9 Best Music Production Mice in 2024

By Robin Owens 21 days ago, Computer Mouse

What is the best mouse for music production by hand size?

top music production mouse

If you used a standard mouse when mixing sound, you know how disappointing a device can be. Mice have limited music production capabilities, whether you use Abelton, Adobe Audition, Pro Tools, or other audio mixing software.

A usual mouse doesn’t offer many features when you need to enlarge, move, or switch between various functions of your music production software. Besides, it’s rather difficult to produce accurate automation with such a mouse. Thus, you have to spend a lot of time dealing with the task.

Not to waste time and suffer from all kinds of pain, we’d highly recommend paying attention to the dedicated devices. If you want to choose the best mouse for audio editing or just a worthy studio mouse, this review will definitely help you make an informed choice.

9 Best Music Production Mice

  1. SteelSeries Rival - Our Choice
  2. Logitech G604 - The best mouse for music production
  3. Kensington Expert - With trackball
  4. Contour ShuttleXpress - For NLE software
  5. Unimouse Pixart - With 10 DPI mode
  6. Razer Lancehead - For Logic Pro X
  7. Logitech MX - Solid performance
  8. 3Dconnexion 3DX-700028 - Customizable
  9. HyperX Pulsefire Raid - With RGB light

If you are a music producer with a professional computer, you have certainly spent hours in the studio creating music. People engaged in this activity often suffer from such diseases as carpal tunnel syndrome and thumb tendonitis, which are associated with poor and inconvenient mice.

We’ve gathered some pieces of advice on how to choose the best mouse for music production. Below, you can find 9 quality offers currently available on the market.

1. SteelSeries Rival 500

Our Choice
music production mouse steelseries rival 500

DPI: 16000 | Interface: Wired | Buttons: 17 | Ergonomic: Right-handed

rank rank Rating

⊕ High-end
⊕ Ideal for MMORPGs
⊕ Smart software
⊖ No tactile bump
⊖ Switching only two diverse DPI levels
⊖ Without integrated profiles

SteelSeries Rival 500 works great both as an office device and mouse for audio editing. Its corps designed for the right hand, makes it very convenient for palm hold for any size of a hand, and no one should have trouble reaching any of the 17 keys. While many companies cope well with the production of peripherals for the masses, only a few have entered the eSports scene and have been running around with the ball right from the start.

SteelSeries is one of those, who have decided to release products for both groups. Besides, they allow everyone to improve their experience when it comes to competitive games. In this regard, even though there are many FPS tournaments, it is obvious that the names MMO and MOBA are equally strong in the eSports community, and SteelSeries is now also moving into this market.

2. Logitech G604

Best mouse for music production
music production mouse logitech-g604

DPI: 16000 | Interface: Bluetooth | Buttons: 6 | Ergonomic: Right-handed

rank rank Rating

⊕ Many thumb keys
⊕ Convenient shape
⊕ Wire-free USB and Bluetooth connection
⊕ Decent battery life
⊖ Software profiles lag sometimes
⊖ The battery isn’t rechargeable

The Logitech G604 is rather similar to G602 with its design, extended thumb relax and six programmable thumb keys arranged in two rows. This studio mouse has the same split triggers for left and right mouse keys, but unlike the predecessor, it has a metal scroll wheel with a physical switch that allows the hefty wheel to rotate freely. The wheel offers middle, left and right clicking positions.

There are 2 buttons to the left of the main mouse key that are used as DPI controls by default. In case you didn’t count, these are 15 programmable controls. At the bottom of the mouse there is a power key, and at the top is a wireless key. This mouse for music production connects via a tiny USB connector for complete performance, and it also supports Bluetooth.

3. Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball

With trackball
music production mouse kensington expert

DPI: 500 | Interface:| Wireless: 4 | Ergonomic: Ambidextrous

rank rank Rating

⊕ Big ball is convenient to use
⊕ Buttons that can be customized
⊕ With a dedicated scroll wheel
⊕ Convenient palm rest in the kit
⊖ Palm rest made of weak plastic

The Kensington Expert Mouse is a trackball wireless mouse that can be connected via Bluetooth or the included wire-free dongle. It can be called the best mouse for music production as it provides all the necessary mouse options.

The Kensington’s Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball frees you from the limitations of using dual-USB cables. This trackball connects to your computer via a 2.4 GHz nano-receiver USB or Bluetooth 4.0 Smart (LE) and is equipped with a DiamondEye optical detector for accurate pointer control. Its scroll wheel lets you move up and down through documents and big webpages in a quick way. Possessing an ambitious design, the Expert Mouse is suitable for both left-handed and right-handed users, and also has a removable palm rest for extra comfort.

If you are searching for the largest trackball, have a closer look at the Kensington Expert Mouse. The product has some minor flaws but in general is a completely worthy device.

4. Contour ShuttleXpress

For NLE software
music production mouse contour shuttleexpress

DPI: 2400 | Interface: Wired | Buttons: 5 | Ergonomic: Ambidextrous

rank rank Rating

⊕ Tiny form factor
⊕ Programmable
⊕ Compatible with many software platforms
⊕ Adjustable
⊖ Expensive

ShuttleXpress is a user-oriented DAW mouse. Just a few seconds after connecting it, you can conveniently use it to navigate through the video clips or webpages at the desired speed, while the rotary switch ensures accurate frame-by-frame movement.

I believe it can be called the best mouse for music production due to the spring-loaded main wheel that offers great speed feedback. Besides, it flips directly to the center in a stationary position when released, proving that fast forward or rewind won’t escape from you. Perhaps, you’ve seen in the demo video that I exceeded the endpoint of the movie by some seconds, but with great use, I was able to quickly slow down and more accurately evaluate my breakpoints. The single-jog dial is a pleasure to use. It is faster and easier than the arrow keys.

5. Contour Unimouse

With 10 DPI mode
music production mouse contour unimouse

DPI: 2800 | Interface: Wireless | Buttons: 6 | Ergonomic: Right-handed

rank rank Rating

⊕ Three programmable main buttons
⊕ Adjustable thumb
⊕ Adjusting the angle of the mouse
⊕ DPI settings
⊖ High-priced
⊖ Bulky software utility
⊖ For right-handed users only

The Contour Unimouse performs fully like a usual mouse. It was actually produced as both a daily-used device and mouse for audio editing. The vertical positioning of the mouse isn’t a problem and you will get used to it fast. Obviously, it’s all a matter of personal preferences. Some users like vertical mice more, while others opt for more traditional products.

The buttons are reliable, and you won’t press them by chance. Besides, they can be configured using the included software. It gets a bit hit at the top angle, however, it still works ideally in all other positions. The only disadvantage we cannot agree with is the price, especially when comparing with similar brands. In our opinion, the device suits the cost range of $60-$70. Still, we believe, these are just the stages of the R&D payback that we need to wait before this happens.

6. Razer Lancehead Wireless

For Logic Pro X
music production mouse razer lancehead

DPI: 16000 | Interface: Wireless | Buttons: 9 | Ergonomic: Ambidextrous

rank rank Rating

⊕ Well-thought-out ambidextrous design
⊕ Great transmission, amazing sensor
⊕ High acceleration
⊕ Ergonomic mode, has a timer
⊖ Inconvenient rubber side grips
⊖ Can’t decelerate, no angle-snapping

Even without reading a detailed description offered by manufacturers, you are bound to be impressed by the Lancehead. This best mouse for music production comes with a 16,000DPI 5G laser sensor and handy mechanical switches. The device supports Razer's Chroma lighting and can be used in wired and wireless modes. While sound editors and gaming fans consider wireless mice to be unworthy of their attention, the G900 Chaos Spectrum from Logitech has made some of them change their minds as it’s quite reliable and doesn’t have latency issues.

Following this example, Razer has designed the Lancehead that features specifications that can be found in the priciest devices. The mouse delivers powerful performance just like any similarly priced wired peripheral. It has a highly accurate laser sensor with a maximum DPI of 16,000. While it might be not particularly useful, it is still impressive enough to consider purchasing this device. This mouse for music production boasts an acceleration of up to 50Gs and can cover 210 inches per second. Just like other similar devices, it has a polling rate of 1000Hz.

7. Logitech MX Ergo Wireless Trackball

Solid performance
music production mouse logitech mx

DPI: 440 | Interface: Wireless | Buttons: 8 | Ergonomic: Right-handed

rank rank Rating

⊕ Convenient-to-use
⊕ High-accuracy trackball
⊕ Extra buttons
⊕ Unifying receiver module, Bluetooth
⊖ Not for lefties

Those, who edit audio or play games, using a traditional mouse, might get surprised when they lay their hands on a trackball mouse. Its ball is easily controlled by your thumb so you won’t have to put too much effort to move the cursor. Besides differences in basic movements, users will need to learn how to stop the trackball from spinning at the right moment.

When people learn how to use the device, it gets much easier for them to reach the necessary speed while editing audio. If acceleration is not needed, a user can press a button positioned at the side of the trackball. It will reduce speed significantly. This feature is especially useful for designers and other creative professionals, who need a mouse to be highly precise. However, it’s unlikely to be handy if you are going to use this best mouse for music production for general work-related tasks.

8. 3Dconnexion 3DX-700028

Customizable
music production mouse 3dconnexion

DPI: 8200 | Interface: Wired| Buttons: 2 | Ergonomic: Ambidextrous

rank rank Rating

⊕ Ergonomic build, durable materials
⊕ Has DPI of 8200
⊕ Handy middle button for scroll clicks
⊖ Poorly adjustable sliders
⊖ Heavy

The mouse comes with a high-precision 6-Degrees-of-Freedom sensor that has been created by SpaceNavigator. It’s perfect for changing digital content and camera positions. By pushing, pulling, or tilting the 3Dconnexion controller cap, you can control the cursor more easily. The controller allows zooming and rotating while two buttons are designed to perform four main commands. A user can also create customizable menus to get access to all the necessary commands more quickly. With this great mouse for audio editing, it takes only a few seconds to create a new menu by using one of the available presets.

Gamers will also appreciate the high functionality of this device as it allows saving game progress in no time. A user can save a game at one spot, then move to the next one and immediately save the game again. If you need to reload a saved game, you can return to the previous location more quickly. It’s especially useful for vloggers, who create walk-through videos.

9. HyperX Pulsefire Raid

With RGB light
music production mouse hyperx pulsefire

DPI: 3200 | Interface: Wired | Buttons: 11 | Ergonomic: Right-handed

rank rank Rating

⊕ 11 customizable buttons
⊕ Scroll-wheel tilt inputs
⊕ Worth its money
⊖ Inconveniently positioned sniper button
⊖ Two sets of side macros problems

The HyperX Pulsefire Raid is the best mouse for music production from GHyperX equipped with a PixArt PMW3389 sensor. It comes with a native CPI of 16,000. A special button under the scroll wheel allows switching between 5 CPI modes. It is highly useful for those, who need to use a mouse at a lower CPI to solve different tasks. The mouse feels comfortable in your grip, so you won’t experience muscle strain unless you have to move your finger too much to cover more screen space.

While I haven’t faced any crucial issues with the Pulsefire Raid, occasionally the CPI changes on its own which might cause some inconvenience if you don’t want to be distracted from your task. It’s difficult to judge what might have caused it. It seems that the CPI switch button can be pressed by accident too easily.

Image Name Features  
music production mouse steelseries rival 500
SteelSeries Rival
Our Choice
  • DPI: 16000
  • Interface: Wired
  • Buttons: 17
  • Ergonomic: Right-handed
CHECK PRICE
music production mouse logitech g604
Logitech G604
Budget
  • DPI: 16000
  • Interface: Bluetooth
  • Buttons: 6
  • Ergonomic: Right-handed
CHECK PRICE
music production mouse kensington expert
Kensington Expert
Professional
  • DPI: 500
  • Interface: Wireless
  • Buttons: 4
  • Ergonomic: Ambidextrous
CHECK PRICE

How to Choose the Best Mouse for Music Production?

best mouse for music production

What Should Be a Music Production Mouse?

If you work in music production and can’t perform work-related tasks effectively because of outdated computer peripherals, make sure to consider purchasing a new studio mouse.

Whereas some users don’t think that a mouse is all that important, a powerful device can help you take your productivity to the next level. There are many kinds of mice designed specifically for gaming, design tasks, or music production. If you want to purchase a device for work, it’s better to choose an option that suits your purpose best. Such devices come with specs designed specifically to deal with a task in the most effective way.

What to Look for when Choosing a Mouse?

To avoid any health problems associated with RSI and ensure that your effectiveness will stay at the top level, you can purchase a trackball mouse or a DAW controller.

Beware though, that in some cases the most advanced control surfaces can’t serve as a proper replacement for the best mouse for music production. What’s more, just like some advanced hardware, they are quite pricey.

In this case, which specs are the most important in the best mouse for music production?

Requirements to Music Production Mouse

best mouse for music production

The newest version of the Apple Magic Trackpad boasts even more ergonomic features and better functionality than the previous one. Its main selling point is the Force Touch option that is far more superior if you compare it to the features that come with other trackpads.

If you enjoy working with DAW, you will find this best DAW mouse pretty comfortable to work with. A user can click anywhere on the pad’s surface. It comes with 4 force sensors that can react to different pressures. It adds to the high-functionality of the DAW that can be used for editing audio-tracks and other tasks.

While in this version of a DAW mouse the surface is 30% larger, the unit won’t take too much space on a desktop. Thanks to the lower profile, a user can enjoy a higher level of comfort while scrolling and performing other tasks.

When you work in a studio, it’s vital to use a device with an understandable user interface and high responsiveness. A trackpad should swiftly react to your actions to boost your effectiveness.

Just like any high-quality mouse for Logic Pro X, the Magic trackpad delivers high sensitivity registering even light pressure. There is no difference which finger to use as the trackpad is highly responsive to any touch.

Those, who are used to working with a mouse, might find a trackpad not so convenient at first but gradually they will get to appreciate its advantages. The sliders are especially easy to use which is why you can solve any task more quickly. If you want to take your productivity to the next level, make sure to consider buying the Apple Magic Trackpad mouse as it’s perfect for music production.

FAQ

  • • Which mouse is the most convenient to use?

I strongly recommend the Logitech G604 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse as it’s the studio mouse with the best ergonomic design in 2020. Thanks to the tiltable design and conveniently placed buttons, it can easily be the best horizontal mouse you have ever worked with.

  • • Is there a long lag when you use a wireless mouse?

If you decide to purchase a wireless mouse, beware that it might have 8–16ms of lag. It is caused by the 125Hz USB polling rate and time that it takes to decode a wireless signal. There are wireless devices that support different USB polling rates, so you can change them, if necessary.

  • • Is there a noiseless clicking mouse?

If you don’t like to be distracted by too much noise, take a look at the Nexus mouse. Thanks to it, you can work in a quiet room without hearing any clicking sound.

  • • Is it necessary to use a mouse for Ableton?

If you use Ableton or other similar software tools, you need to purchase the best mouse for audio editing that allows you to control the cursor with high-precision. It’s especially important if you have a high-res monitor. As Ableton comes with a wide array of features, you will also benefit from using a keyboard with extra keys.

SAVE UP TO 60% OFF SAVE UP TO 60% OFF