The issue of tempo is an interesting one
considering the possible relationship between musical tempo and human brain physiology.
The frequency of alpha waves in the brain, critical in inducing trance states in humans,
lies approximately between 8 and 12 cycles per second, and varies from one person to the next.
Many traditional trance-inducing musics of the world contain rhythmic elements which mirror these rates.
Typically performances start at the lower level and increase over a period of hours towards the higher level.
The gradual increase in frequency allows for the variation in different human alpha wave frequencies.
In Goa trance there is a constant stream of 16th notes which
when played at the suggested average of 144 bpm
yields a flow of musical events at an average of 9.6 cps.
This situation parallels that of traditional trance musics.
- Fred Cole and Michael Hannan -
http://www.kwik-kut.co.za/content/view/10/2/
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