I used to have a keytar like the one above, but I never used it and actually bought it so I could flip it, not use it. My wife called me from a thrift shop and asked if I wanted it, it was $10. Maybe sold it for $100, I don’t remember.
Fast forward to today and I’m always searching for the next project using stuff I already have. Back when I was making my Cygnus MIDI Adapters (CV to MIDI adapters), I built a test rig with 32 keys (see two photos below) and nowadays it’s just sitting in a pile unused. It’d be cool to make a keytar out of it and add some features to it that the Cygnus MIDI Adapter never had.
Aside from the keys and octave up & down controls, I think a joystick would be fun to have on it. I’m thinking some kind of bend control for up/down and mod-wheel for left/right. I’m thinking I’d use that joystick with my left hand and have some other controls close by like octave up/down, etc also at my left hand’s disposal.
Instead of using one of my Cygnus MIDI Adapters, I think I’m going to use an Arduino. Lots more flexibility with those than the Cygnus and I can do one USB cable for data and power. As for the outside shell, a 3D printed one might be cool.
Here’s what I have to work with.
April 2026