in 1978, masakowski invented the key-tar, a guitar-like instrument with seven rows of keys instead of strings, one key at each fret. this pre-midi controller was hardwired to a moog synthesizer. one advantage of such an instrument was that it allowed playing more than one note in a row of keys at the same time, the equivalent on the guitar of playing multiple simultaneous notes on one string. masakowski's song "stepping stone" was composed on the keytar, which allowed for the cluster-type chord voicings. for the duration of the mars era, his rig included a gretsch seven-string guitar with the keytar fastened to the top. he chose not to pursue a patent for the keytar, opting to concentrate on a revised prototype of the instrument that failed due to lack of funding.