For his latest SFX libraries, Stuart Keenan from Glitchedtones explored the No-Input Mixer sound design technique. And in this special A Sound Effect guide, he shares how you can start using this creative approach to creating new – and surprising – sounds.
He’s also generously giving away 40 premium recordings made with the No-Input Mixer technique, for free! Here’s Stuart Keenan with more on all this:
The No-Input Mixer technique turns any regular mixer into an instrument which generates sound by connecting the output of a mixer into one of its inputs, resulting in a feedback loop which can be played and controlled using the mixer’s knobs, faders and routing options.
Most-famously used by pioneering Japanese noise musician Toshimaru Nakamura and aptly described by Canadian musician Christian Carrière as ‘the sound of the circuits inside the mixer singing’, the No-Input Mixer has a wealth of both beautiful and anarchic audio waiting to be uncovered and is a useful, versatile instrument to add to the sound designer’s arsenal of sound generating techniques.
By introducing the instrument to the creative process, the sound designer is opened up to a multitude of unique audio possibilities. Unsettling soundscapes suited to science fiction, dystopian and horror projects, impacts, interference, broken transmissions, drones, malfunctioning machinery, future technology sounds and glitch elements are just a few of the fruits of the No-Input Mixer.
A plethora of twisted tones await anyone willing to unearth the sonic treasures of the signal gone ‘wrong’
While a single output into an input brings instant results, it’s when multiple outputs and inputs are connected that the fun really begins. When coupled with guitar effects units or anything else which will affect the signal, a plethora of twisted tones await anyone willing to unearth the sonic treasures of the signal gone ‘wrong’.
An example of sounds created with the no-input mixer technique
Please note that caution should be applied when creating feedback loops as there is some potential to damage equipment. We are, after all, connecting things ‘incorrectly’. Also, things can get loud, very loud. Having said that, I haven’t managed to break anything just yet and have recorded numerous sessions using a No-input Mixer. It’s best to get used to using your master volume as a panic control if things get a little out of hand.
10 No-Input Mixer Tips and Tricks
1: When starting out with the No-Input Mixer, it is perhaps best to not use headphones in case of any unpleasant surprises. With speakers, start off at a low volume until you are comfortable with how it all works. However, a limiter can always be used to reduce the risk of any unwanted audio nightmarescapes!
2: Keep things simple to begin with. A single channel feedback loop with no effects can produce plenty of great source material to work with and is the simplest way to get acquainted with the mixer being used as an instrument.
3: Use very short movements when tweaking your mixer controls, the smallest increment may produce a fantastic sound which could be missed if you are a little too quick on the knob or fader.
4: It is a good idea to have an EQ in the signal path as your mixer’s EQ controls will no longer be operating in their usual way due to the feedback loop. Tweaking the EQ as you go can help you sculpt a huge range of sounds from a raw feedback loop.
5: If you come across a sustaining sound that you like, let it run for a while without changing any of the mixer controls. The feedback will sometimes just stop by itself, but can often evolve into some really nice (or nasty) variations of the initial sound.
6: For a variety of drones, consider using an octaver, or simply pitch down an octave or two with software afterwards. Adding distortion will create harsher drones, which can easily be toned down and shaped with some filtering and EQ.
7: Science Fiction effects and atmospheres come easy with the No-Input Mixer, particularly, when delay units are included in the signal path. Try using a high feedback setting on the delay and experiment with the device’s settings, manually tweaking the delay time often brings a decent array of sounds, too. It’s also worth noting that when using a stereo delay, a feedback loop within a feedback loop can be created by connecting one of the delay’s outputs to its input.
8: When using battery powered guitar effects pedals, don’t worry if batteries are running low as this adds sonic artefacts which won’t be there when the power is at full, which is a nice little bonus!
9: Record everything! Many tones can be missed if record is not enabled while experimenting, so it’s best to get in the practise of capturing everything the instrument outputs from the very beginning, as it can be difficult to reproduce a sound exactly.
10: Finally, have fun, experiment, improvise and look at the No-Input Mixer as a unique sound generating tool you can delve into whenever you want a break from the more traditional sound design techniques. Also, playing with feedback and noise is just incredibly satisfying!
Get 40 premium No-Input Mixer recordings - for free!
Stuart Keenan has compiled a special selection of 40 sound effects (548 MB total!) from his ‘Feedback Loop FX & Atmospheres’ and ‘Signal Interference’ SFX libraries – and he’s giving those away for free, as a taste of what’s in the full libraries.
Here’s how to get them:
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Cable FX 07.wav
Cable FX 09.wav
Cable FX 15.wav
Drone 03.wav
Drone 04.wav
Feedback FX 02.wav
Feedback FX 15.wav
Feedback FX 17.wav
Feedback FX 22.wav
Feedback FX 29.wav
Feedback FX 33.wav
Feedback FX 34.wav
Feedback FX 36.wav
Feedback FX 50.wav
Harsh Noisescape 06.wav
Harsh Noisescape 09.wav
High Frequency Feedback 05.wav
High Frequency Feedback 10.wav
Hum 04.wav
Interference 04.wav
Interference 05.wav
Interference 14.wav
Interference 18.wav
Interference 19.wav
Low Frequency Noise Atmosphere 02.wav
Machine Gone Wild 02.wav
Machine Gone Wild 10.wav
Machine Gone Wild 14.wav
Machine Gone Wild 18.wav
Signal Interference 08.wav
Signal Interference 09.wav
Signal Interference 11.wav
Signal Interference 13.wav
Signal Interference 17.wav
Signal Interference 29.wav
Signal Interference 30.wav
Signal Interference 34.wav
Signal Interference 38.wav
Signal Interference 40.wav
Wobble Drone 06.wav
Learn about the No-Mixer Input Sound Design method – and get 40 SFX for free! – here:
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Two SFX libraries created with the no-input mixer technique:
Feedback Loop FX & Atmospheres
Hum, Buzz & Glitches
Feedback Loop FX & Atmospheres
Play Track
200 sounds included
From: $10
200 sounds from no-input mixer recording sessions featuring cable & pedal noise, drones, harsh noisescapes, high frequency feedback, hum, interference, low frequency noise atmospheres, machines gone wild and a multitude of general feedback effects.
For inventive navigation tones, future technology sounds, glitch elements, horror atmospheres, corrupted audio flows and more, this original sound collection will serve as a versatile palette for sound designers/editors/artists, music producers and anyone looking for interesting audio artifacts.
All files are 24 Bit/96 kHz with embedded metadata.
Special offer:
For a limited time, save 25% when you get this library along with the Signal Interference SFX library – simply select the bundle below to save:
25
%
OFF
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'Feedback Loop FX & Atmospheres' by Glitchedtones is a collection of atmospheres born out of interference. With 200 sounds, this library features hums, drones, feedback and more which can be used in several scenes and genres. Perhaps the navigational system is on the fritz while en route to Mars, or the radio has lost its signal while the hero is stranded in a dark forest. From classic scifi to modern horror, these sounds can emphasize the uneasy loneliness of your characters.
Signal Interference
Hum, Buzz & Glitches
Signal Interference
Play Track
40 sounds included, 40 mins total
From: $10
Signal Interference contains 40 feedback loops generated from a no-input mixer, each running for 1 minute for a total of 40 minutes of audio corruption. These unique sonic textures feature crackles, hums, buzzes and glitches to suit a wide array of multimedia projects which require the sounds of malfunctioning machinery, twisted signals and future tech gone wrong.
All files are 24 Bit/96 kHz with embedded metadata.
Special offer:
For a limited time, save 25% when you get this library along with the Feedback Loop FX & Atmospheres SFX library – simply select the bundle below to save:
25
%
OFF
Select options
'Signal Interference' by Glitchedtones contains 40 feedback loops that crackle, hum, buzz and glitch to give you layers that will enhance many scenarios, from sci-fi machinery malfunctions to futuristic robotic haze. Each track is a minute long and contains the phasing and twisting that suggest mechanical confusion and disconcertment.
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A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement
- a few highlights:
Sci-Fi
Energy
Play Track
370 sounds included
$20
Energy is an entirely synthesized library, inspired by classic sound effects heard in a wide variety of action and adventure TV shows. Synthesized source material to create energy beams, lasers, blasts, whooshes, explosions, magical effects and more is bundled in this library and ready to be layered and processed. Energy contains 74 audio files with 5 variations of each sound effect per audio file, totalling 370 sounds.
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Sci-Fi
Lethal Energies
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1096 sounds included
$50
$30
The Lethal Energies sound effects library gets you a powerful and versatile collection of designed sci-fi guns and weapons. We work as game sound designers and are huge sci-fi fans, and our aim with this SFX library was to build the ultimate, self-contained sci-fi weapon library – in the sense that it includes everything you need to create powerful weapon sounds.
It comes with a range of designed weapons, divided into Light, Medium and Heavy weapon categories. Also included in the library are weapon construction kit sound effects like aiming sounds, laser blaster shots, shot punches, electricity sounds, foley sounds, force fields, sensors, servos, transitions and more.
NEW version 1.2:
Lethal Energies has just been updated with 65 new blaster shot layers and 9 loopable force field sound effects
40
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Environments
Elements: Ice
Play Track
1500 sounds included, 86 mins total
$49
Elements: Ice is a collection of ice sounds recorded and edited over the 2015/2016 winter by George Vlad. The library is made up of more than 1500 individual ice sounds including cracks, creaks, hits, impacts, smashes, drags, stomps, splashes and water under ice ambience. The sounds have been recorded over more than 4 months in Romania and Scotland at temperatures ranging between -25C/-13F and 5C/41F.
The library's most obvious use is as Foley elements since it covers a wide variety of ice thicknesses and performances. As is the case with other libraries in the Elements series, these sounds can also be used for other purposes such as gore sweeteners, glass or wood cracks, bone breaks etc. Additionally, all files are recorded and mastered at 24/96 quality which makes them excellent sound design elements ripe for serious processing.
Ice: Elements at a glance:
• 89 .wav files ranging from 3 seconds to 8 minutes long; more than 1500 sounds in total
• recorded and presented as 24 bit/96 kHz mono files
• 1 hour and 26 minutes total length
• 1.59 GB uncompressed size – 1.09 GB zip archive
• recorded on Sound Devices 633 with Sennheiser MKH-8040 microphones and Sony PCM D100 with on-board mics and JrF hydrophones
• comprehensive metadata compatible with Basehead and Soundminer
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Explore the full, unique collection here
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The post 10 Creative Ideas for Sound Effects Creation with the No-Input Mixer Technique (+ get 40 free SFX!): appeared first on A Sound Effect.