Do you hear what THEY hear?

So, this past Sunday, 5 minutes before Mass was to begin, we were still trying to figure out why the musicians had NO monitors at all. With electric instruments, including drums, the only thing we could hear was the piano, and that was kind of quiet since we keep the lid down. Now, our church was recently renovated and has a pretty sophisticated sound system installed. When everything is functioning properly it’s pretty cool. In this case, however, there was a problem. I haven’t been involved in that part of the Audio/Visual Ministry at all since the redesign, so when the sound tech told me that we didn’t have monitors because the “wireless network” was down my immediate thought was: “...um...what? Did you just say ‘wireless network?’” It seems that, yes, there is a wireless network involved in our sound system. (I guess I’d better get more involved in that part of the A/V Ministry.)

ANYway...eventually we figured it out (unplugged cable), but not until much later. In the meantime everyone had to really listen carefully to what was coming out of the main speakers. The result? Coolness! (from a singing perspective) For the first time I heard the assembly really sing on “Awake to the Day,” which was our Song of Gathering. The assembly part in the verse was so present to me for the first time. We were literally all hearing the same thing at the same time. No headphones, no blaring floor wedges...nothing but what was coming out of the house speakers and the assembly’s voices.

It reminded me that, from time to time, it’s so important to ‘take a listen’ to what the assembly hears. Sure, the sound techs do that all the time, but as Music Directors we need to do the same on a regular basis. Step out front when you can...let the musicians carry the song while you sit in the pew for a moment. Listen to how you and the band/choir are “setting the tone.”