hear this exact rhythm in songs such as Shape of You. You can even count it crudely as 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2, but that does not make it a triplet, because the groups are unequal.
The eighth-note tresillo
Slow it down by counting eighth notes instead: 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. The hits now land on 1, the and of 2, and 4, which is the same 3+3+2 shape stretched over a whole bar. It feels different because you are no longer imagining the e and a of the sixteenths.
The triplet feel and the hemiola
A true triplet divides the beat into three equal parts, counted 1 and a, 2 and a. Triplets are everywhere in Indian folk, film and indie music, and in places like the bridge of Bohemian Rhapsody.
- Eighth-note triplets: play all three parts of every beat. It sounds cool but does not give the full triplet vibe.
- Quarter-note triplet (hemiola): skip every other triplet. You get three equal notes in the space of two beats, a slower, groovier 3-against-2 feel.
- Half-note triplet: slower still, three equal hits across a whole bar of four.
The word hemiola describes this 3:2 sensation: you feel three beats against what would otherwise be two.
Playing both hands
On bongos, Jason keeps the pulse with the left hand and plays the rhythm with the right. On piano, try the left hand holding the pulse on a chord, perhaps F minor, while the right hand plays the tresillo, then swap roles. For the hemiola, one hand plays the triplet while the other keeps the beat. On wind instruments or guitar you may only manage one part, so decide your role, but always feel the band's triplet as well as the pulse, or you will drift out of time.
Rhythms that are not triplets
Accented patterns
Some songs open with many groups of three, then break the pattern with a four, or two plus two. In sixteenths that is 3+3+3+3+2+2, filling one bar; in eighths the same pattern spans two bars. It is neither a new time signature nor a triplet feel, just an accented pattern over a steady 4/4 pulse.
Dotted eighth notes
A chain of dotted eighths, each worth three sixteenths, acts like a second pulse against the main one. Because the groups do not line up with the bar, it takes three bars of 4/4 to resolve.
How to practise and listen
- Feel the pulse and the time signature first.
- Work out the division system: is the beat divided by two, three or four?
- Ask whether the division is exact, as in a triplet, or an irregular grouping of accents, as in the tresillo.
Count each rhythm out loud slowly, tap the pulse with one hand and the rhythm with the other, then speed up.
Questions about this lesson
Is the tresillo a triplet?
No. The tresillo divides the beat into four sixteenth notes and groups them unequally as 3+3+2, while a triplet divides time into three equal parts.
What is a hemiola in rhythm?
A hemiola is a 3-against-2 feel, such as a quarter-note triplet where three equal notes fill the space of two beats. You feel three beats against what is otherwise heard as two.
What is the difference between a quarter-note triplet and a half-note triplet?
A quarter-note triplet places three equal notes across two beats, while a half-note triplet places three equal notes across a full bar of four beats.
Why do dotted eighth notes sound like they never resolve?
Each dotted eighth lasts three sixteenths, so the pattern does not line up with the bar and runs against the main pulse. In 4/4 it takes three bars to come back to the downbeat together.
Practise it
- Rhythm TeacherBuild accent patterns, divide beats and explore odd metres and polyrhythms.
- Groove MetronomeWork with tempo, accents and polyrhythms instead of a single unchanging click.
- All free music apps40 practice tools for harmony, rhythm, ear training and more.
Related lessons
- Conquer Piano Hand Independence and Sharpen Your Rhythm (Part 2)To build piano hand independence, keep a steady pulse in one hand while the other hand plays the first five notes of C minor in dotted eighth notes, quarter note triplets or eighth notes accented in threes, then swap hands.
- 5 Methods to Use and Feel Triplets in All Forms of MusicA triplet divides a beat into three equal parts, and you can learn to feel it naturally by practising triplet rhythmic devices, 3-over-2 polyrhythms, compound time such as 6/8 and 12/8, accented sets of three, and swing.
- Improve Your Sense of Rhythm on Piano: Time Feel, Swing and Triplets (Part 2)To build a strong time feel on piano, keep a steady pulse, divide each beat by two, three or four, choose straight or swing, and then create grooves by playing only some of the divisions or accenting them in irregular groups. In short: divide more and play less.
- 5 Finger Piano Exercises for Beginners That Sound BeautifulPlace your right thumb on C and your pinky on G. Then play four drills: up and down, in thirds, in triplet groups and in two-note pairs, all over a steady left-hand pulse. Next, change the second, third and fourth notes to turn the same drills into minor, dreamy or flamenco-like music.