Piano lid blues

Looking through my Sitemeter stats, I found a most interesting Google search term: "piano lid up or down while accompanying". Yes, that is the question...

In response to the kind Googler (Texan, no less) whom the search deposited onto my site (#10 on the first page, I may add and much more relevant than some of the higher-up results). Here is my opinion:

Try both short stick and full stick in rehearsal, preferably in the place where you'll be performing. If none of those work, try inserting a 400-500 page book (such as Grout's History of Western Music or Voices United) under the front of the lid as an alternative to playing with the lid all the way down, which can often muffle the sound on pianos such as Steinways, Bösendorfers, or Grotrians.