Key (instrument) Key (instrument) A key is a specific part of a musical instrument. The purpose and function of the part in question depends on the instrument. On instruments equipped with tuning machines, violins and guitars, for example, a key is part of a tuning machine. It is a worm gear with a key shaped end used to turn a cog, which, in turn, is attached to a post which winds the string. The key is used to make pitch adjustments to a string. With other instruments, zithers and drums, for example, a key is essentially a small wrench used to turn
Celestaphone (instrument) Dallas, Texas. Celestaphone (instrument) The celestaphone was a musical instrument of the zither family, which was played by pressing spring-levers to cause small hammers to strike the strings of the instrument. The term "celestaphone" was also used for a glass-plate xylophone designed by Charles C. Weidman of Ohio State University around the 1930s. Yet another "celestaphone" was an instrument created by Clair Omar Musser, a glockenspiel-like instrument he constructed over the mid-20th century from meteorites. The gospel musician Washington Phillips was thought to have played the dolceola on several of his recordings, but he actually played a compound instrument he