Exploring the Musical Keyboard: A Cross-Disciplinary Review from Therapy to Technology

Abstract

Musical keyboards have become essential tools in modern music production. This review highlights recent advancements in keyboard technologies and their applications in composing, arranging, and producing music. We examine how innovations such as MIDI controllers, smart keyboards, and alternative scale layouts have transformed the creative process, enabled new forms of musical expression, and expanded accessibility for musicians. A special focus is given to programmable keyboards that allow users to trigger sounds of piano or other selected instruments based on input. Additionally, the paper explores how these instruments influence educational systems, music therapy, and live stage innovation. The aim of this review is to explore the evolution, technological integration, and multidisciplinary applications of musical keyboard experiments, with a focus on their roles in music production, cognitive research, therapy, and education. The study also highlights the use of Java-based interfaces in experimental design and evaluates current trends and future directions in keyboard-based interaction systems.