hardware mixer newbie question

[extendedping]

Hi all I am just getting started with my firepod and my Cubase SL. I do find it kind of hard using my mouse in the software mixer and was wondering what if there are any viable and not that expensive hardware alternatives to this. I saw mixers at like $700 at my local Sam Ash and that is wayyy beyond my budget. I thought I read somehere (but can't recall where) that there exsisted an inexpensive "mixer" that just controlled the knobs in the Cubase software mixer, meaning if I moved a knob on the hardware it would actually move a software knob as thought I had done it with a mouse. Was I hallucinating here? Thanks for reading...

 

[LfO]

They're called "control surfaces". I haven't tried them myself, so can't say anthing for their quality. There doesn't seem to be a huge selection of them out there, but there is a range of price/quality.

http://www.music123.com/Search/Default.aspx?N=64&Ntt=control+surface

 

[ssscientist]

I do find it kind of hard using my mouse in the software mixer and was wondering what if there are any viable and not that expensive hardware alternatives to this.

The most economical control surface out there -- that I know of -- is the Behringer BCF2000. I've used this one only occasionally and found it to be quite useful, and I own the rotary-knobbed one, the BCR2000. Mine is well built, quite flexible and has been trouble-free in the year that I've had it.


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