Keytar

A keytar is a special kind of musical instrument that mixes features of a keyboard and a guitar. It is a type of keyboard instrument, often similar to a synthesizer or a MIDI controller, which helps create different sounds. What makes the keytar unique is how it is played—it is held with a strap around the neck and shoulders, much like a guitar.

Many famous musicians have used keytars in their performances. For example, Lady Gaga played a custom-made keytar during The Monster Ball Tour in 2010. Matthew Bellamy of Muse also used one during The Resistance Tour in the same year. Even Bridgit Mendler featured it in her Summer Tour in 2014.

The name “keytar” comes from combining the words “keyboard” and “guitar,” which is called a portmanteau (portmanteau). This instrument allows musicians to move freely while performing and create a wide range of sounds, making it a fun and versatile tool in concerts and recordings.

Overview

A keytar is a musical instrument that looks like a mix between a keyboard and a guitar. It can be worn around the neck like a guitar, allowing musicians to move more freely on stage. It has keys for playing music and special controls on the "neck" for changing how the notes sound.

Keytars can either make their own sounds or connect to other devices to create music. They need to be plugged into an amplifier or sound system so people can hear the music. Besides making music, keytars can also control other equipment like lights or sound effects when connected properly.

musical keyboard pitch vibrato portamento sustain keyboard amplifier PA system MIDI sound module

History

Early history (18th century–1970s)

The oldest forerunner of the keytar is likely the orphica, a small portable piano invented in Vienna in 1795, which was played in a similar position as the modern keytar. The piano accordion first appeared in 1852, it was essentially a Miniature version of the Reed Organ that's worn on straps and is pumped with the player's left hand. In 1963, the East German manufacturer Weltmeister introduced the Basset, as a Keytar shaped Electric Bass Piano. In 1966, Swedish organ manufacturer Joh Mustad AB introduced the Tubon, a tubular electric organ. This instrument was worn with a strap around the shoulder and could be played standing or sitting. The Tubon had a half-keyboard on one end accessible to the right hand, controls to be used at the "neck" on the opposite end for the left hand, and a speaker at the end of the tube. It was sold in the UK as the Livingstone. It saw use by Kraftwerk and Paul McCartney in the 1960s and early 1970s.

In the early 1970s, Edgar Winter often performed with keyboards slung around his neck, but they were not technically keytars because they had no "neck"; he actually used an ARP 2600 keyboard and a lightweight Univox electronic piano with shoulder straps added.

Keytar as synthesizer/controller (1970s–)

The earlier keytars commercially released in late 1970s–early 1980s includes:

• Hillwood RockeyBoard RB-1 (synth piano with VCF) released in 1977 with influence from Edgar Winter,
• PMS Syntar, an early keytar synthesizer released by George Mattson (Performance Music Systems) and exhibited at the 1979 NAMM International Music & Sound Expo in Atlanta
• Davis Clavitar (controller) used by George Duke and Herbie Hancock in early 1980
• Powell Probe (controller) designed by Roger Powell, and
• Royalex Probe (controller) helped to develop and used by Jan Hammer in early 1980s

etc. (for details, see List of keytars)

In late 1970s and early 1980s, Jan Hammer, the composer best known for his composition and sound design successes for Miami Vice, frequently used several keytars including Royalex PROBE which he helped develop. Hammer is seen for instance using his PROBE in the music video for the "Miami Vice Theme". Also in the 1980s, Wayne Famous of the band the Producers strapped on a regular Oberheim OB-X synthesizer, which caused him to develop back problems.

Among them, the most widely known earlier keytar may be the "Moog Liberation" released in 1980. Early users included Spyro Gyra keyboardist Tom Schuman. Though Devo is associated with keytars, they never used them except in music videos and promotional ads for the Liberation. The earliest printed use of the word "keytar" was in 1980, when it appeared in an interview with Jeffrey Abbott (Keytarjeff) by Tom Lounges of Illianabeat magazine (now Midwest BEAT Magazine) who now hosts a weekly interview show featuring legends of the music industry on N.W. Indiana's PBR radio station.

Although Steve Masakowski has been incorrectly credited for many years as the inventor of the keytar, in an interview with Peter Hartlaub of the San Francisco Chronicle on December 11, 2009, he only claimed to have invented an instrument called the Key-tar which was a string-based instrument.

The keytar was made popular in the 1980s by glam metal bands, as well as synthpop, new wave and electro musicians. Changing trends in music diminished the keytar's popularity during the 1990s, continuing on until the late 2000s when a major revival was sparked by artists and groups such as The Black Eyed Peas, Damas Gratis, Flight of The Conchords, Motion City Soundtrack, No Doubt, and Steely Dan. Another instance is in early 2008 with Snoop Dogg's music video for his single "Sensual Seduction", in which he uses a keytar as a throwback to old school bands.

Current state (2010s–)

Notable manufacturers of keytar models have included Moog, Roland, Yamaha, Korg and Casio. As of 2013, the Roland AX-Synth, the Roland Lucina, the Alesis Vortex and Rock Band 3 Wireless Pro Keyboard, are the mass-manufactured keytars on the market.

Starr Labs manufacturers a variation on the keytar (called a Ztar) that plays to the strengths of guitarists, featuring a neck of piano-styled keys arranged on the fretboard instead of strings.

Examples

Main article: List of keytars

The Moog Liberation was released in 1980 and was the first keytar made for many people to use. It had special parts to change sounds and was played like a guitar.

The Roland SH-101 from the early 1980s is a small keyboard that can be turned into a keytar when worn with a strap. It has knobs to change pitch and sound.

The Yamaha SHS-10, released in 1987, is a tiny keyboard with special sounds inside. A bigger version, the Yamaha SHS-200, came out the next year with more keys.

The Roland AX-7 from 2001 to 2007 had many new features for performers, like special knobs and lights. In 2009, Roland made the Roland AX-Synth, which could make its own sounds and connect to computers. In 2010, they made the Roland Lucina AX-09, which you could wear like a guitar but had extra parts for playing music files.

Also in 2010, Mad Catz made a keytar for the game Rock Band 3 that could be used for real performances. In 2012, Alesis made a keytar with special pads for making beats and controlling sounds by tilting it.