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A keytar is a relatively lightweight keyboard (with or without a built-in synthesizer) that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stationary stands. The instrument has a musical keyboard for triggering musical notes and sounds. Controls for, but not limited to, pitch bends, vibrato, portamento, and sustain are placed on the instrument's "neck". The term "keytar" is a portmanteau of the words "keyboard" and "guitar", and might be considered slang. This style of keyboard was mostly referred to by manufacturers as a "MIDI Controller", "Remote Keyboard", "Strap-on Keyboard", or variations thereof. Though the term "keytar" has been used since the introduction of the instrument, it was not used by a major manufacturer until 2012, when the Alesis company referred to the "Vortex", the company's first product of this type, as a "USB/MIDI Keytar Controller".〔From the official Alesis website: http://alesis.com/vortex〕 To date, the Roland AX-Synth, which incorporates its own synthesis engine, is referred to by the manufacturer as a "Shoulder Synthesizer".〔From the official Roland US website: http://www.rolandus.com/products/details/986〕 Keytars may either contain their own synthesis engines, or simply be controllers, triggering notes and other MIDI data on a MIDI-capable synthesizer, sound module, computer with synthesis software, or any other MIDI-capable device such as lighting controllers, effects devices and audio consoles. == History == The oldest forerunner of the keytar probably is the orphica, a small portable piano invented at Vienna in 1795, which was played in a similar position as the modern keytar. In 1963, the East German manufacturer ''Weltmeister'' introduced the ''Basset'', an electric bass piano in keytar shape. In 1966, Swedish organ manufacturer Joh Mustad AB introduced the Tubon, an electric organ in the shape of a tube. This instrument was worn with a strap around the shoulder and could be played standing or sitting. The Tubon had a half-keyboard on one end accessible to the right hand, controls to be used at the "neck" on the opposite end for the left hand, and a speaker at the end of the tube. It was sold in the UK as the Livingstone. It saw use by Kraftwerk and Paul McCartney in the 1960s and early 1970s.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://120years.net/the-tubon-sweden-1967/ )〕 In the early 1970s, Edgar Winter often performed with keyboards slung around his neck, but they were not technically keytars because they had no "neck"; he actually used an ARP 2600 keyboard and a lightweight Univox electronic piano with shoulder straps added. In late 1970s and early 1980s, Jan Hammer, the composer best known for his composition and sound design successes for ''Miami Vice'', frequently used several keytars including ''Royalex PROBE'' which he helped develop. Jan is seen for instance using his PROBE in the music video for the "''Miami Vice'' Theme". Also in the 1980s, Wayne Famous of the band the Producers strapped on a regular Oberheim synthesizer, which caused him to develop back problems. The earlier keytars commercially released in late 1970s–early 1980s includes: * Hillwood ''RockeyBoard RB-1'' (synth piano with VCF) designed in 1977 with influence from Edgar Winter,〔 〕 * PMS ''Syntar'', an early keytar synthesizer designed by George Mattson (Performance Music Systems) and exhibited at 1979 Atlanta NAMM〔(【引用サイトリンク】title= The Performance Music Systems Syntar )〕 * Davis ''Clavitar'' (controller) used by George Duke and Herbie Hancock in early 1980 * ''Powell Probe'' (controller) designed by Roger Powell, and * ''Royalex Probe'' (controller) helped to develop and used by Jan Hammer in early 1980s ''etc''. (''for details, see'' List of keytars) Among them, the most widely known earlier keytar may be the "Moog Liberation" released in 1980. Early users included Spyro Gyra keyboardist Tom Schuman, and Devo. The earliest printed use of the word "keytar" was in 1980, when it appeared in an interview with Jeffrey Abbott (Keytarjeff) by Tom Lounges of ''Illianabeat'' magazine (now ''Midwest BEAT Magazine'') who now hosts a weekly interview show featuring legends of the music industry on N.W. Indiana's PBR radio station. Although Steve Masakowski has been incorrectly credited for many years as the inventor of the keytar, in an interview with Peter Hartlaub of the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' on December 11, 2009, he only claimed to have invented an instrument called the Key-tar which was a string-based instrument. The keytar was made popular in the 1980s by glam metal bands, as well as synthpop and new wave musicians. Changing trends in music diminished the keytar's popularity during the 1990s, continuing on until the late 2000s when a major revival was sparked by artists and groups such as The Black Eyed Peas, Flight of The Conchords, Motion City Soundtrack, No Doubt, and Steely Dan. Another instance is in early 2008 with Snoop Dogg's music video for his single "Sensual Seduction", in which he uses a keytar as a throwback to old school bands. Notable manufacturers of keytar models have included Moog, Roland, Yamaha, Korg and Casio. As of 2013, the Roland AX-Synth, the Roland Lucina, the Alesis Vortex and Rock Band 3 Wireless Pro Keyboard, are the mass-manufactured keytars on the market. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Keytar」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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