Watercooler Wednesday - Return Of The Keytar

Posted by Paul
June 11, 2008

(This post is part of the Watercooler Wednesday series at Ethos. Check it out and join in!)

We’ve taken a few trips down memory lane about “keytars” lately…including this post with Herbie Hancock and Howard Jones rocking theirs, and this post showing me and Eddie DeGarmo back in the big-hair days of CCM.

I came across a few pics I had forgotten about…these are actually off an old Broken Heart poster that I have in storage. I present them for your mockery and enjoyment:

My buddy Joel Klampert recently blogged about the return of the keytar, including this pic of current keytar appearances:

Well, like they say. Everything old is new again. After quite a few years of fruitless searches…(sounding like Al Pacino, please) say hello to my little friend!

Yeah, it’s not the red one…but after so many years of trying to find the sucker, I’m good with white.

Will it make an appearance leading worship? I wouldn’t ever lead an entire service on it, I think that would be a bit distracting. But for a few blow-the-roof-off-the-dump worship rockers? Oh, I think so…

And no, the mullet won’t be coming back to join the Yamaha KX1. 

Personal, Music, Worship, Watercooler Wednesday

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Comments

Oh, Paul, my mind goes in so many directions, I am not sure where to begin.

Does that thing even have a MIDI out? Or do you have to rock it with the mid-80’s electronic piano sounds?

Not sure which is more fun to see: The actual keytar or the coif?

Comment by Scott on June 11, 2008 @ 3:48 pm

It’s a MIDI remote. so no onboard sounds. The buttons over the keys control patch and octave changes as well as a monophonic switch. The neck controls include 3 wheels for portamento, volume, and modulation, 2 buttons for sustain and portamento on/off, and a pitch bend ribbon. There’s even a jack for the Yamaha breath controller (remember those?).
In fact, I think I still have a breath controller…I”m gonna have to dig through my gear and see if it still works…

Comment by Paul on June 11, 2008 @ 3:58 pm

Unbelievable!! I’m right there with you, with the old becoming new again - I’m always the most surprised person when something comes back in vogue - I know it happens, but I’m never ready for it. Takes me back to high school & college concert days. We loved those Stryper & Petra concerts, always held in a church gym or christian college gym.

Comment by marina on June 11, 2008 @ 4:15 pm

Oh, yes.

Comment by JVo on June 11, 2008 @ 4:32 pm

OM gosh- I am dying! Those are the coolest pictures. That is too awesome that you finally found one. I say do a whole set, an entire service and then blog about it….

Comment by Audra Krell on June 11, 2008 @ 7:39 pm

Breath controller. I do remember those.

I actually bought the yamaha wind controller last year. Cool instrument, but I never get to use it here. One of these days. You actually made me go to ebay to see what I could find. There were a lot of Roland keytars.

I am saving my keytar moment until the next time we do “Boycott Hell”.

Comment by Scott on June 11, 2008 @ 11:47 pm

HOLY CRAP DUDE! that is amazing…I love it in white. if only you could do your hair like you used to.

Comment by klampert on June 12, 2008 @ 11:20 am
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