If you thought the “keytar” went out with other 80s fads like legwarmers, think again. Roland not only still makes keytars, they’ve actually upgraded the tech. It seems some keyboardists still don’t want to be exiled behind a wall of keyboards while the guitarists get all the babes. “Just strap it on and you’re front-of-stage with the band,” says Roland. (At least, I HOPE they’re talking about the keytar.)
The modern Roland AX-7 has a General MIDI/GS soundbank (I love the 90s, too!), 45-note keyboard, touch controller, expression bar, and — here’s the nifty part — infrared “D Beam” sensors so you can wave your hands in the air in front of it. Just in case you needed your keytar to be MORE geeky. Because it’s not the 80s anymore, though, the keytar now scores a kitsch factor, and that’s priceless.