The engineer, still undaunted, calmly turned to Jeff and asked “Can you get me some M3 technology for this system?”
Jeff, wondering just what “M3 technology” might be, rose out of his chair and headed toward the mixing board.
The engineer again asked Jeff, “Can you get me some M3 technology for this system?”
Jeff, playing it cool and acting like he was in the loop on this mysterious “M3 technology,” replied, “What kind of M3 technology are you looking for?”
The engineer’s answer caused him to break out in laughter: “You know, the ‘More Me Monitor’ type, better known as M3 technology”.
After he and the engineer stopped laughing, Jeff decided to use this as a teaching moment. He called the rehearsal to a halt and then gathered the musicians and the tech team in the front pews, and explained to the musicians how, quite often, “less is more.” They don’t need to hear every instrument in every mix. In fact, doing that just clutters the stage sound, making it harder for everyone to hear what they actually need to hear.
He went on to explain to the tech crew that if the musicians can’t hear themselves, you don’t even want to turn on the mains because the musicians will be off key and not playing well together.
Jeff was then able to walk each musician through what he suggested that each needed in his/her monitor, and at the same time, help the engineer realize that some stage volume is necessary if you want the musicians to play with confidence and sing on pitch.
At the end there were no hard feelings (though there could have been), and other than the shirts that the tech team now wear that say “Powered By M3 Technology,” this potential brawl was soon completely forgotten.
It’s times like this that remind us to put technology to productive use in worship, and not the other way around.
Gary Zandstra is a professional AV systems integrator with Parkway Electric and has been involved with sound at his church for more than 25 years.