Finding your way around the keyboard

[sanderling]

I've played forever, but am slow at reading piano music, not just sight reading but any reading.  I'm a whiz on the flute but you only play one note at a time on it!  What is the best way to learn to find your way around the keyboard?  I think that must be the answer to reading easily: being able to quickly apply what's on the page to the fingers.  Suggestions?  Thank you.

[brogers70]

Practice your scales and arpeggios with your eyes closed. Practice finding individual notes by feel with your eyes closed. Practice reading very simple pieces, starting with single lines in one hand, if necessary, without letting your eyes go to your hands. Do it as slowly as you need to, by feel. Then keep practicing simple pieces for two hands without looking at your hands.

I had a similar problem and by doing the above I've gradually gotten more comfortable at reading and at knowing where the notes are without looking at my hands.

[louispodesta]

I've played forever, but am slow at reading piano music, not just sight reading but any reading.  I'm a whiz on the flute but you only play one note at a time on it!  What is the best way to learn to find your way around the keyboard?  I think that must be the answer to reading easily: being able to quickly apply what's on the page to the fingers.  Suggestions?  Thank you.

1)  The late Stephan Bardas, who I knew (in 1971 at what is now the UNT) said the following: that one should only be able to sight-read at a level sufficient enough to learn the outline of the work.  Then, you set out to learn/memorize the piece.  For the record, this man was one of the first pianists to perform the entire Beethoven Sonatas in recital from memory.

2)  For further information, please type the words "louispodesta sight reading" (without the quotes) in the search box at the top right space of this page.  It lists all of the replies to various posts similar to yours.

3)  Finally, after sight reading a piece, one should make a chord analysis (hand-written) above the line for each and every major chord.  Any Fine Arts work is composed of its individual parts, visual or aural.  Music is no different.