[microsound] "No Input Mixing Board"

[Michal Seta]

You could probably get a Behringer 8 channel mixer for less than a
100$ at your local music equipment store.  Those are totally useless
for pro-audio but they should fit your needs.  Of course you also need
a lot of patch cords.  You may want to check your nearest electronics
surplus store, they may have good deals on cables (maybe even some
amateur mixing boards!).  Just make sure that when you are buying a
mixer to use as a musical instrument, there are more outputs than just
Main Out (hopefully Aux and/or Fx and maybe even direct out) for
increased flexibility of routing signals.

Here's one good deal for a Behringer:
http://bit.ly/f4JPqy

You could also check some local classifieds listings but I would
advise that when you buy this kind of stuff (especially online or
through an ad) you do it with an adult, hopefully someone who
understands your needs and what you are buying to some extent.

Cheers.

./MiS

On Tue, Dec 14, 2010 at 8:12 AM, Nic Freed <beatthefinalboss at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you very much for replying so fast! I do like Larseneurs, but I do not
> speak french, so I do not know how much I can use their site :(
> You explained that very well, and now that I understand, I am very anxious
> to try ;)
> If you don't mind my asking, where might I get a cheap mixing board with an
> input and output? Maybe somewhere on ebay or something?
> Thanks again!
> --Nic
>
> On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 11:49 PM, Michal Seta <mis at artengine.ca> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Nic,
>>
>> The base idea behind the no input mixing board is that a mixing board
>> is never perfectly silent.  It is then expected that when you plug its
>> output to its input, the inherent noise (or hum) that is within the
>> system will quickly start adding itself up and you will be able to
>> build a feedback loop.  Most mixers have pre-amps built in which can
>> greatly help you build the sound faster (and they will add a little
>> bit of noise to the signal as well).  You can then use the EQ knobs to
>> shape the resulting signal.
>>
>> Some mixing boards come with built-in effects so you could very easily
>> start sculpting very intricate soundscapes but if you want to be true
>> to Nakamura you should use a plain mixing board with only controls
>> being volume, gain and some EQ (usually just 3 knobs on simple boards:
>> treble, mid and bass).  Note that having multiple mixing strips and
>> ways of cross-connecting them gives you an advantage (most mixers will
>> have auxiliary inputs and outputs which you can exploit to make cross
>> connections between different strips).
>>
>> Getting a cheap mixing board will bring you quick instant
>> gratification because those will usually have higher signal to noise
>> ratio.  You will be feeding back in no time.
>>
>> If such minimal meas of noise making interest you, you may also be
>> interested in Larseneurs (http://www.larseneur.net/NewsENG.php).  The
>> idea being that you simply use a computer and let the sound pass
>> directly from your microphone input straight to the output.  Your only
>> control is input volume.  Your sounds will greatly depend on the
>> ambient noise.
>>
>> Happy feedback!
>>
>> ./MiS
>>
>> On Mon, Dec 13, 2010 at 11:14 PM, Nic Freed <beatthefinalboss at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>> > Hello :)
>> > I have become very interested in the works of Toshimaru Nakamura
>> > recently,
>> > with his self-named "No-Input Mixing Board", and I would like to learn
>> > more
>> > about it. From what I understand, the output of the board is connected
>> > to
>> > the input... but if so, where does the initial sound causing the
>> > feedback
>> > come from? I would like to try this myself, once I understand it better,
>> > so
>> > I was also wondering about what I would need to purchase to create
>> > something
>> > with this method.
>> > I am 15 years old and without a job, so maybe a cheap mixer and
>> > something to
>> > create sound, like a function generator? I would probably try and get it
>> > for
>> > my birthday, so it can't be too expensive :x
>> > Thank you very much, in advance!
>> > --Nic
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