Re: Digest Number 748

In-Reply-To: <200008210653.JAA90628@ius293.iil.intel.com>
Robert C Valentine wrote

> In most musics, rhythmic motion is analogous to 'drone' oriented
> music (it is rare to see music where the tempo is multiplied by
> 4/3 for two measures, whereas in Western music one can see the
> harmony make such a transition).

Ah, but when tempi do change suddenly, it's usually by small integer
ratios. And that's because such changes are preferred, not because of a
convenience of notation. It's sort of obvious, but worth making explicit.

> It may pay to find the paper 'the magic number 7 plus or
> minus 2'.

Here it is:

http://www.well.com/user/smalin/miller.html

Graham