When integrating traditional MIDI hardware synths, samplers & drum machines etc into a computer music studio setup, you can use a traditional mixer, but these take up space and you have to learn how to set that all up which is a bit more complicated than beginners assume.  However, you don't actually need a mixer to use external MIDI kit with a DAW setup. This tutorial shows how to setup your computer DAW (Cubase, Logic, Pro-Tools etc) & External MIDI hardware studio using any 8 Line-input audio interface so that you can compose using both internal audio & software instruments and external MIDI hardware and it is all mixed in your DAW side-by-side. You can also add software plugin FX & processors, in real-time to your external MIDI kit & monitor the entire mix - internal & external sounds, all together at your main DAW output... check the tutorial!

How to setup a computer DAW & external MIDI hardware studio