List of keytars

A Keytar is a keyboard or synthesizer hung around the neck and shoulders, similar to a guitar.

Contents 1 List of Keytars 2 Custom/rare keytars 2.1 Rare keytar products 2.2 Drum/Perussion keytars 2.3 Custom made keytars 2.4 Customized keytars 3 See also 4 References

List of Keytars

Dates	Model	Type	I/F	Notes
1800s	Orphica[1]	acoustic piano	–	a portable miniature piano in horizontal harp form.
1963	Weltmeister Basset[2]	electric bass piano using struck reed	–	an electric piano bass, similar to Hohner Bass or Rhodes PianoBass, used by dance bands in East Germany probably late 1960s.
1966	Joh Mustad Tubon[3]	electronic bass organ	–
1977	Hillwood RB-1[4]	synth piano	–	used by Haruo Chikada (The Vibratones).
1979	PMS Syntar[5]	synthesizer	(CV/Gate)	an earliest synthesizer keytar product, prior to the Moog Liberation in 1980
1980	Davis Clavitar	controller	(CV/Gate)	used by George Duke, Herbie Hancock in early 1980s.
1980c.1980	Davis Clavitron	unknown	unknown
1980	Moog Liberation	synthesizer	CV/Gate
1980	Powell Probe	controller	(CV/Gate)	Roger Powell's keytar by Royalex
1980	Royalex	controller	(CV/Gate)	Jan Hammer's keytar in early 80s
19821980s	Dynacord Rhythm Stick (Jamma)[6]	percussion controller	MIDI & CV/Gate
1982	Roland SH-101	synthesizer	CV/Gate	control grip was optional. used by Bob Casale (Devo).
1982	SCI Remote Prophet	controller	SCB	SCB:Serial Control Buss, a MIDI prototype developed by SCI used by Geoffrey Downes (ASIA).
1982	Yamaha CS01*	synthesizer with breath controller	CV/Gate	used by Chick Corea in early 1980s.
1983	Yamaha KX1	controller	MIDI	used by George Duke in mid 1980s.
1983	Korg Poly-800*	synthesizer	MIDI
1983c.1983	Yamaha CS01II	synthesizer with breath controller	CV/Gate
1984	Korg Poly-800 MkII*	synthesizer	MIDI
1984	Casio CZ-101*	synthesizer	MIDI	a midium size keyboard with strap pins
1984	Korg RK-100	controller	MIDI
1984	Yamaha KX5	controller	MIDI	a midium depth keyboard
1985	Lync LN1 (The Lync)	controller	MIDI
1985	Roland AXIS	controller	MIDI
1985	Yamaha DX100*	synthesizer	MIDI	a mini keyboard with strap pins
1986	Casio AZ-1	controller	MIDI
1986	Siel DK70	synthesizer	MIDI	control grip was optional
1987	Korg 707*	synthesizer	MIDI	a synthesizer with strap pins
1987	Yamaha SHS-10	electronic keyboard	MIDI
1987	Tyco HotKeyz	toy keyboard	–	a toy keyboard
1988	Lync LN4	controller	MIDI	also Jan Hammer signature model was exist.
1988	Yamaha SHS-200	electronic keyboard	MIDI
1989	Tsumura JD21[7]	percussion controller	MIDI
1990	Lync LN1000	controller	MIDI
199019xx	Formanta Mini	synthesizer	(MIDI)
1991	Junost 21	synthesizer	(MIDI)
1993	Roland AX-1	controller	MIDI
1999	Baldoni Midi Accord	accordion controller ?	MIDI
20002000s	Suzuki MK-3600 YAMAHA YMK-80	electronic keyboard	MIDI	a keyboard for marching band
2000	Lag LeKey	controller	(MIDI)
2001	Roland AX-7	controller	MIDI
2002	Casio SA-75	electronic keyboard	MIDI	a mini electonic keyboard with handsfree microphone and strap pins
2007c.2007	Zen Riffer Solo Axe	keyboard controller	(MIDI)
2008	Behringer UMA25S*	controller	USB & MIDI
2008	Zendrum	percussion controller	(MIDI)
2009	Roland AX-Synth	synthesizer	USB & MIDI
2009	Stoneboard	controller	MIDI
2010	Politrep*	controller	MIDI
2010	Roland Lucina AX-09	synthesizer	USB & MIDI
2010	Mad Catz Rock Band 3 Wireless Pro Keyboard	Video game controller	PS3 & MIDI

  * - keyboard model without (possibly optional) control grip

Custom/rare keytars

Rare keytar products

• Delmar Brown "Illuminator" (illuminating display attached to keytar)
• Guess Musical Instruments "Schizotron", a product which combined keyboard and guitar/bass
• "Nissin C-16", a custom keytar version of Casio SK-1, distributed as lottery goods for promoting Nissin Cup Noodles
• Suzuki "Omnichord" and "QChord", electronic chord instruments inspired by Oscar Schmidt Autoharp
• "Zen Riffer", used most notably by Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater.

Drum/Perussion keytars

• Dynacord Rhythm Stick (or "Jamma" since 1982) ^[6]
• Tsumura JD21 ^[7]
• Drumitar / Zendrum (2008)
• "Riday T91"

Custom made keytars

• "Alien Guitar Simulator", a selfmade keytar by Le Orme keyboard player Michele Bon.
• "Lag Circulaire" made for Jean Michel Jarre
• "Lag Insecte" made for Jean Michel Jarre
• "Lag Mad Max" made for Jean Michel Jarre
• Matthew Bellamy's "Keytarcaster" Manson, made for playing Undisclosed Desires from Muse's 5th studio album, The Resistance
• Prince's "PurpleAxxe", also played by Tommy Barbarella
• "Remote" for Jean Michel Jarre's studio by Lag
• "Politrep", a copy of the Zen Riffer keytar made to order by the website space4keys.com
• "Syblade", a keytar designed to be unique and to inspire.
• Lady Gaga's custom made keytar during The Monster Ball Tour in 2010.

Customized keytars

Based on minimoog keyboards

• Custom minimoog keyboard used by Gary Wright and Steve Porcaro around 1976.
• Jan Hammer's early custom keyboard with block shaped controller.
• Plexi minimoog keyboard used by George Duke

Based on Yamaha KX series

• Jean Michel Jarre's custom KX5, two versions: Houston and Docklands Concerts.
• Lights Poxleitner plays a rare Yamaha KX5 keytar.

Based on Roland AX series

• Vadim Pruzhanov of DragonForce and Henrik Klingenberg of Sonata Arctica both use a custom Roland AX-7 (although nowadays Henrik Klingenberg uses custom Roland AX-1)
• Christopher Bowes of Alestorm owns a Roland AX-7 which he has customised over the years with various stickers of animals.
• Jeff Abbot, long-time keytar player and product demonstrator for MusicLab plays a custom wooden keytar based around a Roland AX-7.

See also

• Keytar
• List of keytarists

References