Keytar facts for kids
A keytar is a super cool musical instrument that looks a bit like a guitar but has keys like a keyboard. Imagine a keyboard you can wear! Keytars are light and have a strap so you can hang them around your neck and shoulders, just like a guitar. This lets musicians move around freely on stage while playing notes and sounds.
Contents
What is a Keytar?
A keytar is basically a synthesizer or MIDI controller shaped like a guitar. It has a small keyboard, usually with two or three octaves (25 to 37 keys). This means it has enough keys to play many different melodies and chords.
Keytars often have special controls on the "neck" part, just like a guitar. These controls let musicians change the sound while they play. For example, they might have a pitch bend wheel to slide notes up or down, or a modulation wheel to add effects like vibrato (a wavy sound).
History of Keytars
The idea of a portable keyboard that you could wear started in the 1970s. Musicians wanted to move around more on stage, instead of being stuck behind a big, heavy keyboard stand.
One of the very first keytars was called the Syntar. It was invented by George Mattson and shown off in 1979. This instrument was a big step towards making keyboards more mobile for performers.
Keytars became really popular in the 1980s. You might have seen them in movies or music videos from that time. Many famous musicians used them because they looked futuristic and allowed for energetic performances. Some popular keytars from the 80s had bright colors, like a red "neck" part.
How Keytars are Used
Keytars are used in many different types of music, especially pop, rock, and electronic music. They are great for live shows because they let the keyboard player join the guitarists and bassists at the front of the stage.
Because keytars are often MIDI controllers, they don't always make their own sound. Instead, they send signals to other electronic instruments, like synthesizers or computers. These other instruments then create the actual sounds you hear. This means a single keytar can control many different sounds, from a piano to a spaceship noise!
Famous Keytar Players
Many musicians have used keytars to add excitement to their performances. One very famous musician who often plays a keytar is Herbie Hancock. He is a legendary jazz and funk keyboardist who loves to use new technology in his music. You can often see him playing a keytar during his concerts.
Keytars are still used today, though they might not be as common as they were in the 80s. They remain a fun and unique way for keyboard players to express themselves on stage.
Images for kids
-
Roland AX-7 (2001) electronic keyboard controller
-
Herbie Hancock's Yamaha KX1 electronic keyboard controller on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
-
PMS Syntar and its inventor, George Mattson (Performance Music Systems). Syntar was the earliest keytar synthesizer product exhibited at 1979 Atlanta NAMM.
-
Yamaha SHS-10
-
Herbie Hancock performing with a Roland AX-7 at the XM Sonic Stage at The Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
-
Rock Band 3 Wireless Pro Keyboard
See also
In Spanish: Keytar para niños
