Ever play with your eyes closed?

[jbmajor]

It's amazing how, with a piece you've been practicing, if you close your eyes and keep playing, your fingers just know where to go.  Only when you start to think too much about it do you get hung up and start making mistakes.  I think it is true that when you take one of the five senses away, it adds more acuity to the others; in this case the sense of touch seems creditable, as well as memory.

[kempff]

I used to look at my hands all the time. Then i got this Wilhelm Kempff DVD and i saw that most of the time he is looking at somewhere else and not his hands, that inspired me to try it, and believe it or not, it has a great effect on your playing, now i can play with more emotion.

[maxy]

As long as all fits under the hands, pretty much all can be played eyes closed.  Now I would like to see someone play Mazeppa or Campanella eyes closed...

"Muscle memory" is the most stupid type of memory.  I am not saying it's bad! It is needed.  But to actually "know" a piece, much more is required.  Visual memory is very important:  the score must be well known and it is important to know where to "jump" on the keyboard.  Auditive memory is also a must.

Relying only on "physical" memory is very dangerous.  But it's fun sometimes. It can be a very effective way to show off.