When learning to play the piano, it is very tempting to look down at your hands while you play. It is often deemed a ‘psychological crutch’ to reassure the mind that what is being played is indeed correct. However, with study and practice, it is possible to play the piano confidently and correctly without ever looking at your hands. This begs the question, “how can I play the piano without looking down”?
How can I play the piano without looking down? Try placing something over your hands while you practice the piano so you cannot look at them. This puts the focus on reading the sheet music instead. The practice is the key and the more you play, the better you will get, eliminating the need to look down at all!
Now that you know it is possible to break the habit of looking at your hands when playing the piano, let’s explore this topic in more detail below. We will discuss some tips and tricks to help you develop your skills and eliminate the need to look down altogether. So, if you are ready to learn then let’s get started…
Looking Down at Your Hands
It is ok to look at your hands occasionally when playing the piano. It is not a practice that should be encouraged, however, it may be useful in the beginning stages of learning the piano. This being said, there is a right way and a wrong way to do this. Let’s take a look at both the correct and the incorrect way to look at down when practicing.
The Correct Way
The idea here is not to move your head up and down. When you look at the sheet music and then down at your hands, keep your head perfectly still and only move your eyes up and down. This way you will not lose your place in the song, struggling to find where you left off when you look back up!
The Wrong Way
Moving your head up and down as you try to read the sheet music and look at your hands is the wrong thing to do. You will likely lose your place, feeling somewhat disoriented as you try to remember where you left off. This will disrupt both the timing of the song and the ‘smooth flow’ of the performance.
Benefits Of Not Looking Down At Your Hands
Not looking down at your hands is what you want to strive for when learning to play the piano. Though it may partially aid in skill development as a novice, it is not something you want to rely upon as you move forward in your musical career. Below are three benefits of not looking down:
Not Dependent On Visual ‘Crutches’
You want to be able to play on any size piano at any time. If you look down are your hands frequently, you get used to things looking a certain way and you rely on that in order to play. By not becoming dependant of the visual aspect, you open your mind to other techniques which will greatly improve your performance, such as sight-reading.
Become Better ‘Connected’ To The Music
By not relying on looking at your hands when playing, you open yourself up to a whole new musical range. This allows you to connect to the song being played on a more spiritual level. You become more focussed on how the music sounds and feels rather than on what your hands are doing.
Develop Confidence As A Musician
By not having to look down to play the notes correctly, you move to a new level of musicality that feels amazing when achieved! You reach a point in your skill development where you feel confident and this will often inspire you continue your musical journey. You will want to push your limits and excel in all aspects of piano playing and performing.
Tips And Tricks On How To Play Piano Without Looking Down
When trying to break the habit of looking at your hands while playing the piano, there a few tips and tricks that can help you achieve this. Below are ten ways to help you stop looking down:
Develop A Feel For The Keys
By memorizing which keys correspond to each finger on each hand, you can play on any piano at any venue and feel confident. Run your hands across the keys as you close your eyes. When you reach the gap between the group of two black notes and the group of three black notes, you immediately know you have found E and F. Try doing this for a few minutes before each practice, working in the different octaves.
Practice Random Note Drops
This is known as the finger drop method and involves using a chart with a variety of notes marked on it, from sharps to flats, and seeing if you can ‘hit’ each one. If after three tries you cannot, then you need to continue practicing.
Always Find Middle ‘C’ First
The key to correct hand placement is to first find middle ‘C’. Once you have it, your fingers will naturally find their corresponding keys. Try to do this in various octave ranges.
Memorize Your Scales
Playing scales is a good warm-up activity when practicing the piano. Start with the basic five finger pattern and then move through the scales. Play it the first time looking down and then the second time not looking down. If you make a mistake, that’s ok, just slow down and try it again. Try doing this every day.
Memorize Difficult Song Arragements
As you progress in your piano playing career, you are likely to come across songs with difficult sections. This is where you are most likely to look down. If you can memorize the fingering in those difficult pieces, you will feel more confident and not need to look down in order to play it right.
Keep Your Hands Close To The Keyboard
Dramatic piano performances are exhilarating to watch. However, until you feel very comfortable with your ability, keep the flashy hand movements to a minimum and concentrate solely on ‘getting it right’. The shorter range of motion will help you develop the fingering skills necessary to play a piece without looking down.
Play Each Hand Separately
This is a good way to improve your fingering. Play a few measures (slowly) with the right hand while looking down. Then look up and try playing that same arrangement again. Do this until you feel comfortable playing it and gradually increase your speed each time. Then, do the same thing with the left hand.
Sing Or Hum The Tune Out Loud
By singing or humming the melody, your ears will tune into the harmony and your hands will play along, eliminating the need to look down.
Play With Your Eyes Closed
With your eyes closed, you will not physically be able to look down at your hands! Thereby, immersing you in the music and tapping into your cognitive ability to play the notes from memory.
Have Faith In Yourself
A lack of confidence in your piano playing ability will often cause you to look down at your hands when playing. It is important to practice often in order to develop muscle memory and other skills, such as sight-reading. This will help you feel more confident in your piano playing ability and allow you to step out of your comfort zone and take risks.
Conclusion
Looking down at your hands when playing the piano is not a bad thing, especially when you are an amateur. However, as your skill level develops, so will your confidence. This will help eliminate the need to look down for reassurance.
The most important thing to remember is to practice. The more you play, the better you will get. You will develop muscle memory and your hands will instinctively know what to do. Try some of the tips and tricks mentioned above and you will be on your way to no longer needing to look down when you play.
Best of luck!
