Hocket

A hocket is a term that is used in music to describe a rhythmic linear technique

using two voices or players that alternate between each other. The two voices or
players do not sing or play at the same time, but rather directly after the other, leaving
little or no pause between the two. It can also be used with more than two voices or
players. The voices don't appear to interrupt each other, but rather to pick up
immediately after the other one ends, creating short bursts of back and forth rhythmic
music. The hocket technique is sometimes used with one voice, where one singer sings
alone, but with short phrases or notes sung with short rests, as opposed to the
traditional melodic phrases.

Hocketing first appeared in the 13th century and is closely associated with the
music of Notre Dame Cathedral. The most common combination in a hocket is a pattern
of long notes combined with short notes. The hocket method would be interspersed
between conventional rhythmic notes, creating a long piece of music. Larger
compositions were usually composed with six different pre-set rhythmic patterns.
Hocketing was generally found in motets, conductus and organa.

During the mid-thirteenth century, motets and other short pieces were referred to
as hockets. These songs have hocketing throughout the entire piece. Another technique
formed at this time, and was called modal trunsmution. This technique was associated
with one rhythm, also called a mode, that eased effortlessly into a different mode.