Cue it up

When I was in college, I was a DJ for the campus radio station, WHPK (“So alternative, we don't even like their old stuff”). This was in the pre-iTunes, pre-CD era, and we spun actual vinyl records. You had to cue these records up, scratching them back and forth on the Technics turntable until you found the beginning of the song and then rolling it backwards a quarter turn. This enabled the turntable to get up to speed before the music started. You had to start the turntable a split second or two before you wanted the music to start. We took great pride in timing our fades and transitions between songs so that there was a seamless transition between each cut.

We also discovered that if you simply cued it up right on the start of the track most songs made an awesome “wwvvooorp” sound as the turntable revved up to speed, and we occasionally would do it deliberately for effect. We thought this was cool, clever, and anti-establishment.

I thought of this while leading sung Morning Prayer the other day in chapel. I've gotten to where I can sing without making people hide under the pews, but I'm still no fabulous voice. Starting canticles and hymns a capella is particularly challenging. What's gonna come out of my mouth? Will I find the note? Will WE find the note? The general grogginess of everyone in the morning only adds to the challenge. Sometimes we find that note just perfectly and sail into the songs of lamentation, petition, and praise seamlessly, like a choir of heavenly voices. A lot of times we have to slowly find it together, and the collective effect is like that badly cued record, “wwvooorp...us sing to the Lord, let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation.....”

I've decided, though, that just as in college, I kind of like the wwvoorp sound. I wouldn't record it for posterity, I wouldn't recommend it if you are the National Cathedral in Washington and trying to show people the beauty of Anglican hymnody. However, it can have a lovely feel, that moment of doubt and fear followed by the deep joy and relief when we find a key we can work in harmony; the satisfaction as we collectively search each other out, hear, and then find our voice together.