I have about a year of piano lessons under my belt, except those were many many years ago. I recently picked up the piano again, because I watched some very inspiring pianists online. Thus, I have been printing out the songs I wanted to play and learning them bit by bit.
I think my problem is that although I am learning the pieces, I'm not actually reading the music as I play. What basically happens is that I learn a bar, play it over and over again, and then muscle memory or something kicks in and I manage to play it without looking at music. In fact, I can't even play it while looking at the sheet, because my fingers end up hitting the wrong keys.
This method of learning feels wrong, as I've heard that one should be able to play without looking at ones hands. Does anyone have any similar experiences, or have any suggestions for how I should change my learning style?
Perhaps I should invest in some sight reading books and try those?