For those who can play piano without using sheet music, what advice would you   

There's a site I saw on one of mylot ads that charges $240 for a 12 DVD set of video lessons geared to intermediate or advanced players. Supposedly the "holy grail" of playing piano without sheet music, but it's kind of expensive. Maybe worth it though as opposed to lessons... I haven't decided yet. It doesn't seem like piano teachers as a rule teach this --just notes on a page.

I believe that those who can play be ear have perfect pitch. Perfect pitch is a trait that is inborn and cannot be acquired. Musicians who may not have perfect pitch (or have at least relative pitch) may eventually be able, with certain limitations, to discern between various notes, but such abilities are limited.

I saw an ad recently from www.yokewong.net and I bought the improvisation home study course she offers. WOW! I'm not too far into the workbook or CDs and DVDs yet but I am really pleased with it and have been rapidly improving every day. It's like I know all this stuff anyway, from reading music, but it's like I'm able to analzye some of it now and apply it on my own. I don't have perfect pitch, BUT it can be learned! On the CDs she has ear training exercises that you can listen to so you can identify intervals of a second, a third, a fifth, sixth, seventh and octave. The DVDs are great --you watch her hands as she explains all the tips, tricks, etc. She's a great teacher.

Two things to find when you're playing without sheet music: 1) the melody; and 2) the bass line. Once you have the melody and the bass, everything else is fill in. It helps a great deal when you know what notes make up what chords. It's a lot harder when the chords in the songs aren't the standard major or minor, but most chords in songs are. It helps to go online and listen to MIDI files of the songs. They're downloadable and totally free! It also helps to find sites with guitar tabs... which give you the bass line / chords.

Thanks -- I recently bought a home improvisation study course from Yoke Wong online. 6 DVDS (2 hours each) on how to play without sheet music. I love it! You are right, I really have to study my chords more..

ditto here. playing by ear just needs practice. as long as you're not tone deaf, you'll make fast progress.

i've been learning to play since kindergarten, when my feet were to small to even reach the pedal...:p that went on til 3rd grade, then i stopped until sophomore year in high school. at that time, i couldnt say i completely forgot how to read sheet music, but i wasnt as skilled as i was before, and so i started playing by ear, and ive found out that there's more expression in oido (term for play by ear), since you've only got the chords to play with, and not really follow what's in the music sheet.

my advice, always practice, and have confidence. like i said, its an expression of you skill, you don't necessarily have to have music sheets to be able to play a piece or just a song. just a good ear will do. :)

Thanks. I'm extremely proficient with reading sheet music, but lately I've just put it away to practice by ear as you say. I bought a video course that is helping, but I'm just trying to find the TIME now! Thanks for the reply.