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Keytar Facts

Keytar Facts
A keytar is a musical instrument of the electronic instrument family. It looks like a combination of guitar and keyboard. The keytar is supported by a strap the same way that a musician uses a strap for a guitar. The keytar was invented in the 1970s and first appeared in a magazine in 1980. The very first keytar introduced to the public was the Moog Liberation, created by a guitarist named Steve Masakowski in 1980. The term keytar was coined around the same time in a magazine interview by Jeffrey Abbott, who owned a Moog Liberation keytar. The keytar became popular with music styles such as synthpop, new wave, and glam metal bands in the 1980s.
Interesting Keytar Facts:
Some people believe that the keytar was created to enable keyboard players to move around more on stage and therefore encourage more groupies.
The company Moog Music released the keytar in 1980, called the Moog Liberation. Keyboard players were thrilled to be able to move around on stage and behave more like a guitarist than a pianist.
A keytar player is referred to as a keytarist.
The keytar was more like a fad of the 1980s as it did not become an instrument to rival the guitar on stage as keytarists had hoped. It is still played today but not so much that it is extremely widespread in the music world.
The keytar has continued to be improved upon since the 1980s, and now includes MIDI and USB controllers.
The Roland Lucina AX-09 was released in 2010 and despite not having a neck like a guitar it is still considered a keytar because it has a strap to support it like the original keytars do.
Main manufacturers of keytar instruments have included Korg, Casio, Yamaha, Roland, and Moog.
The most mass-marketed keytars on the market are the Rock Band 3 Wireless Pro Keyboard, Alesis Vortex, and the Roland Lucina.
The keytar has been known by a variety of names including shoulder keyboard, keyboard guitar, synth-axe, belly-synth, electroponce, Kaytar, Guitboard, keyboard tar, glam board, and in Australia it is known as the keyboard axe.
In Quebec, Canada, the keytar is known as the piano guitar.
Some keytar models have included PMS Syntar, Hillwood RockeyBoard RB-1, and the Royalex PROBE, which was co-designed by Jan Hammer.
Well known musicians and keytar players include or have included Imogen Heap, Jean Michel Jarre, Howard Jones, Keith Emmerson, Peter Gabriel, Prince, Todd Rundgren, Weird Al Yankovic, John Tesh, and Devo.
A revival of the keytar occurred in the late 2000s with bands and artists such as Steely Dan, Snoop Dog, No Doubt, The Black Eyed Peas, and Flight of the Conchords.
Well known moments in music history featuring the keytar include the Lady Gaga performance on Saturday Night Live in 2009 of 'Paparazzi', which in turn resulted in her continuing to use it on tour for the song 'Money Honey'.
Prince had a custom keytar called PurpleAxxe. He patented the instrument as well.
Famous keytar players today include Belinda Bedekovic, and Vadim Pruzhanov.


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