A digitally controllable analog no-input mixer
Author
Elia, Gianluca
Term
4. Term
Education
Publication year
2024
Submitted on
2024-02-01
Abstract
A no-input mixer is a mixing console played by feeding its outputs back into its inputs, so it creates sound without external sources. Musicians continually balance their intentions with the instrument’s own, often unpredictable behavior. This simple, reimagined setup turns a utilitarian control surface into an open and surprising space for exploration where new artistic practices can grow. This project presents a hybrid instrument: an analog no-input mixer augmented with a digitally controllable interface. It enables interactions that were previously difficult or impossible, including saving and recalling snapshots of settings (control points), smoothly moving between them (interpolation), arranging them in sequences, and using semi-automatic, audio-driven mappings and agents that link sound to control changes. The project examines how these capabilities shape musical practice with the instrument and whether they create opportunities for new musical languages and ways of playing.
En no-input-mixer er et mixerkonsol, der spilles på ved at føre udgangene tilbage til indgangene, så den skaber lyd uden eksterne kilder. Musikere balancerer hele tiden deres intentioner med instrumentets egen, ofte uforudsigelige adfærd. Denne enkle, genopfundne opsætning forvandler en praktisk kontrolflade til et åbent og overraskende felt for udforskning, hvor nye kunstneriske praksisser kan opstå. Dette projekt præsenterer et hybridinstrument: en analog no-input-mixer udvidet med en digitalt styrbar grænseflade. Det muliggør interaktioner, der tidligere var svære eller umulige, herunder at gemme og genkalde øjebliksbilleder af indstillinger (kontrolpunkter), bevæge sig glidende mellem dem (interpolation), arrangere dem i sekvenser og anvende semi-automatiske, lydstyrede koblinger og agenter, der forbinder lyd med ændringer i styring. Projektet undersøger, hvordan disse muligheder påvirker musikalsk praksis med instrumentet, og om de åbner for nye musikalske sprog og måder at spille på.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
Keywords
no-input ; nime ; supercollider ; feedback ; musicking