List of keyboard instruments
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument played using a keyboard, a row of levers which are pressed by the fingers. The most common of these are the piano, organ, and various electronic keyboards, including synthesizers and digital pianos. Other keyboard instruments include celestas, which are struck idiophones operated by a keyboard, and carillons, which are usually housed in bell towers or belfries of churches or municipal buildings.[1]
This list categorizes keyboard instruments by their designs, and thus operations.
Chordophones
Chordophones produce sound from vibrating strings:
- Bowed clavier
- Clavichord
- Clavicymbalum
- Clavinet
- Dolceola
- Harpsichord
- Hurdy-gurdy
- Marxophone
- Piano
- Tangent piano
- Xenorphica
Additionally, members of the harpsichord and piano families may also use alternative setups to make the instruments more compact:
- Portable
- Spinets
- Square
- Uprights
Aerophones
Aerophones produce sound primarily by causing a body of air to vibrate, without the use of strings or membranes:
Idiophones
Idiophones produce sound primarily by the vibration of the instrument itself, without the use of air flow, strings, membranes or electricity:
Electrophones
Electrophones produce sound by electrical means:
References
- ^ Kelzenberg, David. "What are Historical Keyboard Instruments?". Archived from the original on 2013-02-12. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
