NEVER! I can't see me ever doing that. I'll go out front with a guitar, sax, or wireless mic - but the keys need to stay put, for me. Just not the look I'm going for.

Dave I understand.... and agree.....

Dave......this is true if you want to change your playing style. I'm coming from this direction (and you're a pianist also so you know). Every time I switch from piano to OMB on arranger, I have to re-learn how to play.....how to lay down the left hand chords. You already know your left hand doesn't "voice" the same on both instruments.

I've stayed away from any kind of backing tracks so far. The way I see it is it detracts from your creativity. You're stuck to that "track." You can manipulate it to a degree, but you're still "stuck to that track."

When I'm playing I never know what I'm going to do next. I play it as I feel it ("to a degree"),play the first 8 bars over and over (though I wouldn't suggest that), compose a new spontaneous ending, come in and go out when I want, mix up the songs...do a medley. Can't do anything fresh if you're busy following the backing track.

The same holds true for pitch-change gizmos (you should be able to change keys yourself), and pitch-correction machines (you should be able to sing on key well enough not to depend on "the machines."

But that all comes down to: do you want to entertain an audience or do you want to get better. Another way of saying "do you want to earn a paycheck or live in mediocrity for the rest of your career?" There's something to be said for both schools of thought.

Right on......the thing that helped me the most to interact with an audience was my days as a disc jockey, about 15 years. I was not locked into a keyboard situation then.

Early on, playing keyboard, I got so bored, by necessity I started talking to my audience more. Then when DJ time came, the same thing. I got so bored with just standing there spinning discs, I started again interacting with my audience. Only this time, I could "leave my post" and go right out on the floor and mix with the dancers and folks who were seated. It wasn't easy, but the more you do it the easier it becomes. Interesting how detaching yourself from a keyboard also broadens your approach to playing and entertainment and music in general.

To be honest, I love getting in front of an audience and talking and playing......often bordering on doing a lecture. It's the power and the feeling that you're in control and that you're a somebody for 60 minutes that energizes you. Of course, after the performance you go back to being an unknown soul only useful for taking up space on the planet and using up valuable resources.

I'm really impressed watching these clips that everyone posted.....particularly how you can emulate a guitar....particulary the "Greatest Keytarist Ever" clip.

Maybe it's not so bad....learning new keyboard instruments again....learning new ways of playing....new ways of performing. Maybe I'm getting bored again and the new technology has its advantages! And maybe......I'll forget it all and become a florist (which I would do for nothing).

Yup - and in my case, I played bass before I played piano, so my left hand is more comfortable playing single lines than chords. I'm a singer/bassist who pounds out chords to accompany my melodies. (not "really" a piano player, in the true sense) I play more like Billy Joel - lots of fat octaves in the LH, and chords with no melody in the right - my voice is the third component in the trio I sell. (Voice - Bass - chords) in that order (with drums thrown in the mix)

I am at the point in my 'career' that I am playing mostly one hour senior gigs - NH/AL/Sr. lunches, etc. ... the audiences are looking for 'entertainment' and more and more my competition is made up of entertainers much younger than myself, doing "Neil Diamond" "Patsy Cline" or others 'stars' impersonation/tribute shows, "Dancing With the Stars" routines etc., etc., etc., the more 'flash' the better ... Unfortunately these gigs do not lend themselves to much musical creativity, unlike when I was working restaurants and country clubs ... Most of my 'creativity' comes in trying to create 'backing tracks' of my own, or learning to perform a song in a different style than as originally recorded ...
When I perform with the female vocalist, it is ALL backing tracks, and my satisfaction has to come from the smiles on the audiences faces, and the movement of their lips as they are 'singing' along with me ...

DITTO Tony I learned that a long time ago we are entertainers and should be flexible to do that in Many Many ways,...
you cant build a house with one tool.