In music, hocket is a rhythmic and linear technique involving the alternation of notes, pitches, or chords. In medieval practice, a single melody is shared between two (or occasionally more) …

hocket, in medieval polyphonic (multipart) music, the device of alternating between parts, single notes, or groups of notes. The result is a more or less continuous flow with one voice resting …

Sep 21, 2025 · Hocket is a musical technique involving the rhythmic alternation between two or more vocal or instrumental lines. This effect creates a syncopated, interlocking texture found …

We’ll break down how hocket works, its historical roots in medieval music, and its application in various musical styles.

In the 13th and 14th century composers and music theorists define the hocket as the breaking of a melody into single notes or very short phrases by means of rests (see below the Machaut …

In medieval practice of hocket, a single melody is shared between two (or occasionally more) voices such that alternately one voice sounds while the other rests.

Definition of 'hocket' hocket in American English (ˈhɑkɪt) noun a technique in medieval musical composition in which two or three voice parts are given notes or short phrases in rapid …

“Hocket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hocket. Accessed 3 Jan. 2026.

Nov 1, 2025 · Noun [edit] hocket (countable and uncountable, plural hockets) (music) In medieval music, a rhythmic linear technique using the alternation of notes, pitches, or chords. A single …

HOCKET definition: a technique in medieval musical composition in which two or three voice parts are given notes or short phrases in rapid alternation, producing an erratic, hiccuping effect. …