“Can You Hear Me Now?”

Monday, February 24, 2020

     A loudspeaker system produces "mechanical" music when sound is output through speakers (technically, sound waves generated by mechanical means, not vocal chords).  If a church accepts this form of mechanical music by synthesizing its singing through audio speakers, could it accept words produced and synthesized by a sound board?  What would the difference be?  Ultimately, the sound produced is mechanical, sound waves from an amplifier and not from the voice box.

Sincerely,
DJ

Dear DJ,

A loudspeaker system has nothing to do with the music being made – it simply amplifies it.  When a speaker system is used, it doesn’t make any sort of music; the saints still have to sing and make melody in their hearts (Col 3:16).  If the Christians weren’t singing, the speakers would simply produce silence.

A speaker system is no different then cupping your hands in front of your mouth to amplify the noise.  The singing is still the same, just amplified by modern technology.  However, if a piece of audio equipment is being used like an instrument to produce music on its own, that would be no different than using a piano or guitar.

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