BIJAN TAGHAVI- PIANIST, COMPOSER, EDUCATOR
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  • 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

Educator

1) 3 Piano Technique Tips For Non-Classically Trained Jazz Pianists!

In this lesson, I discuss 3 Piano Technique Tips for Non-Classically Trained Jazz Pianists that I learned from my mentor, Robert Estrin.

2) Kenny Barron Autumn Leaves Transcription Analysis

This is an Intermediate-Advanced Lesson in the General category and a sample from my exclusive lesson library for my private correspondence students. Transcription is an essential part of the learning process that puts all of our skills into context and can fill many holes in one's playing that may result from "book learning". There are so many gems to take away just from this 1-chorus: LH Voicings, rhythms, comping approaches, harmonic anticipations, Blues, Diminished, and Bebop lines, Line Adaptation, chordal movements, secondary dominants... the list goes on! 

3) Oscar Peterson Take The A Train Analysis - COMPING LANGUAGE

In this lesson, we focus on JAZZ PIANO COMPING LANGUAGE, extracting from Oscar Peterson's melody transcription on Take The A Train. After the full transcription analysis, I do what I call a "VISUAL STACKING ANALYSIS" - which is one of the best ways to analyze a transcription whereby we stack reoccuring sections throughout the transcription. This allows us to observe the similarities and differences in approach: in terms of comping rhythms, harmonic approach and voicings.
4) How To Create Inner Voice Motion - Advanced Jazz Harmony Lesson
In this lesson we will examine a slick movement over a "Ima7-VI7-iimi7" progression. This works great for tunes that start on the iimi7 chord, like "I Fall In Love Too Easily" or "Body and Soul".

By creating your own movements, t
his is a great way to: 1) Strengthen your harmonic knowledge, 2) Fill in holes in uncomfortable keys by transposing to your unfamiliar keys, 3) Apply them to tunes
5) Jazz Voicings Lesson: How To Create Chords From ANY Scale
​In this lesson, we discuss how to create chords from any scale. This is a breakthrough jazz voicings approach that will allow you to 1) create textures (control the density and spaciousness of voicings, and create clusters), 2) harmonize melodies, and 3) create movement (when comping and writing/arranging). 
6) Barry Harris Round Midnight Lesson: Chromatic Bass Reharm
In this lesson, we examine Barry Harris' reharmonization to the coda of Thelonious Monk's Round Midnight. He starts with a Ebmi/Bb and then reharmonizes by playing a chromatically ascending baseline and adjusting the chords to fit the melody & bass note.

7) Subtractions Practice Technique

In this lesson, I share with you a practice tip for multiple rhythmically independent parts I call "Subtractions". This is a powerful practice technique when dealing with syncopation and hand independence. In this lesson, I use Sting's Shape of My Heart as an example - but this can be useful when practicing any style that has multiple rhythmically independent voices: jazz, pop, and even classical music. This is applicable to pianists, drummers, vocalists who play and sing. ​

8) Rhythmic Approach for Jazz Improv: Changing Rates (Part 1)

This is an Advanced Improv Lesson where I give a 60-second overview of how to create rhythmically engaging improvisation by employing changing rates: alternating between eighth note, eighth note triplet, and sixteenth note phrases. In part 2, I demonstrate how to alternate rates within a single line. I delve much more in depth with this powerful skill in my studies.

9) How To Play Chick Corea's Matrix: Crossed Hands Piano Technique

This is an Advanced Lesson in the Repertoire category and a sample from my exclusive lesson library for my private correspondence students. 

10) 3 Altered Voicings for Jazz Piano

This is an Intermediate Lesson​ in the Theory/Harmony category and a sample from my exclusive lesson library for my private correspondence students.  

11) How To Create Beautiful Improv as a Beginner in 60 Seconds

This is a Beginner Lesson where I give a 60-second overview of how to create beautiful improvisation as a beginner using 3-note LH Chordal Patterns and Key Notes, Releases, and Melodic Textures in the RH. This is a 5-step process that I break down into 5-weeks in my studies.

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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