I thought you might be interested in this article about procedural memory.
This is what I believe, in my 14 years of experience of teaching this program, students are using when they put music into their fingers with no need for sheet music in front of them. It’s a bit like when you learnt how to drive a car. You didn’t need a set of notes to follow. You just followed the verbal instructions until it was automatic for you.
You could do it without thinking. This is similar to the memory you use to button your shirt, know which way to turn a door handle and find your way from point A to point B. Lessons here at Rhythm and Tunes Piano School extrapolate that same process onto the piano using the geography of the keyboard as a navigational system or map.
To learn more, email joanne@rhythmandtunes.com.au with your best contact number and I will be in touch!