BIJAN TAGHAVI- PIANIST, COMPOSER, EDUCATOR
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    • Bijan Taghavi >
      • Stella by Starlight (Solo Piano)
      • Body and Soul (Solo Piano)
      • Autumn Leaves (Solo Piano)
      • I Should Care (Solo Piano)
    • Bill Evans
    • Kenny Barron
    • Barry Harris
    • Hank Jones
    • Herbie Hancock
    • Oscar Peterson
  • Lesson Videos & PDFs
    • Comping >
      • Group Comping Voicings Overview
      • Jazz Piano Comping EXPLAINED!
      • Oscar Peterson Take The A Train Transcription Analysis
      • 2 Tips Comping For Vocalists
      • Chromatic Approach
      • LH Contrasting Texture (Body and Soul)
    • Harmony >
      • How to Get a Full Sound out of the Piano
      • 5 Inner Voice Movements on "I Should Care"
      • How to Create RH Counter-Melodies (Body and Soul)
      • 2 Ways to Use a Pedal Point
      • Create Chords From ANY Scale (Barry Harris)
      • How To Create Inner Voice Movement
      • How to REHARMONIZE Jazz Standards
      • Barry Harris Round Midnight Reharmonization
    • Improv >
      • Barry Harris Passport (Blues) Improv Analysis
      • Kenny Barron Autumn Leaves Melody Transcription Analysis
      • Rhythm Changes Improv Ideas (Bijan Transcription)
      • Rhythmic Motifs in Jazz Improvisation
      • Chordal Improvisation
      • Chordal Improvisation Part 2
      • Jazz Improv - How to Play OUTSIDE
      • How to Create LH Counterpoint (Body and Soul)
      • 2 Ways to Create LH Counterpoint (P.2)
      • Using Quotes in Jazz Improvisation (Quoting "A Love Supreme" on "How Deep Is The Ocean")
      • Jazz Improv Tip: DEVELOP Your Ideas (2 Melodic Motifs on "Esau")
      • Modal Solo on min7b5 (from "It Always Happens")
      • Using Shapes in Jazz Improv
      • How to Use the Melody in Your Improvisation
      • Watch What Made Rodney Whitaker "Swink"
      • How to Outline Chord Changes (Improv on "Autumn Leaves")
      • 16th Note Improv Lines over "Autumn Leaves"
      • Soloing in 3/4 on "Autumn Leaves"
      • How to STOP Playing the Same Licks in Your Jazz Solos
      • 5 Octaves in 5 Seconds with this KILLER Run
      • What is Over the Barline Phrasing in Jazz Improvisation?
      • How to Use Theme & Variation like Kenny Barron
    • Rhythm >
      • The SECRET To Making Stride Piano Swing
      • Polymeters EXPLAINED (Superimposing 3 over 4)
      • Improvising over Changing Time Signatures (over Ahmad Jamal's "Crossfire)
      • Rhythmic Telepathy PART 6 ("Secret Love" arr. Bijan Taghavi Trio)
      • Rhythmic Telepathy PART 7 (Superimposing 3 in 4 on "End of a Love Affair")
      • Jazz Slang P.2 - Double Time Feel EXPLAINED
      • Metric Modulation over "Autumn Leaves" (Part 1: 4 to 3)
      • Metric Modulation over "Autumn Leaves" (Part 2: 3 to 4)
    • Piano Orchestration >
      • 3 Ways to Orchestrate A Melody ("Asojano" from TrioGram)
      • Orchestrating A Melody P.2 ("Esau" from TrioGram)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Autumn Leaves)
    • Piano Technique >
      • 3 Parts of the Body
      • 2 Reasons Why You MUST Strike From The Surface of the Keys
      • How to Bring Out the Melody in Your Playing
      • SECRET Practice Exercise for Voicing Control
      • How to Use Dynamics to Create Drama
      • How to End a Song Quietly
      • 3 Piano Technique Tips - Lessons From Robert Estrin
      • How to Play FAST
      • Subtractions Practice Technique (for Syncopation & Hand Independence)
      • Crossed-Hands Piano Technique (Chick Corea's Matrix)
    • Composition/Arranging >
      • 3 Ways to Use Counterpoint in Jazz
      • 3 Tips When Composing an AABA Tune
      • Jazz Trio Intro EXPLAINED
      • Ahmad Jamal Ending Chords
      • Inspired by Ahmad Jamal's Poinciana ("Secret Love" arr. Bijan Taghavi Japan Trio)
      • How to Fade Out (Ending to "Secret Love")
  • Press
    • Interviews
    • Quotes
    • EPK
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2 Reasons Why You MUST Strike from the Surface of the Keys


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In this lesson, we discuss 2 Reasons Why You MUST Strike From The Surface of the Keys when playing the piano.

1) Arms: When playing big chords with the arms, playing from the surface of the keys and lean with the WEIGHT of the arm. As my mentor Robert Estrin would say, “producing more volume is simply a matter of producing more energy in the point of attack – not by striking the keys harder from above”.

If you strike from above with the arms, you will get a very harsh slapping sound. But by keeping in contact with the key and releasing energy to the bottom of the key-bed with strength, you will get a big, while warm and beautiful, sound.

​2) Fingers: When playing with the fingers, you must keep in close contact with the keys in order to achieve the speed or accuracy required at a faster tempo.

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  • About
  • Media
    • TRIOGRAM CD
    • Pianist
    • Educator
    • Composer/Arranger
    • Articles
  • Calendar
    • Upcoming Performances
    • Past Performances
  • Educator
    • Video Exchange Lessons
    • Testimonials
  • Transcriptions
    • Bijan Taghavi >
      • Stella by Starlight (Solo Piano)
      • Body and Soul (Solo Piano)
      • Autumn Leaves (Solo Piano)
      • I Should Care (Solo Piano)
    • Bill Evans
    • Kenny Barron
    • Barry Harris
    • Hank Jones
    • Herbie Hancock
    • Oscar Peterson
  • Lesson Videos & PDFs
    • Comping >
      • Group Comping Voicings Overview
      • Jazz Piano Comping EXPLAINED!
      • Oscar Peterson Take The A Train Transcription Analysis
      • 2 Tips Comping For Vocalists
      • Chromatic Approach
      • LH Contrasting Texture (Body and Soul)
    • Harmony >
      • How to Get a Full Sound out of the Piano
      • 5 Inner Voice Movements on "I Should Care"
      • How to Create RH Counter-Melodies (Body and Soul)
      • 2 Ways to Use a Pedal Point
      • Create Chords From ANY Scale (Barry Harris)
      • How To Create Inner Voice Movement
      • How to REHARMONIZE Jazz Standards
      • Barry Harris Round Midnight Reharmonization
    • Improv >
      • Barry Harris Passport (Blues) Improv Analysis
      • Kenny Barron Autumn Leaves Melody Transcription Analysis
      • Rhythm Changes Improv Ideas (Bijan Transcription)
      • Rhythmic Motifs in Jazz Improvisation
      • Chordal Improvisation
      • Chordal Improvisation Part 2
      • Jazz Improv - How to Play OUTSIDE
      • How to Create LH Counterpoint (Body and Soul)
      • 2 Ways to Create LH Counterpoint (P.2)
      • Using Quotes in Jazz Improvisation (Quoting "A Love Supreme" on "How Deep Is The Ocean")
      • Jazz Improv Tip: DEVELOP Your Ideas (2 Melodic Motifs on "Esau")
      • Modal Solo on min7b5 (from "It Always Happens")
      • Using Shapes in Jazz Improv
      • How to Use the Melody in Your Improvisation
      • Watch What Made Rodney Whitaker "Swink"
      • How to Outline Chord Changes (Improv on "Autumn Leaves")
      • 16th Note Improv Lines over "Autumn Leaves"
      • Soloing in 3/4 on "Autumn Leaves"
      • How to STOP Playing the Same Licks in Your Jazz Solos
      • 5 Octaves in 5 Seconds with this KILLER Run
      • What is Over the Barline Phrasing in Jazz Improvisation?
      • How to Use Theme & Variation like Kenny Barron
    • Rhythm >
      • The SECRET To Making Stride Piano Swing
      • Polymeters EXPLAINED (Superimposing 3 over 4)
      • Improvising over Changing Time Signatures (over Ahmad Jamal's "Crossfire)
      • Rhythmic Telepathy PART 6 ("Secret Love" arr. Bijan Taghavi Trio)
      • Rhythmic Telepathy PART 7 (Superimposing 3 in 4 on "End of a Love Affair")
      • Jazz Slang P.2 - Double Time Feel EXPLAINED
      • Metric Modulation over "Autumn Leaves" (Part 1: 4 to 3)
      • Metric Modulation over "Autumn Leaves" (Part 2: 3 to 4)
    • Piano Orchestration >
      • 3 Ways to Orchestrate A Melody ("Asojano" from TrioGram)
      • Orchestrating A Melody P.2 ("Esau" from TrioGram)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Autumn Leaves)
    • Piano Technique >
      • 3 Parts of the Body
      • 2 Reasons Why You MUST Strike From The Surface of the Keys
      • How to Bring Out the Melody in Your Playing
      • SECRET Practice Exercise for Voicing Control
      • How to Use Dynamics to Create Drama
      • How to End a Song Quietly
      • 3 Piano Technique Tips - Lessons From Robert Estrin
      • How to Play FAST
      • Subtractions Practice Technique (for Syncopation & Hand Independence)
      • Crossed-Hands Piano Technique (Chick Corea's Matrix)
    • Composition/Arranging >
      • 3 Ways to Use Counterpoint in Jazz
      • 3 Tips When Composing an AABA Tune
      • Jazz Trio Intro EXPLAINED
      • Ahmad Jamal Ending Chords
      • Inspired by Ahmad Jamal's Poinciana ("Secret Love" arr. Bijan Taghavi Japan Trio)
      • How to Fade Out (Ending to "Secret Love")
  • Press
    • Interviews
    • Quotes
    • EPK
  • Contact