Mixers stupid question

[benjo09]

This is going to sound stupid.

Right basically I've used the built in mixer on Cubase before so know its generally for volume levels and fade. So is there any gain in using a hardware mixer. Do you have to asign the Cubase controls to the mixer. Or am I totally missing the boat here? A beginners guide to mixers would be good if anyone can sort me out.

I've tried googling but to no avail.

Thanks

Ben

[hunta]

Basically, it's tactile controls you can touch vs. ones you move around by clicking the mouse. Beyond that, it really depends on what you're trying to do. A control surface (like a cheap BCF2000) will hook into Cubase and directly control the mixer in Cubase. So you turn a knob on the mixer and it turns on your screen too. An analog mixer would have no interaction with the software and would only affect your audio coming into your interface. Some high end boards can even add a nice color to your sound by passing through the circuitry.

If you're happy with the sound you're getting and just want knobs and faders you can touch, get a control surface. If you want to color the sound a little (even cheap mixers will affect your sound, sometimes in a bad way though) or have more control over your sound before it gets to your interface, you may want a regular analog mixer.