I did the foot pedal bass (with B-3 and Yamaha organs and also digital and Rhodes pianos) and also played left hand bass for quite a few years, both solo and in groups, but laziness (mainly) and the huge improvement in arranger accompaniment (especially bass lines) soon had me putting both former methods to rest and I've never looked back.

Jim Ailing said something on another topic that I can identify with, in that I play all instrumentals and do not sing, so it's important to set the arranger up in a way that my hands are visible to some extent to my listeners...they can at least see I'm actually playing the keys, as well as pressing buttons and footswitches.

Keyboard players have always had this problem, as we are anchored to one spot, and even though playing while standing is a bit more showy, it's also hard on the legs (using pedals especially) and wrists, and you're still essentially in one spot.

Unless we get a Keytar and go prancing around the stage with it slung around our necks, we may as well accept the fact that we aren't ever going to be that mobile or showy as those guitarists or bassists.

At least the drummer can sympathize with us. Ha ha!

Ian