demisemiquaver

Demisemiquaver is the British English name for the musical note value that corresponds to a thirty-second note in American usage. It represents one thirty-second of a whole note; in common time (4/4) this equals one-eighth of a beat.

Notation and position: A demisemiquaver has three flags when written as an individual note, and when grouped with other notes it is typically shown with three beams connecting the notes. It sits between the semiquaver (sixteenth note) and the hemidemisemiquaver (sixty-fourth note) in the standard sequence of note values.

Usage and context: Demisemiquavers are used to denote rapid passages, ornaments, and complex rhythmic figures. They appear across musical periods—from Baroque to contemporary music—particularly in passages that require fast scales, arpeggios, or intricate rhythmic subdivisions. In readable notation, 32nd notes are often combined with longer values (such as quarter or eighth notes) to indicate relative durations within a beat or measure.

Terminology and regional variation: In the United States, the equivalent term is thirty-second note. In the UK and other English-speaking regions, demisemiquaver is the common name. A related, less common term is hemidemisemiquaver, used for a sixty-fourth note.

Overview: The demisemiquaver is a standard element of musical notation used to express rapid rhythmic detail, designed to subdivide beats beyond the more familiar eighth and sixteenth notes while fitting within established beam and flag conventions.