Keytar

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Image:Keytar.jpg Keytar is the name given to a musical keyboard synthesizer fashioned in the shape of a guitar. The name is a portmanteau of the words keyboard and guitar. The instrument often includes a strap so that it can be played onstage and does not limit the player to being stationary as conventional keyboards and synths do.

Originally the creation of guitarist Steve Masakowski, the keytar was commercially introduced in 1978 as the Moog Liberation. The first Liberation owner (#1001) was Spyro Gyra keyboardist Tom Schuman. Numbers 1002, 1003, and 1004 were owned by the band DEVO. #1005 was owned by Jeffrey Abbott. Tom Schuman and Jeffrey Abbott also were owners of pre-release Liberations.

Perhaps one of the earliest printed uses of the term "Keytar" was circa 1980 in an interview of Jeffrey Abbott by Tom Lounges of Illianabeat magazine (now Midwest BEAT Magazine)

Keytars were made popular in the 1980s by hair bands, synthpop and New Wave groups. Changing trends in music diminished the keytar's popularity shortly thereafter. However, the instrument has recently made a bit of a comeback in indie culture.

Keytars for the most part can only be found used. It is important to differentiate between a genuine keytar and a toy, as some children's toys are manufactured in the same shape as a keytar. An important difference is that children's toys in the shape of keyboards and keytars generally feature one- or two-note polyphony, whereas more professional models allow the performer to play many notes at once.

Features on the instrument include but are not limited to pitch bends, vibrato, portamento, and sustain.

Yamaha was well-known as a keytar manufacturer. Roland is currently the only company manufacturing new keytars as of 2006, their only model being the AX-7.

Contents

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List of keytars

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Alternate names for keytar

  • Keytar, Keyboard Guitar
  • Guiboard or Gui-board
  • Pitar (Piano + Guitar)
  • Rock Keyboard
  • Remote Keyboard
  • Portable Keyboard
  • Belly-Synth
  • Synth Guitar (not to be confused with MIDI Guitar)
  • Master Keyboard (as most were used as MIDI controllers)
  • Strap-On (often followed by 'MIDI Controller' or 'Keyboard' to avoid confusion with the sex toy of the same name)
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Notable musicians that used keytars

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See also

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