[microsound] "No Input Mixing Board"

[devslashnull]

maybe it is time for a microsound "no-input" project/compilation?

On Dec 14, 2010, at 1:23 PM, Justin Glenn Smith wrote:

> It was much fun. I destroyed almost all my recordings from the '90s  
> in a fit of pique, so someone may have recordings of the device (I  
> even played it live on radio a few times), but I don't.
>
> Brendan Landis wrote:
>> Justin, did any cool recordings come out of those experiments?  
>> Sounds fun!
>>
>>
>> cheers,
>> Brendan
>> heyexit.com
>>
>>
>> On Dec 14, 2010, at 2:18 PM, Justin Glenn Smith wrote:
>>
>>> Regarding patch cords: the signal will be so hot, that you don't  
>>> need
>>> a good cord. Or a real cord even. I had great performance from an  
>>> old
>>> radioshack brand mixer where I used cut up and bent pieces of
>>> coathanger, one end shoved into the hole of one of the RCA style
>>> inputs, the other end shoved into the hole of one of the RCA  
>>> outputs.
>>>
>>> Michal Seta wrote:
>>>> 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
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>>> microsound mailing list
>>>>>>> microsound at microsound.org
>>>>>>> http://or8.net/mailman/listinfo/microsound
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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