Man I wished you made this vid 8 years ago. Protecting my ears was not something I could manage properly at the time. I'll keep in mind the zoom trick in mind. Thank you for sharing this!
I try to be mindful about loudness and ear fatigue, but even then it can be hard to remember when I'm absorbed in the process of making sound. It's really important to set limits, take breaks, and take care of yourself.
Hey thanks for these tutorials! I’ve messed around with no input mixing a bit, but until now really wasn’t sure exactly what I was doing and had no intention behind anything. I’ve really been enjoying your videos, and you’ve gotten some of the most objectively musical results out of a mixer that I’ve ever seen / heard. Can I ask where you get those patch cables?
That's great! Thank you! I think I got the patch cables on Amazon as a multi-color pack. I really like having different colors to quickly distinguish the different connections.
For sure. Like you said before, the NIMB is great for sound design and sample making. I hadn't thought about it, but the way that pitch and amplitude are linked on a basic NIMB feedback loop, it does indeed make for a perfect bass/kick drum!
They come and go, but I've found fairly good deals on Reverb for old mixers with a bit of patience. I actually picked up a second mixer, a 1402-VLZ Pro, not too long ago. I'm looking forward to showing it in a video soon!
inspired me to give my Xenyx502 another chance for the final day of February. 3 channels, single channel with EQ, no aux, not sure a mixer could get any smaller and still be usable for this.
@@kilo_llama same! From static noises, high pitch screams and basses to rhythmic patterns etc Haven't seen the video yet but can't wait to learn some new tricks 😉
I am completely ignorant when it comes to mixers but I found an old xenyx802. is there a way I can run my guitar through it and connect it to my amp to use it similar to a guitar effects pedal?
In theory, this should work. I would caution you to be extra careful with levels running into an amp, because amps and speakers are particularly sensitive to being blown out by too high of an input level.
Great video! Just wondering, my only way to hear the audio if i tried no input mixing would be my amplifier, but it has a built in compresser. Would I be all good or could the signal still be too much for the amp and damage it? Once again thanks for the video!
Thank you! I'm usually recording into a digital recorder (either my Zoom or my computer), so I can't speak with a lot of certainty here. I believe if you're careful with the volume then you won't have any problems (it seems that plenty of folks use a nimb with an amplifier). But I think if you go in too hot, even with a compressor, there's a chance you could hurt your amplifier? Sorry I can't provide a definitive answer.
I`m very exciting of your series of no-input lessons. I got old Behringer console and start to experiment with it. Everything is OK, but i can`t understand one thing - how to slow tempo?) In your percussive no-input patches the tempo is quite fast and when i do some patches, tempo is quite fast too. But You of course wathed this most-famous video on TH-cam called "No-input mixer minimal techno" by closedcircuits and the tempo in that video is rather slow. How to do it? How to slow the beat tempo?) Is there some theoretical explanation or it depends from console model?)
Yes, a legendary video! Unfortunately, I think the answer is a combination of the two. In theory, the more amplification and low-boost you can add to a feedback loop, the slower you will drive it. But the amount of amplification varies between mixing boards. And I am becoming convinced there are other less logical particularities to different mixing boards too. Sometimes it is difficult to make sense of the behavior comparing one mixing board to another. I will do some more searching. It is an excellent question!
Can u describe the options to run the sound from as opposed to directly into the mixer. As you said I don’t want to damage the Equipment or my ears . Thanks great video. Just picked up a 8 to learn this technique
My recommendation is to run through something that can act as a limiter for the output. I talk about a few strategies in this video th-cam.com/video/RElaNSiL4_g/w-d-xo.html If you approach the mixing board carefully and keep your output levels low, limiting is not really necessary. In my most recent video (Quarterly Reflection: Spring 2024), I recorded straight from the mixing board into my audio interface. But these limiting strategies creates a nice safety net.
There are definitely ways to include other equipment in the feedback loop. You can run anything into the mixing board and use the mixing board like a distortion on the input signal. If you are running the output of the mixing board back into another piece of equipment, you need to be more careful about levels to not overload your gear, but the attenuation on an aux send can be sufficient in a lot of situations. There's lots of potential to experiment with, just make sure you're careful with your levels.
I've never had trouble with a mixer from this sort of no-input patching. I've heard of folks damaging speakers and amplifiers from running a NIMB too hot into those devices, but my understanding is that a mixing board can generally handle its own output levels in feedback without causing much issue. Although, to be fair, I'd still be a little cautious about it. I probably wouldn't start feedback patching the world's most expensive mixing board if my money was on the line to replace it.
An audio interface should work fine; I would just be more careful about controlling the output level from the mixing board. The goal is to avoid sending too hot of a signal into equipment that you care too much about. The limiting strategies that I discuss here are useful for making sure there's a hard ceiling on the signal, but they're not necessary if you keep your output down.
@@kilo_llama alright, noted. Thank you. Also, once I connect the audio interface to my laptop, will GarageBand or Audacity be able to record the sounds? Or are there other softwares/applications. (I’m fairly new to this)
Nice tutorial. 😎👍 I've been doing no input mixing board feed back stuff occasionally over the last 10 years and enjoy it a lot. I typically use effects pedals in the effects loop though to give it more variety and depth. So usually the effects loop send goes to the pedals and the output of the last stereo pedal is mult'd to both the effects loop return and also to a standard stereo channel (or two mono channels). I typically edit together the best bits from a session and then add video clips that sort of relate to the sounds. Here one of my shorter and more recent ones: th-cam.com/video/jwXwY1YyotM/w-d-xo.html
@@kilo_llama Indeed! Pedals that do harmonizing and pseudo quantizing like the EHX Ravish Sitar are really fun since they can turn feedback howls into chords and arpeggios etc.
Man I wished you made this vid 8 years ago. Protecting my ears was not something I could manage properly at the time. I'll keep in mind the zoom trick in mind. Thank you for sharing this!
I try to be mindful about loudness and ear fatigue, but even then it can be hard to remember when I'm absorbed in the process of making sound. It's really important to set limits, take breaks, and take care of yourself.
Hey thanks for these tutorials! I’ve messed around with no input mixing a bit, but until now really wasn’t sure exactly what I was doing and had no intention behind anything. I’ve really been enjoying your videos, and you’ve gotten some of the most objectively musical results out of a mixer that I’ve ever seen / heard. Can I ask where you get those patch cables?
That's great! Thank you! I think I got the patch cables on Amazon as a multi-color pack. I really like having different colors to quickly distinguish the different connections.
6:54 What a fat bassdrum xD This sounds so huge here, crazy. Thanks for the video.
For sure. Like you said before, the NIMB is great for sound design and sample making. I hadn't thought about it, but the way that pitch and amplitude are linked on a basic NIMB feedback loop, it does indeed make for a perfect bass/kick drum!
I like that mixer a lot.. 👍
Small mixers with a send/return loop seem to be rare things..🤔
I’m going shopping now..😉
They come and go, but I've found fairly good deals on Reverb for old mixers with a bit of patience. I actually picked up a second mixer, a 1402-VLZ Pro, not too long ago. I'm looking forward to showing it in a video soon!
inspired me to give my Xenyx502 another chance for the final day of February.
3 channels, single channel with EQ, no aux, not sure a mixer could get any smaller and still be usable for this.
Good luck! Stereo panning should hopefully still give you some interesting control points for your feedback loops.
Now this is my cup of tea
N.I.M.B life!
Thanks! Glad you like it!
He knows what we want!!
More feedback music! More feedback musicians! 😁
I was experimenting with this mixer and I managed to create some crazy noises 😈
Nice! I was really surprised by how much was possible with the Mix8.
@@kilo_llama same! From static noises, high pitch screams and basses to rhythmic patterns etc
Haven't seen the video yet but can't wait to learn some new tricks 😉
incredible work here
Thank you!
Magical.
I am completely ignorant when it comes to mixers but I found an old xenyx802. is there a way I can run my guitar through it and connect it to my amp to use it similar to a guitar effects pedal?
In theory, this should work. I would caution you to be extra careful with levels running into an amp, because amps and speakers are particularly sensitive to being blown out by too high of an input level.
Great video! Just wondering, my only way to hear the audio if i tried no input mixing would be my amplifier, but it has a built in compresser. Would I be all good or could the signal still be too much for the amp and damage it? Once again thanks for the video!
Thank you! I'm usually recording into a digital recorder (either my Zoom or my computer), so I can't speak with a lot of certainty here. I believe if you're careful with the volume then you won't have any problems (it seems that plenty of folks use a nimb with an amplifier). But I think if you go in too hot, even with a compressor, there's a chance you could hurt your amplifier? Sorry I can't provide a definitive answer.
@@kilo_llama that's alright! I'll just try and be careful when I try it out and hope for the best 😅
@@pangasius8592 Once you've had a chance to play around with it, let us all know what you find! 😄
this is an awesome hack! thanks for sharing
I hope you find some good use from the ideas!
Isso é incrível!
Thank you! Obrigado!
I`m very exciting of your series of no-input lessons. I got old Behringer console and start to experiment with it. Everything is OK, but i can`t understand one thing - how to slow tempo?) In your percussive no-input patches the tempo is quite fast and when i do some patches, tempo is quite fast too. But You of course wathed this most-famous video on TH-cam called "No-input mixer minimal techno" by closedcircuits and the tempo in that video is rather slow. How to do it? How to slow the beat tempo?) Is there some theoretical explanation or it depends from console model?)
Yes, a legendary video! Unfortunately, I think the answer is a combination of the two. In theory, the more amplification and low-boost you can add to a feedback loop, the slower you will drive it. But the amount of amplification varies between mixing boards. And I am becoming convinced there are other less logical particularities to different mixing boards too. Sometimes it is difficult to make sense of the behavior comparing one mixing board to another.
I will do some more searching. It is an excellent question!
I think, it's because of a difference between the most strong and the most weak signals, that you put into inputs) maybe, i need additiinal amplifier)
Can u describe the options to run the sound from as opposed to directly into the mixer. As you said I don’t want to damage the Equipment or my ears . Thanks great video. Just picked up a 8 to learn this technique
My recommendation is to run through something that can act as a limiter for the output. I talk about a few strategies in this video th-cam.com/video/RElaNSiL4_g/w-d-xo.html
If you approach the mixing board carefully and keep your output levels low, limiting is not really necessary. In my most recent video (Quarterly Reflection: Spring 2024), I recorded straight from the mixing board into my audio interface. But these limiting strategies creates a nice safety net.
@@kilo_llama thanks for the feedback
is there a way i can incorperate 1 synth in the feed back loop?
There are definitely ways to include other equipment in the feedback loop. You can run anything into the mixing board and use the mixing board like a distortion on the input signal. If you are running the output of the mixing board back into another piece of equipment, you need to be more careful about levels to not overload your gear, but the attenuation on an aux send can be sufficient in a lot of situations. There's lots of potential to experiment with, just make sure you're careful with your levels.
The no-input vids are wild... literally something from nothing.
Feedback opens up a whole new world of microscopic sounds. I find it quite magical.
Have you ever damaged one of your small mixers misusing them in these ways?
I've never had trouble with a mixer from this sort of no-input patching. I've heard of folks damaging speakers and amplifiers from running a NIMB too hot into those devices, but my understanding is that a mixing board can generally handle its own output levels in feedback without causing much issue.
Although, to be fair, I'd still be a little cautious about it. I probably wouldn't start feedback patching the world's most expensive mixing board if my money was on the line to replace it.
Thank you for this answer.@@kilo_llama
Informative video! Are there any alternatives to using a zoom? Can I use an audio interface and a laptop?
An audio interface should work fine; I would just be more careful about controlling the output level from the mixing board. The goal is to avoid sending too hot of a signal into equipment that you care too much about. The limiting strategies that I discuss here are useful for making sure there's a hard ceiling on the signal, but they're not necessary if you keep your output down.
@@kilo_llama alright, noted. Thank you. Also, once I connect the audio interface to my laptop, will GarageBand or Audacity be able to record the sounds? Or are there other softwares/applications. (I’m fairly new to this)
@@NakulAyyappa That's correct. There are many options for recording and editing sound.
@@kilo_llama awesome, thank you again this was very helpful :)
Nice tutorial. 😎👍 I've been doing no input mixing board feed back stuff occasionally over the last 10 years and enjoy it a lot. I typically use effects pedals in the effects loop though to give it more variety and depth. So usually the effects loop send goes to the pedals and the output of the last stereo pedal is mult'd to both the effects loop return and also to a standard stereo channel (or two mono channels). I typically edit together the best bits from a session and then add video clips that sort of relate to the sounds. Here one of my shorter and more recent ones: th-cam.com/video/jwXwY1YyotM/w-d-xo.html
Cool stuff! The possibilities become endless when you start adding other equipment into the loop.
@@kilo_llama Indeed! Pedals that do harmonizing and pseudo quantizing like the EHX Ravish Sitar are really fun since they can turn feedback howls into chords and arpeggios etc.
The operator does not hate the mixer, but it is made up of channels which he can use for something else.