MIDI controllers -- which let you trigger sounds from your computer or outboard gear -- are usually standard fare: three or four octaves of keys, pitch and modulation wheels, maybe some drum pads and USB and 5-pin MIDI connectivity. Just a few hundred dollars should get beginners and hobbyists everything they need to perform and record music. Arturia's KeyStep Pro, though, puts a lot of emphasis on the "Pro." The controller eschews the typical drum pad section for a four-track polyphonic sequencer, and has all the connectivity you'd need, both for live performance and for building your studio's command center. The KeyStep Pro is out today, and though Arturia charges $449 plus $70 for shipping, retailers like Musician's Friend are selling it for $399 with free shipping.

Thanks to their connectivity and sequencing capabilities, Arturia's more affordable KeyStep and its BeatStep Pro are popular choices, especially among those who take an old school, DAW-less approach to recording and performing. The BeatStep Pro in particular impressed gear-savvy musicians several years ago, and fans have been demanding a Pro version of the KeyStep ever since. While it's fun to control each of your synths independently, it can be a hassle. Leveraging the KeyStep Pro's multitude of MIDI and CV (control voltage) connections, you could potentially hook up the majority of your hardware with the KeyStep Pro, and only touch your synths when you need to make adjustments to oscillators, filters and the like.