Keyboard instrument

A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano, which is used in nearly all forms of western music. Other widely used keyboard instruments include various types of organs as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments. In common language, it is mostly used to refer to keyboard-style synthesizers.

Clavier is a general term for any keyboard instrument. It was used especially in the 18th century and earlier in Germany by composers of baroque music to refer indiscriminately to the harpsichord, clavichord, and pipe organ.