Hey Tony, lots of guys older than you and I play gold 2-3 days a week, and that involves standing in the heat most of the time! At least I am in the cool climate controlled environment! LOL As long as I shift my weight between sides, I think I'll be alright for the next, say .... 20 or 30 years that I intend to be entertaining!

I suppose if someone is playing and space is limited, it would be good to stand. Most arranger players I know sit when they play, including me.

Martin Harris, and Peter Baartmans usually sit during demos, and when you are constantly using pedals (in my case, volume and sustain) it is not very pleasant when standing...plus, if you aren't using the right technique, you can get carpel tunnel pretty easy.

Of course, if you're singing, standing allegedly helps, but that doesn't seem to bother Billy Joel, Elton John, Burton Cummings, Mike MacDonald (Doobie Brothers) and Stevie Wonder, to name only a few...they rely heavily on their voice as well as their playing, and they seem to prefer sitting down.

They seem to have no problems keeping the audience's attention.

Regarding Bose...

I wanted to get by with one Bose L1...but, after spending a lot of time trying to get it to sound right (and getting nowhere), I went with two, and I was glad I did.

Using two also corrected another drawback with the Bose, which is weak mid-range...two towers combined makes up for it remarkably well.

If you can live with playing an instrument in mono, that's meant to be played in stereo, by all means use one Bose...it will save you considerable money and set up time...I guess I'm a perfectionist at heart, and great sound is very important to me, especially since my music is all instrumental, so I had to go with two, and couldn't see doing it any other way.

I'm certainly not going to try and change someone's mind who is perfectly happy with a Yamaha arranger in mono, but it was worth it to me...plus, you only have to buy a proper PA system once.

Keyboards are a different matter.

Ian

Man, I'll never understand how you guys are able to trigger foot pedals (especially piano sustain) while standing.
Dave and Fran: Perhaps you guys don't use the sustain pedal much?
As I play the piano voice much of the time, it requires triggering the sustain pedal on/off throughout a song,
so by the end of a set, my back aches terribly as it essentially requires supporting my entire body weight on 'one' (the left) leg alone.
Certainly not a naturally balanced human standing position.
Perhaps for a bird like my pet African Grey Parrot, Alexander:




but not for people.


To accommodate the audience viewing benefit of raising the keyboard position height,
I utilize a cheap lightweight portable high stool which fully & evenly supports my upper body weight,
freeing both feet to conveniently trigger any of the foot pedals and sustain pedal at will, and often concurrently.
Other people's experiences, thoughts, and suggestions on this subject appreciated as well.

Alexander my parrot on one leg, and in Left and Right Stereo too:
- in living stereo -

If standing playing the keyboard/piano was more natural and more comfortable than sitting, then why do they bother to sell benches?

It is very hard on the back and leg muscles (unless you rarely use the sustain and/or volume pedals) and I feel any tiny benefit of increased audience exposure, isn't worth the extra strain on the body.

As I said in my post above...most keyboard players, who actually play using both hands and using pedals, generally sit...even if they are singers.

Scott, Alexander has no problems singing whilst standing on one leg for long periods of time....we humans aren't so lucky.

Ian

While "most keyboard players, who actually play using both hands and using pedals, generally sit" count me amongst the "less" who actually play using both hands and using pedals, who generally stands ... HOWEVER, I do use a seat similar to this, except mine has the round seat ...
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-per...446327000000000
... which I set at a height that I am almost standing ...

That's a great looking seat Tony...comfortable I bet.

I played in a band for about 5 months where I stood when playing...it was not a great experience.

I don't plan on doing it again...too hard on back and legs, and I was in my 30's then.

Ian

Tony you sat down for your photo.

Tony

Scott-that looks like an African Grey. I have one named Sophie, and my oldest son taught it to say "hide the drugs" every time someone rings the doorbell.

R.

It was easier to get everything into the picture at that distance ...