Can you play without music?

[PortToTheLeft]

I am waiting in a train station with a piano sitting unused. I have 40 minutes to waste. But I can’t play a single note without music in front of me, even if it is a piece I have played for years. I can dredge up not even a single bar from memory.

Is it just me? Is there a way if improving this? I quite often sit around in train stations and apart from St Pancras the pianos are often all alone screaming out to be played.

I can't play piano but I can play from memory. Can you play a simple melody without music by listening to what note you need to play next?

Hi fruitpastille. I’m very envious of anyone who can play by ear. I have no ear at all, I couldn’t pick out bla bla black sheep without music! I’m a slave to the written note sadly.

Start simple.
Find a melody that would fit a C major key (Summer of '69 for just one example) and start with just a few seconds of the song. Then match the melody with left hand.

The danger is losing your sight reading ability. I got to Grade 7 when I was 15 and then my ear took over (was more fun and relaxing) and my reading skills not only stopped, but deteriorated.