It is all about feel.  Sometimes I have the hardest time getting the tempo for people I bring in.  We try it at 124, then 126 and after a few takes drop it to 122 (purely a fictional example here).  While I don't think a fraction of a beat makes a lot of difference, a beat or two can make a world of difference to a player.  And funny, the next day that same player might feel it a beat or two different if you try another take.

@

Thanks Starise for that link to the heart rate article, interesting. 

Breathing is another area of interest too. I found playing drums and breathing can be linked as well. I noticed that my breathing was not linked in any way or in time with my groove. So I started to consciously breath in time with my playing and I am convinced my playing got better and felt better too. 
It makes you wonder about heart rate under those conditions. It would be good to find out if in fact your heart rate can eventually lock into your playing. ie the other way around.

Lately I have been experimenting with how much physical movement one should actually get into while drumming. I believe it is counter productive and in fact you can balance on your drum seat and only move your arms and legs but not move anything else ie stay very still in the core of your body. This really works for me anyway and your time actually improves when you do this. Drummers who move around a lot while playing are wasting energy and you are not really achieving anything by doing it. You might think all the physical movement is helping but I am starting to believe it is a hindrance instead.

Absolutely, Jeff! I've found that balancing on your stool and just moving your arms and legs is absolutely the way to go too-- everything else is just theatre! You should set your drum kit thusly. I think any good drum teacher would tell you this as well. It's quintessential to extreme metal drumming too because the drummer simply doesn't have the time or the extra energy to spare. I've also noticed the breathing thing, too! Although it's more of a subconscious thing for me, but when it starts getting heavier I definitely notice it and sort of consciously feel my playing is benefiting from it. If I'm playing very fast, I'll enhale deeply on, say, the first beat of the first bar and exhale on the first beat of the third bar I think, and so forth... Heart rate and BPM also makes a whole lot of sense of course. As does (to whatever degree, subjectively) other more occult reasonings such as numerology etc... The light wavelengths thing is fascinating! Who was this?? Thank you all for your input, also!

Tempo.... I select the one that makes the song come alive. Simple.

Actually 126 BPM would be the average heartbeat of dancers if you have taken Party Enhancers, this is why most dance music has an average BPM of 120.  Under the influence of Party Enhancers you'd be amazed as to what you can feel.

Just saying thats all, not trying to start a fight on this one.

Peace Ben

Ben's point is interesting and something I did not factor in. I was thinking normal heart rates under normal relaxed conditions. But with some mind altering substances especially the ones that might pick your heart rate up plus the physical exertion of the dancing etc then the heart rate could probably easily approach those sort of BPM's such as 120 or 126 etc..

Anybody dancing or doing any strenuous physical activity will have a heart rate around 120bpm, without enhancements! Just look at sports people like runners. Dancing is no different.

Very interesting post though.

My heart rate gets up to about 170-180 during interval training. Resting, it's about 55 or so. 

I read an article MANY years ago about a couple of Paula Abdul's tunes, and I remember them saying there was something magical about 120 BPM for a dance tune.

Unfortunately, that's all I can remember.  LOL

 Just for trivia sake I thought I would throw a few songs out there and their bpm rates.

AC/DCs Back In Black-96bpm

Aerosmith's " Walk This Way"- 112bpm

Michael Jackson's " Billie Jean"-116bpm

Eagles " Hotel California"- 75 bpm.

  I got this from a book I'm reading now by Daniel Levitin called, " This Is You Brain On Music" This is a wonderful read that gets fairly deep into the ins and outs of how we perceive tempo and sound. If I tried to go into it here in any detail I would be typing reams.

 The thing with tempo is that it is proven that some people clap twice or in double time while others only clap to the beat.  These people seem to have a stepped up or doubled inner rhythm.I am over simlifying  here. The whole study of rhythm and how we listen is deep.

 And only looking at rhythm is a mistake because that's like only one small piece of the music. Very important but only an ingredient in the recipe.