I use an 8 channel flying fader mixer on my Avid - a JL Cooper model MCS-3000X. It communicates to the Avid Audio Mixer. Now instead of having to mouse click and move a fader, I can simply move the fader on my mixer to raise or lower the level of a clip. Or, I can activate the Audio Mix mode. Then the JL Cooper becomes a true mixer. As you change the faders, key frames are added in your timeline, and the audio is rebalanced. Don’t like the results? You can trash can that mix pass and do it again. Or you can move individual key frames.

I can never have enough programmable keys. I purchased the Avant Stellar keyboard for use on a PC Adrenaline. It not only has two sets of function keys, but every key can be remapped. Avant also has ergonomic keyboards, and programmable keypads for added functionality.