The right time to rely less on following the sheet music and more on one’s memory / inner ‘sound template’ is much later – near the end of the learning process. When this occurs, what is actually happening is the student is relying too soon on their memory of the song including their inner ear’s ‘sound template’ before their recollection and inner sound template can really be relied upon. Why? Because if a student prematurely ceases following the sheet music and checking the notes they play against the printed page, they can often mis-learn the song, i.e. However, it is a good idea to encourage any student (even adults) to try to keep an eye on the sheet music and follow it as they play, especially in the early stages of learning a new song. After all, using one’s ear as part of the learning process is natural and desirable. There is no cause to be concerned – as in “alarmed”. The answer is mostly no, but with a caveat. Returning to our concerned parents for a moment… when they notice their child is not following the sheet music, should they be concerned?

My son prefers to play piano by ear, not by reading music – Is this a problem? This is a cornerstone of how all piano players learn and especially memorize each song. So from the very beginning of the learning process, you are compiling a mental picture of how this new song sounds… a ‘sound template’ against which you check the notes you play to see if they seem to sound correct. On the other hand, if you have never heard the song before, as you start to learn the notes on the sheet music and play them on your piano, you naturally take note (pun intended) of how the notes sound for the first time. And as you learn the printed notes on the sheet music and find them on the piano keyboard, you naturally check whether each note you play seems correct against your inner ear - your existing knowledge of how the piece ought to sound. If the song is one you have heard before, you start off with that prior knowledge of how it sounds. What you may not realize is whenever you learn to play a piano song, you are actually learning it both ways – both by ear and by reading the sheet music. It’s actually something we can all do – at least to some extent – and, like any skill, playing piano by ear is any ability that can be developed over time. Playing by ear is a great ability to have, and contrary to popular belief, the ability to play piano by ear is not confined to a rare few that have been ‘blessed’ with this gift. While they realize their child is showing innate talent when they play by ear, they would also like their child to be able to read the sheet music.Īre parents right to be concerned? And which is better… reading music or playing by ear? Which is Better – Reading Music or Playing By Ear? Often parents are concerned if they notice their child playing piano by ear as opposed to reading the sheet music.

Playing by ear practice