Who prefers a mouse to a control surface?

[Wnna]

Hey,

I used to be able to use faders when I had a portable multi track recorder, but since I bought a Digi001, I haven't touched faders yet.
However, recently I've been thinking about getting myself a control surface, like the Digi002, Baby HUI or the Mackie Control (Which is going to support PT in 01/03, I hear.)

My question is that... Do I REALLY need a control surface.. I mean.... I create electronic music alone or with some freinds.
I don't record more than one track at once.
Unlike many electronic musicians. I record live, and express dynamics live. I don't automate faders, sometimes don't even move 'em very much after recording what I play.

Didn't feel I needed a control surface, but 'cause these days some cheap ones are out there, I want to get myself one (with 8 faders)if it helps me MUSICALLY.

How has your control surface changed the may you mix?
Who prefers mixing a mouse to touching a control surface?

Thanks!!!!!!

[mentalmusic]

Of the times I've been in front of a Control 24 myself, and the times that I've seen others who have them (from recording studios to huge Post Production houses), it gets used about 1% of the time. I'm sure some others may totally disagree though.

[PhiDelta308]

I do prefer a control surface to working with a mouse, but that's probably due to the fact that I cut my teeth working on a pair of yamaha promixes and a yamaha 02R. It sounds like you could get by just fine without using a control surface musically, but using a control surface can speed up your work if you learn how to use it properly. That is if it can contol most if not all aspects of the software you're using. But learning the keyboard shortcuts for your software can also speed up your work.

-Chris

[Schmee]

We have a Control 24 and Pro Control at college and to be honest I find a lot of the tasks in Pro Tools easier to do using the mouse and often quicker. Espically stuff like adding plugins and setting up I/O's and Aux sends. For mix automation it can be usefull but to be honest so is going into the track view and drawing in any fades you want.

Really it is up to you, if you are comftable with using the mouse then use the mouse, one thing that can be useful is the abality of being able to move more than one fader at a time independantly of each other instead of in a group.

Lee [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[VillageGreen]

Mouse. No question. Control surfaces would have to be almost free before I couldn't think of something else more useful to do with the money.

[tommydee]

mouse and key commands all the way...
drawing fades and mutes is so much easier, once you get it down.
for demo studios i don't think you need a desk no more.
what i'd get before a control surface is a real desk (for the sound).

my 2c.

[Freeheel]

Mouse for me - I have two yamaha digital boards in front of me that I could program to be control surfaces and I haven't bothered, and not because it would be difficult or I'm lazy. It just that once you have the keys figured out, you can move just about as fast as with a control surface. And you can move that fast on any protools studio in the world, no matter what control surface they have.

[Wnna]

Thank you so much!!!!!

Originally posted by Schmee:
one thing that can be useful is the abality of being able to move more than one fader at a time independantly of each other instead of in a group.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">That's a really tiny advantage, isn't it?
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

I now don't feel I need one. However, I still feel like I should touch faders for real since that's the way it should be... but, nobody recommend a contol surface for me?
Your experience would be much appreciated.

[gargoyle]

a couple of years ago I talked to a friend about my new 001 set-up, he said, Oh yea, I've heard about that stuff but no thanks, I like to twiddle knobs and faders.

[Rational Punk]

Definitely a mouse (or in my case, trackball). I don't see how I could create volume automation with as much precision trying to move faders in real time as I can drawing curves to compensate for individual syllables in a vocal, for example, that need to be adjusted (often by small increments).