One of the most successful working duo's, here in Philly, is a keybord/drums combination. Both players are "tied" to their instruments, but the sound is just awesome, and the crowd never stops dancing. The kb man plays manual bass at least 1/2 the night, and the rest of the "production" numbers are sequenced at home, then transfered to 4 track tapes that they perform to on stage. He chose the 4 track method because he records background vocals and percussion parts and likes to keep them on separate tracks in case he wants to change the mix in a live situation.

This guy is one of the strongest players in our area, and he never uses auto anything. He sequences from scratch, or playes completly live. There are no arrangers in his arsenal, and truth be told ..... his gear(Roland D-50, RD-200 piano and Pro-E) is WAY out of date - BUT - they work as much as they want to and pack the dance floor each night. The drummer has just about the best voice in the area and the combination of his vocals, and the live energy from piano, bass & drums ..... well, it just kicks butt .... big time. Their crowd loves to jitterbug above all else, and 90% of these songs are done totally live. It's energetic and refreshing. When they need more "punch" they turn to the sequenced tracks and add their parts on top of tight, well orchestrated arrangements that feature both voices as backgrounds. The kb man also uses a Digitech harmonizer on stage to add live harmonies behind the drummer. It's a terrific combination.

Stage presence is not hindered by your instrument, rather, it can be enhanced by your theatrical treatment of your playing techniques. Move your body ... LOOK at your audience ....... SMILE when you perform .... and most of all ..... HAVE FUN. It's got to be fun, or you'll bring the crowd down with you. This job is a great healer ...... take advantage of it's soothing power and you'll be so glad you did !
(so will your crowd!)

Again, thanx for the kind words ..... and good luck as you work your way up the musical ladder of success !

(sorry about all the typos in the original post .... I was in a major rush, and I type very poorly when I am in a hurry.)