A keyboard is the part of a keyboard instrument that contains a set of contiguous levers, or keys, that are depressed to produce sound. Pressing a key results in either striking wires (piano), plucking wires (harpsichord), striking bells (carillon), causing air to flow through tubes (pipe organ), or completing a circuit (digital piano and synthesizer).
The word keyboard also refers to a type of portable electronic music instrument, also called an electronic keyboard.