Keytar

[3] Keytars allow players a greater range of movement onstage, compared to conventional keyboards, which are placed on stationary stands or which are part of heavy, floor-mounted structures.

In either case, a keytar needs to be connected to a keyboard amplifier or PA system to produce a sound that the performer and audience can hear.

The piano accordion first appeared in 1852, it was essentially a Miniature version of the Reed Organ that's worn on straps and is pumped with the player's left hand.

In 1963, the East German manufacturer Weltmeister introduced the Basset, as a Keytar shaped Electric Bass Piano.

Also in the 1980s, Wayne Famous of the band the Producers strapped on a regular Oberheim OB-X synthesizer, which caused him to develop back problems.

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, Damas Gratis, 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.

Starr Labs manufacturers a variation on the keytar (called a Ztar) that plays to the strengths of guitarists, featuring a neck of piano-styled keys arranged on the fretboard instead of strings.

The neck had spring-loaded wheels for filter cutoff, modulation, and volume as well as a ribbon-controlled pitch bend.

The Yamaha SHS-10, released in 1987, has a small keyboard with 32 minikeys and a pitch-bend wheel, an internal Frequency modulation (usually referred to as FM) synthesizer offering 25 different voices with 6-note polyphony.

Several features aimed towards stage performance are present, such as a pitch bend ribbon, touchpad-like expression bar, sustain switch, and volume control knob, all on the upper neck of the instrument.

Also in 2010, Mad Catz released the Wireless Pro Keyboard for Rock Band 3, a 25-key velocity-sensitive MIDI-compatible keytar controller.