keytar
Latest
Yamaha's Sonogenic keytar is equal parts instrument and party trick
Keytars, almost by definition, are charmingly goofy. How could they not be? They're wearable pianos that lend themselves well to pageantry. Racks of meticulously prepped synths come with a sort of gravitas that doesn't exist when keys are slung across a musician's body, making the person as much a part of a show as the music. It's all just a little more fun.
City of Titans shows off socketed model
There's a long way to go before City of Titans reaches the superheroic heights of its spiritual forebears, but the team is eager nonetheless to show that progress is being made. That's why it's putting on a 12 Days of Devmas series, kicking off with the revelation of the fully socketed body model that the team is using for testing purposes. "Odo's an artist's model we're using while we continue to develop the base body mesh," the team posted. "He lets us continue work on the rest of the game while we develop the sliders and other parts that make the characters super. Of course, you'll notice he still has every joint that the final character will have. Fingers and all. He's the digital version of a wooden artist's mannequin, with all the flexibility of our real model." In successive posts of the series, Odo is shown with various weapons including a slide rule and keytar. [Thanks to Bryan for the tip!]
This cover of the 'Game of Thrones' theme was made with an NESkeytar
Enjoy this for what it is: a bitchin' chiptune cover of the theme song to the nerdgasm, soft porn fantasy-fest that is HBO's Game of Thrones. And, yes that is a "keytar" with a Nintendo Entertainment System attached that YouTuber Theremin Hero is deftly fingering to play the show's epic opening theme. Dude's even rocking Think Geek's 8-bit tie. Clearly, he's committed. The full video is after the break. (Full disclosure: I've tried reading book one of Game of Thrones at least twice on a plane ride and failed to get hooked. Same goes for season one of the show. I just don't get it.)
Alesis Vortex brings back the Keytar, piano-neck tie, songs on MTV forthcoming
The guit-board is clearly the finest instrument to grace stadiums of decades past, but despite the innate bad-assery of the instrument, it faded into ironic-hipster use like the Eigenharp and Tenori-On. Fortunately, the geniuses at Alesis refused to let it pass into obscurity, releasing the Vortex in an attempt to propel the shoulder-slung keyboard into the stratosphere. Whilst plenty of body-mounted keyboards are available (Roland's AX-09 springs to mind) on the market, these guys went with 1985-grade body styling and a neck that you wish Steve Pocaro would rock out on (he never did, tragically). The MIDI/USB controller comes with 37 touch sensitive keys, velocity sensitive pads, octave and pitch wheels along that glorious neck. Hook it up to a Mac or PC and it'll draw power from the bus, connect it to any iOS device (USB adapter required) and you'll need to bring batteries. There's an MRSP of $400, but the company lists the expected "street price" at $250 -- if it's closer to the latter, we'll pick up a pair for the Engadget-street band's next world tour.
KR1 DIY guitar / synth makes its debut at Castle Frightenstein
We've seen a few Zoybar-based behemoths since we were hepped to the modular guitar platform way back in '08, but few have caught our fancy like Kevin Rupp's KR1. Featuring a Korg Kaossilator synth, both the Pocket Pod and a wireless transmitter from Line 6, and the beloved Sanyo Pedal Juice battery pack, this bad boy can do double duty as both your ax and your backing band. But enough of our jabber jaw -- you want to see it in action, right? Check it out after the break. [Thanks, TK]
Kinect Hacks: Make your own 80s music video
You might have believed that Kinect was created to usher in a new era of interactive wonderment. You'd be wrong though. Kinect was made for this, a music video for one Ollisixtynine. You'd be forgiven for assuming it was a lost video from the 80s (keytar and all). Kinect's promise is now fulfilled.
The Fingerist turns your iPhone into an iKeytar, available now
Remember The Fingerist, the guitar headstock-themed speaker and case for your iPhone or iPod touch? You know, the one with the shoulder strap for public (and private) performances with all of your favorite music making apps? Well, it seems that it's finally available in the states. Indeed, there has been so little fanfare behind this announcement that the company responsible, Evenno, hasn't even acknowledged it on its site. But don't worry: we found this bad boy for $150 on Amazon. And if that's not enough, iLounge has done a series of hands-on photos (see the More Coverage link, below). Or, if you're like us, you can skip the thing altogether and groove to Rick Wakeman after the break. We do have one more thing to say about the Fingerist, however: at least it's not endorsed by this guy.
Rock Band 3 keyboard hands-on (video)
The internet at large has been joking about it long enough -- "hey, where's Keyboard Hero?" Well, here it is, and it's pretty killer. We're on the fence on how to describe our experience with Rock Band 3's not-a-keytar, because in many ways it's reflective of your own thoughts on the rhythm genre and pianos in general. Those with actual musical backgrounds are likely to scoff at the easy mode's use of five arbitrary keys for the tune -- not the groupings you see above, but a different set of colors, one per white note in the right half, with indicators just above the notes on that crevice between the top panel and keys themselves (picture's after the break). Even if the actual song calls for a F# note, hitting a F or even a B might be called for instead. It's a mentality that's as old as the genre, that what we're really doing is pantomiming instruments -- or in the case of drums, just hitting key notes and letting the game fill in the blanks on lower difficulties. This, however, is an actual piano. The over-simplification is probably a necessary illusion in standard mode -- or even when the keyboard is used as a replacement guitar / bass -- but having actual proper keys will probably drive the more musically apt insane. Then again, if you're not of that mindset, none of this will probably bother you at all, so feel free to ignore our impressions and bang away. Pro mode, on the other hand is pretty killer, for all the reasons that standard mode can be irksome. Even at the simplest levels, you're actually getting to play proper notation. Perfect for us, no matter how badly we flubbed up "Crosstown Traffic" on Expert. Sight-reading is a challenge, but nothing worse than actual notation. As we've seen before, the main lane doesn't show all two octaves, but the warning we're given before shifting to the right or left is easy enough to follow, but just like when you first grabbed the plastic axe, expect a good bit of adjustment frustration. See more pics below, and video after the break. Update: Clarification added to the different color groupings used for Pro and Standard mode. %Gallery-95363%
Rock Band 3's gear priced: keytar and Pro guitar sport MIDI out, adapter lets you use any keyboard / electronic drum set
Has your head cooled from all that rock news this morning? Nope? Well, we'd hate to rile you up again, but Mad Catz -- now the official provider of all Rock Band 3 equipment -- has priced its latest arsenal for the upcoming rhythm revival title. There's also a few new details on each instrument, so without further ado: Wireless Keyboard: That MIDI port many of you spotted is for output, letting you plug the two-octave (C3 to C5) velocity-sensitive keytar directly into MIDI sequencers for non-gaming use. It'll set you back $80, with an optional stand to be sold separately (no price given) alongside the game's launch. Buying the keyboard / game bundle will be $130, or about $10 off individual purchases. Oh, and if you want to feel a bit more techno, this puppy can be used as the guitar / bass input. MIDI PRO-Adapter: Want to use your own keyboard or electronic drum set? Here's the mediator you need, from MIDI to USB to console, and it sports the D-pad and other necessary gamepad buttons as well as velocity sensitivity adjustment controls. Asking price is $40. Pro Cymbals Expansion kit: three cymbals, apparently rejiggered from RB2's offerings for quieter play and a pre-defined 10 degree angle. It's $40 for this hi-hat, crash, and ride pack. Wireless Fender Mustang Pro Guitar Controller: Not the Squier hybrid we saw, this one actually sports a multitude of buttons for each string, spanning 17 frets (102 buttons in all). Actual strings are used for the plucking and strumming, and here's something interesting -- the axe has a MIDI output for software sequencers. This behemoth is $150, or approximately 1.5 Benjamins in your local currency. Pictures of each instrument -- and the yet-to-be-priced Squier -- in the gallery below, as well as a few screen caps of Pro mode so you can get an idea how exactly it'll "correct you" on proper Bohemian Rhapsody finger picking. %Gallery-94999%
Rock Band 3 gets 'Pro' mode, real guitar hybrid controller and keytar revealed -- Devo be praised
Wrap your head around this one: a 150-button guitar peripheral. That's for the pro version of Rock Band 3, whose goal is to actually turn the controllers into something more fitting of actual musicianship in a separate, more advanced "Pro" mode (the core game is still intact for those want it). First up is the aforementioned two-octave keyboard / keytar, whose difficulty goes from pressing within one of five ranges to actual dead-on notes. For drums, the three cymbals can now actually function as separate notes, sharing three lanes but given their own shape to know which to hit. Guitar, however, is a whole new beast. A $150 Fender Mustang pro (pictured up top) boasts 17 frets and 6 strings of accurate placement for a total of 102 buttons, and six nylon strings that must be plucked individually. Of course, if that hits the uncanny valley of plastic peripherals too closely, there's a Rock Band 3 Squier Stratocaster that'll be coming out that can actually be used as a real guitar or a Pro model. Vocal melodies from Beatles Rock Band carry over here. No concrete release date; head on over to new Joystiq for the preview, or if you want to see true trendsetters, watch Devo predict this game all the way from 1982 -- that video's after the break.
Franz K's iTar transforms your iPad into a keytar, puts shame in your game (video)
You can say that we're a sucker for a ridiculous video -- such as the one recently provided for us by a certain VJ named Franz K. The unholy spawn of Jerry Only and that ShamWow! guy, his latest creation is called the Mantaray iTar. Essentially it's an iPad dock with a shoulder strap, but wait -- there's more! You can also mount effects processors (such as the Korg Kaoss pad), essentially transforming your tablet into a kludgey keytar. As our man says, "gadget music is the new punk rock!" But seriously, Franz -- do you expect us to pay $225 for the privilege of performing with iElectribe? Either way, this video must be seen to be believed. Peep for yourself after the break.
Rock Band 3 keyboard revealed, looks like a keyboard!
We've been wondering how a keyboard would look in the Rock Band universe: a row of colored buttons would make it hardly different than the guitar peripheral, while a real keyboard would... be just as hard to play as a real keyboard. Well, it looks like someone smarter than us has tackled the problem, implementing a Hannah Montana-style "Best of Both Worlds" solution. The keyboard spans two octaves of for-serious white and blacks, but there's a row of colored labels above those keys. How narrowly you're required to hit the "real" key corresponding to the note in the song is based on what difficulty level you choose -- on the easier levels you just have to smash into the correctly colored neighborhood. Oh, and for those hoping to play this keytar-style? the keyboard is designed to work on a lap or strapped over a shoulder. Check out the video below the fold to see it in action.
Rock Band 3 purportedly gaining keytar peripheral, infinite amounts of our love
Look, we've no qualms with keyboards -- Elton John is permanently embedded in our playlists, it'll be the first instrument we teach our robotic children, and it's easily the most underrated part of Justin Bieber's spectacularness. But there's no arguing that having a keytar peripheral is far, far more awesome in the grand scheme of things. According to the same mole on ArsTechnica that has correctly nailed a new PS3 bundle, the PSP go and Xbox 360 price cuts, Rock Band 3 will feature a new keytar peripheral, which will undoubtedly destroy our productivity for an indefinite amount of time. We're also told that Mad Catz will be taking over the production of RB hardware, leaving Harmonix only responsible for touching up the software. There's still no indication of when this mythical device will be hitting your local Game Stop, but it's certainly safe to slide your pre-order alert system to Orange.
Report: Rock Band 3 features keytar, 'Pro' mode
Given that Harmonix already teased the inclusion of a new instrument in Rock Band 3 -- the keyboard -- we almost feel like we've been taken for a ride. That is, if today's report from Ars Technica's mole on the game is correct and the keyboard is actually a keytar. "What?!" you cry. Much like Frankie, we must say, "Relax!" because, well, we're totally on board with the concept. Just think about the possibilities! The Ars report also alleges the addition of a "Pro" mode "that will require proper technique, and may lead to actual skills on guitar and bass." Perhaps that mode will have some tie to the peripherals, which will all be assembled by Mad Catz, apparently, (as hinted at earlier this year); meaning EA would only handle the distribution of game discs. Though Ars' mole has been accurate with rumors in the past, without confirmation from MTV Games, Harmonix, EA, or Mad Catz (yes, we tried -- only MTV Games responded, saying, "We do not comment on rumors or speculation"), this report is still, unfortunately, unconfirmed.
Harmonix teases keyboards for Rock Band 3
Harmonix hasn't been dishing out a ton of Rock Band 3 details lately apart from confirming that it'll be out this holiday season, but it just revealed a big one in the demo for Green Day: Rock Band. If that not so subtle teaser above is any indication, it looks like Rock Band 3 will be adding keyboards to the equation. Nothing more to go on than that at the moment, but we can only assume this also means that Activision will soon be hard at work on Keytar Hero, and that "Axel F" will be stuck in your head starting right.... now.
Arduinocaster MIDI pseudo-keytar sure to entice Bob Casale
We see all sorts of instrument-mods around this part, but most of them are trying as hard as they might to look like regular, every day instruments. That's why the Arduinocaster is so fascinating -- it's got no interest in looking normal -- just like us! An Arduino-based MIDI instrument that makes use of switches and LEDs to control the "strings," and an opto reflective switch for strumming. Hit the read link for further details and check the video of it in action after the break.
NAMM Show 2009 round-up highlights: keytars and more!
The big NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show is going on through this Sunday in Anaheim, California, so we thought we'd bring you a few of the highlights debuting there. Among the beauties on offer is Native Instruments' Maschine Groove Production Studio, a hard / software combo loaded with 5GB of samples, 16 illuminated pads for making beats and patterns, two high resolution displays, and eight rotary encoders. The Stealth Pedal maraudes as a wah, but acts as an assignable expression pedal, with a double footswitch and the option to add a third pedal via USB, with a 24-bit USB audio interface and software. The Akai APC40 is a MIDI control surface designed in conjunction with Ableton to work out of the box with Live on a PC or Mac. Last (but surely not least) Roland's resurrected the AX-7 with the updated and delicious AX-Synth "shoulder keyboard" AKA keytar. This bad boy's got 49 keys, 7 LEDs, tons of control options, and a 128-voice polyphonic sound engine which is editable with included software. Check the gallery of each glorious item -- and yes, we know that Edgar Winter's not playing an actual keytar in the video (it's just a giant keyboard strapped to his insane body), but seriously, who cares?%Gallery-42392%Read - Maschine Groove Production StudioRead - The NAMM ShowRead - Stealth Pedal Read - Akai APC40Read - Roland AX-Synth
Music Thing: Qwerty Keytars
Each week Tom Whitwell of Music Thing highlights the best of the new music gear that's coming out, as well as noteworthy vintage equipment: Nothing screams 'wrong' quite as loudly as a keytar. If you've ever seen Belinda Bedekovic, the Croatian keytar queen, you'll know what I mean. But while traditional keytars are undergoing a kitsch rennaisance (witness Justin Hawkins from the Darkness riding a giant tiger while playing a Roland AX-7), wiley Euro supergeeks tend to roll their own qwerty keytars for live gigs. The guy in the picture is Droon, a breakcore musician and video game designer from Antwerp, Belgium, playing at a party called 'Breakcore Gives Me Wood'. If you want to swap the MIG helmet for a pink feather boa, Swiss techno producer Aster Oh has an awesome pink zebra-fur covered keyboard, and Alexi Shulgin, who covers Nirvana songs on an old PC as 386DX, plays a vanilla PC keyboard with a guitar strap on stage at events like Dorkbot London.Aside from laughing at arty Europeans, the interesting thing about gigging with a ASCII keyboard rather than black and white notes is that it makes a lot of sense. If you're using loop-based software like Ableton Live, then triggering loops from 100+ clearly labelled keys works just fine. Alternatively, you could keep it old school and use Back To Basics, a simple $40 program to trigger samples from a keyboard.
