[List] Types of Keyboard Instruments [Piano, Synth, etc.]
When you think, “Let’s try playing a musical instrument,” what kind of instrument comes to mind? For most people, the very first image that pops up is probably the piano.
Even if you’ve never played a piece, chances are you’ve touched a piano at least once in your life.
Now, the piano is a type of keyboard instrument.
And there are actually many different kinds of keyboard instruments! In this article, I’d like to introduce a variety of them.
You might even discover a keyboard instrument that makes you say, “Wait, I’ve never seen this before!”
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[List] Summary of Keyboard Instrument Types [Piano, Synth, etc.] (1–10)
seaboard
This instrument is a type of synthesizer, but rather than just playing it normally, it supports what’s called 5D touch—five gestures: striking, pressing in, moving side to side, moving up and down, and lifting your finger—allowing an approach similar to string and wind instruments, and enabling more nuanced expression than a keyboard.
Each unit is compact, and its all-black appearance is intriguing—like an instrument from the future.
You can also choose from a variety of tones, so as long as you have the ideas, it seems like there’s nothing you can’t express.
digital piano
Unlike so-called acoustic pianos such as grand or upright pianos, which strike strings directly with hammers, this type of piano uses sensors to read the touch on the keys and triggers the corresponding sound source.
Because it has no action or strings like an acoustic piano, it can be made very compact.
And since it uses a sound source, it never needs tuning, and you can control the volume simply by adjusting the speakers.
You can also choose sounds other than the typical piano tone.
It’s a great option for working adults living alone or children in apartments.
upright piano
The upright piano was created to compensate for the grand piano’s drawback of taking up a lot of space.
To save space, its strings are stretched vertically and produce sound when struck from the side by hammers.
While it falls short of a grand piano in terms of performance, it is not an electronic instrument; the force from your fingers is transmitted directly to the hammers, allowing for nuanced expression and easier control of dynamics.
If circumstances allow, it is preferable to practice on an acoustic instrument—namely a grand or upright piano.
[List] Types of Keyboard Instruments Summary [Piano, Synth, etc.] (11–20)
toy piano
Originally made as a piano for children to play for the first time, the toy piano has won over adults with its well-crafted design, and some even perform contemporary music using it as an instrument.
While a regular piano produces sound by striking strings with hammers, the toy piano uses a mechanism that strikes metal rods, creating a cute, music-box-like tone.
The first one is said to have been made in 1872 in the United States by German immigrants, and in Japan it gained popularity around 2006 through commercials and the like.
melodica
The sound is like a harmonica, but because it has keys that make the notes easy to visualize, many people probably played a key harmonica (melodica) at school as children.
Since it’s a mouth-blown instrument, it can sustain notes longer than a piano and allows for nuanced expression, and there are many enthusiasts who appreciate it beyond its role as a children’s educational instrument.
A key harmonica (melodica) produces sound by blowing air to vibrate reeds, but there is also a related instrument called the Andes, which instead uses built-in whistles to produce sound.
harpsichord
When you press the keys on a harpsichord, the stretched strings are plucked by a plectrum, producing sound.
So its tone is somewhat similar to that of a string instrument.
Before the piano became widely used, Baroque music was often performed on the harpsichord.
After the piano took center stage, the quieter harpsichord was made less frequently, but this instrument has a unique charm all its own.
If you have the chance, why not enjoy its sound live?
Ondes Martenot
This instrument was developed in 1928, but I imagine many of you are seeing it for the first time.
Structurally, it’s like a Theremin with a keyboard and can only produce monophonic tones.
There are two ways to play it: the ribbon technique, which doesn’t use the keys, and the conventional method of pressing the keys.
Its sound is strange and ethereal—almost heavenly, isn’t it? There are four types of speakers, and I’ve heard one of them even includes a gong.
It’s a fascinating instrument that feels both analog and digital at the same time.
If you get the chance, be sure to check it out.