BIJAN TAGHAVI- PIANIST, COMPOSER, EDUCATOR
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  • 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?
    • 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
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    • Quotes
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Jazz Theory/Concepts- #3

How To Read a Jazz Chart- How To Read Music- Lead Sheet Notation- Chord Charts

Recap

Lesson how to read music in this jazz piano lesson explaining how to read a jazz chart. Lead sheets and chord chart in playing jazz music, so unlike classical music where the exact notation is provided, jazz only provides the basic skeleton of the tune which is up to you to further interpret. 

Bijan explains that you can completely ignore extra extensions and the extra goobly ga- such as add 13, #9, #11b13, ect- these are simply suggestions. This resembles when a school teacher assigns optional reading without any written homework due. You are not obliged to do it, and honestly don't have to- it would definitely help- but you aren't required to. Same in reading jazz charts: you can completely ignore indicators of 9ths, 11ths, 13ths, b5's, and specific voicings. 

Simply understand that these all stamp from either Major 7, Minor 7, or Dominant 7 chords- just keep this in mind and then interpret it however you want and add whatever extensions are pleasing to you and your ear. Advanced players may want look to the suggested voicings as ideas, and even beginner players may want to look to these as guides- but just remember that you can simply ignore that mess!

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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?
    • 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