Key
(1) A series of sounds forming a major or minor scale. See Scale. (2) A piece of mechanism by means of which the ventages of certain wind instruments, as flute and clarionet, are closed or opened. (3) A lever by which the valves of the organ are opened or the hammers of the piano-forte put in motion. (A Table of Signatures and Names of all the Major and Minor Keys on the following page.) Keyboard, Klavier (Ger.) (kla-feer). The rows of keys of the organ or piano; those for the hands are called manuals, for the feet, pedals.