Keyboard instrument facts for kids
A keyboard instrument is a musical tool played by pressing keys on a keyboard. On most keyboards, the main notes (called naturals) are usually white. The sharp and flat notes are typically black and sit a bit higher up.
Keyboard instruments make sound in many different ways:
- In a piano, small hammers hit strings inside the instrument.
- In a pipe organ, air is blown through pipes to create sound.
- For an electronic organ or synthesizer, the sounds are made using electronic circuits.
- In a harpsichord, tiny parts called quills or "jacks" pluck the strings.
- In a clavichord, a small metal piece called a "tangent" gently hits the strings.
Contents
History of Keyboard Instruments
Early Keyboards: The Clavier
In the 17th and 18th centuries, people in Germany used the word Clavier to mean any type of keyboard instrument. Sometimes, the white and black keys were swapped. The natural notes were black, and the sharp and flat notes were white. However, the way the keys were laid out was always the same.
Electronic Keyboards Emerge
The 20th century saw many new electronic instruments. This led to the creation of different electronic keyboard instruments. Examples include the ondes Martenot and the synthesizer.
Today, when someone says "keyboard," they often mean an electronic keyboard. For example, "He plays the keyboard" usually refers to an electronic one. The company Yamaha makes very popular keyboards. They sell over 770,000 of them each year.
Images for kids
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The piano, a common keyboard instrument
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Hammond organ with part of a Leslie speaker shown
See also
In Spanish: Instrumento de teclado para niños
