Here control surfaces help us, where you can play with subtle changes in faders and get a better mixing than a computer mouse and keyboard. And with a computer screen and mouse, you have to struggle hard to achieve your balance. This doubling nature of dB makes the faders more complicated in balancing low-volume instruments. If you want to know the whole concept of the dB refer to Gain Staging: Secret to Get Good Levels In Your Mix. If you want to read Fader’s double amplitude theory then refer to this article. When we increase the volume by 1dB the amplitude of the wave doubles. dB is not a linear measuring scale-like meter or kilogram but it’s a measurement for the amplitude of a wave. Here I want to describe it with the definition of faders.įaders are used to control the gain of tracks in mixers and DAWs. Now, you are wondering, if a controller doesn’t take part in recording as an input-output device like mixers and audio interfaces then how they could make an impact on mixing? And a control surface can fulfill this demand in a better way.Ĭontrol surfaces are a good example of a classic analog-style user interface with a powerful digital environment working behind it. No matter how much this digital world captures the audio recording, the feel of the classic analog environment will always be in demand. Yes, you can tune out your eyes from the computer screen and make some fun with analog-style controls.Īctually, an analog environment is a basic need of any studio. With controlled surfaces, you can extend the scope of your eyes. These things make our workflow faster than the keyboard and mouse where we have to struggle with keyboard buttons to remember and slipping on the faders with the mouse. They are designed with dedicated controls for separate operations like the transport bar, faders, and assignable buttons. Faster WorkflowĬontrol surfaces make our workflow faster than operating with a keyboard and mouse. There are many reasons behind using control surfaces for home studios. Why a Control Surface Is Important in a DAW? You can go for one according to your pocket length. These are cheap and when it comes to controlling the DAW they have more functions than any digital mixer.įrom just 1 fader to several faders and limited control to extended control, there are several types of control surfaces available in the market. Read more about Affiliate disclosure here. The best option for home recordists is, to use dedicated DAW control surfaces.ĭisclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we recommended. Along with input/output bus and send, etc features, they have an added feature to control your DAW through MIDI/USB.īut digital mixers are very costly and generally out of pocket for home recordists. However, today most digital mixers can be used as control surfaces too. We can’t use control surfaces as input devices like analog and digital mixers. 14 Conclusion What Is A Control Surface?Ī control surface is a MIDI/USB device that can be connected to your DAW and used as a controller for your DAW.Īpart from digital mixers, control surfaces don’t have any input/output.

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