Keyboards confirmed for Rock Band 3

MTV Games and Harmonix’s Rock Band 3 will feature an all-new keyboard controller, USA Today has revealed.

The keyboard joins lead guitar, bass, drums, lead vocals and two-part harmonies to create a new band experience on PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii.

“With the introduction of keyboards, we get to bring a ton of amazing new music onto the platform, which will help feed the appetite for music for years to come,” said Alex Rigopulos, CEO of Harmonix.

The lap-sized keyboard controller will feature its own in-game stream of green, red, blue, yellow and orange keys, representing notes which have to be played on five corresponding keyboard keys. Additionally, a new Pro mode uses all 25 keys. The keyboard will also work as a MIDI keyboard that can be connected to a computer.

Joining the new keyboard controller will be two advanced guitar controllers – one a full-sized, fully functional Fender – that take advantage of the Pro mode.

Rock Band 3 also promises improved animations, refined multiplayer gameply – drop in and out of games, or change instruments and difficulty settings without stopping songs – and an easier-to-use song menu.

With the new instruments players will be able to rock their hearts out to 83 new songs, the first of which are confirmed as:

2000s

Combat Baby – Metric

Dead End Friends – Them Crooked Vultures

Get Free – The Vines

Lasso – Phoenix

Me Enamora – Juanes

Oh My God – Ida Maria

Portions of Foxes – Rilo Kiley

The Hardest Button to Button – The White Stripes

1990s

Been Caught Stealing – Jane’s Addiction

In the Meantime – Spacehog

Plush – Stone Temple Pilots

Walkin’ on the Sun – Smash Mouth

1980s

Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne

Here I Go Again – Whitesnake

I Love Rock and Roll – Joan Jett

Just Like Heaven – The Cure

Rainbow in the Dark – Dio

The Power of Love – Huey Lewis and the News

Sister Christian – Night Ranger

1960s-1970s

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

Break On Through – The Doors

Crosstown Traffic – Jimi Hendrix

Via Kotaku