BIJAN TAGHAVI- PIANIST, COMPOSER, EDUCATOR
  • About
  • Media
    • CACTUS SESSIONS CD
    • Pianist
    • Educator
    • Composer/Arranger
    • Articles
  • Calendar
    • Upcoming Performances
    • Past Performances
  • Educator
    • Video Exchange Lessons
  • Transcriptions
    • Bijan Taghavi >
      • Stella by Starlight (Solo Piano)
      • Body and Soul (Solo Piano)
      • Autumn Leaves (Solo Piano)
      • I Should Care (Solo Piano)
      • Have You Met Miss Jones (Solo Piano)
      • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Solo Piano)
      • Ask Me Now (Solo Piano)
      • Wave (Solo Piano)
      • East of the Sun (Solo Piano)
      • Everything Happens to Me (Solo Piano)
      • Girl From Ipanema (Solo Piano)
      • I Fall in Love Too Easily (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)
      • Comping over Rhythm Changes (for a Bass Solo)
      • The Secrets to Walking Basslines on Piano
      • Funky Bassline
      • LH Comping Approach for Solo Piano
    • Comping P.2 >
      • Comping Fill over Just Friends
      • Develop Your Rhythmic Vocabulary to Create Interplay (Bb Blues Comping)
      • Bossa Nova Duo Comping
      • Exchanging Ideas When Comping over a Ballad
      • LH Sweeping Texture on "Ask Me Now"
      • SECRET To Playing Bossa Nova Solo Piano
      • How Listening Fuels CREATIVITY
      • Why Your Left Hand is Failing You and How to Fix It (4 LH Comping Techniques over "Pent Up House")
    • Harmony >
      • How to Harmonize a Melody with 2 Voices
      • Inverted Pedal Point on Rhythm Changes
      • How to Jazzify the Living Pianos Theme Song
      • 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
    • Harmony P.2 >
      • Barry Harris Round Midnight Reharmonization
      • 3 Inner Voice Movements for a dom7 chord
      • How to Use Barry Harris' "Diminished Notes"
      • Solo Piano Rubato Intro on "Days of Wine and Roses"
      • Let Your Melodies Dictate Your Chords (Solo Piano Rubato Intro P.2)
      • How to Harmonize Every Melody Note with a New Chord
      • 3 Inner Voice Movements on "Wave"
      • 3 Ways to Create Motion
      • The SECRET to Creating LH Counterpoint like Bill Evans
      • Do You Know the Original Chord Changes to "Wave"?
    • Harmony P.3 >
      • How to Use Pedal Points (Part 1)
      • How to Use Pedal Points (Part 2)
      • 2 Ways to Use Pedal Points
      • Swing Like Bach: Contrary Motion in Your Improv
      • This Tritone Sub Got a 'Woo' From My Drummer!
      • How to Pass Voices Through the Thumbs like Bach (Lesson from Fred Hersch)
      • Do You Know this SECRET Tension Chord?
      • 6 Chord Substitutions & Inner-Voice Movements
      • How to Use Contrary Motion ala Bach & Bill Evans
      • How to Use Contrary Motion P.2 ala Fred Hersch
    • 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")
    • Improv P.2 >
      • 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
    • Improv P.3 >
      • What is Over the Barline Phrasing in Jazz Improvisation?
      • How to Use Theme & Variation like Kenny Barron
      • Modal Solo on Cmin7 (from "Crossfire")
      • Use This Motif When Improvising in 3/4!
      • 2 Ways to Use Triplets in Your Improvisations
      • 3 Ways to Approach the Bridge of Rhythm Changes
      • How to Use Shapes to Achieve New Sounds in Your Improvisations
      • Jazz Improv Tip: DEVELOP Your Ideas P.7 (I Fall in Love Too Easily)
      • How to Play Bluesy over Non-Blues Chord Changes
      • What are Red Garland Block Chords?
    • Improv P.4 >
      • Repetition in Improvisation
      • How to Use 16th Notes in Your Jazz Solos (Days of Wine and Roses)
      • How to Adapt Improv Shapes to Fit Over New Chords (Days of Wine and Roses)
      • 3 Tips to Take Your 16th Note Lines to the Next Level
      • Chordal Improvisation Part 3
      • 3 Ways to Sound Like McCoy Tyner
      • Use this Shape to End Your Phrases
      • Chordal Improvisation Part 4
      • What are New Orleans Block Chords?
      • 3 Tips for Soloing in 3/4
    • Improv P.5 >
      • How to Build Your Solo Using Motifs
      • Stop Time
      • 16th Note Line EXPLAINED (Have You Met Miss Jones)
      • 3 Substitutions over a 36251
      • Building a Jazz Solo
      • How to Play Fast Like Bud Powell
      • Up-Tempo Improv over "Donna Lee"
      • Playing the Blues
      • How to Start Your Solo
      • How to Interact with the Drums While Soloing
    • Improv P.6 >
      • Piano + Drums Duo?
      • The SECRET to Fluid Improvisation in 3/4
      • The Power of ACCENTS
      • How to Use This Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk Improv Shape
      • The Piano is an Orchestra
      • The SECRET To Channeling McCoy Tyner
      • The Importance of DANGER in Improvisation?
      • The SECRET to Playing Fast Bebop Lines like Oscar Peterson
      • TASTEFUL Chordal Improvisation on "Wave"
      • The SECRET to Spontaneity in Jazz Improvisation
    • Improv P.7 >
      • 6 Ways to Create Tension-Release
      • 3 Ways to Create Your Own Jazz Lines!
      • Regular 2-5-1 vs Sidestep 2-5-1
      • Jazz Improv Tip: Get the Drummer Involved!
      • Jazz Improv Tip: Develop Your Ideas P.14
      • Interlocking Polychords
      • 2 SECRETS to Playing Fast Runs (Ala Mulgrew & Herbie)
      • Improv Analysis on "I'll Remember April"
      • Use Monk Clusters to Create HIP Phrasing
      • Take Your Phrasing to the NEXT LEVEL with this Simple Trick!
    • Improv P.8 >
      • How to Improvise on a SOLO BREAK
      • Jazz Improv Tip: Get the Drummer Involved (P.2)
      • Use Polychords to Create Harmonically RICH Improvisation
      • UNLOCK Up-Tempo Improv with Pentatonic Permutations
      • Keep Your Ideas Going to Achieve FLOW in Your Improvisation
    • Rhythm >
      • Polyrhythm vs Polymeter EXPLAINED
      • How to Create Rhythmic Tension in 3/4
      • 2 Ways to Create Rhythm Section Interplay (Rhythmic Telepathy Part 8)
      • Soloing on an E Minor Blues in 12/8
      • 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")
    • Rhythm P.2 >
      • 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)
      • Playing in 2 vs in 4 (Part 2)
      • Half Time vs Double Time ("Here's That Rainy Day")
      • How to "Set Up" The Band
      • Metric Modulation on Have You Met Miss Jones
      • How to Swing
      • Communication on the Bandstand
      • Piano + Bass Rhythmic & Harmonic Telepathy (Part 10)
    • Rhythm P.3 >
      • How to Create Rhythmic Interest on a Ballad
      • Metric Modulation over "Ask Me Now" (Part 1: 4 to 3)
      • Metric Modulation over "Ask Me Now" (Part 2: 3 to 4)
      • CRAZY Rhythmic Technique Creates Piano+Drums Connection
      • INSANE Trio Interplay (Starting & Stopping the Time)
      • 3 Levels of Jazz Basslines
      • CRAZ Duo Interplay (Piano+Bass)
      • 3 Ways to Connect with the Drummer in Your Jazz Solos
    • Rhythm P.4 >
      • 2 Rhythmic Feels on a Ballad
      • How Quoting Jazz Standards Can Create Piano+Drums Connections
      • Metric Modulation on a Jazz Ballad
      • Metric Modulation on "Everything Happens to Me" (3 to 4)
      • Bossa Nova Rhythmic Language You MUST KNOW!
      • Jazz Rhythmic Language You MUST KNOW!
      • 2 Bossa Nova Rhythmic Hits You MUST KNOW!
    • Rhythm P.5 >
      • How Listening Sparks MAGICAL Trio Interplay on "I'll Be Seeing You"
      • Jazz Rhythmic Language You MUST KNOW! (Part 2)
    • 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)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (I Fall in Love Too Easily)
      • PAINT: How to Orchestrate a Melody for a Ballad (Here's That Rainy Day)
    • Piano Orchestration P.2 >
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Have You Met Miss Jones)
      • How to Add Colors in Your Playing
      • 3 Ways to Fill When Orchestrating
      • What is Inner Tonal Movement?
      • Using the Bottom of the RH to Fill
      • Stride Piano SECRETS on "East of the Sun"
    • Piano Orchestration P.3 >
      • How to Orchestrate a Rubato Ballad (Everything Happens to Me)
      • How to Orchestrate an In-Time Ballad (Everything Happens to Me)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Girl From Ipanema)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Girl From Ipanema PART 2)
      • 4 Ways to Create Motion
      • The MOST Important Thing When Orchestrating a Rubato Melody (It's Not What You Think!)
    • Intros/Outros >
      • Jazz Trio Intro EXPLAINED
      • Ahmad Jamal Ending Chords
      • How to End a Song Quietly
      • How to Fade Out (Ending to "Secret Love")
      • The CRAZIEST Cadenza You've Ever Heard
      • How to End a Ballad with a Solo Piano Cadenza ("Here's That Rainy Day")
    • Intros/Outros P.2 >
      • The Magic of Circle of 5ths Endings
      • Classic Ending for Any Jazz Standard (#4 Ending)
      • How to Create an Elegant Intro ("Wave")
      • Ending Wave with a Reharmonized Cadenza
      • MUST KNOW Chord Progression to Create a Classic Jazz Intro
      • BLUES OUT on a 3625 Progression
      • Solo Piano Rubato Intro on "East of the Sun"
    • Intros/Outros P.3 >
      • Girl From Ipanema Vamp Intro Breakdown
      • Girl From Ipanema Reharmonized Ending
      • What if the First Chord is the ii?
    • 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
    • Piano Technique P.2 >
      • 3 Piano Technique Tips - Lessons From Robert Estrin
      • How to Play FAST
      • Subtractions Practice Technique (for Syncopation & Hand Independence)
    • Composition/Arranging >
      • 3 Ways to Use Counterpoint in Jazz
      • 3 Tips When Composing an AABA Tune
      • Inspired by Ahmad Jamal's Poinciana ("Secret Love" arr. Bijan Taghavi Japan Trio)
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    • EPK
  • Contact

Video Exchange Lessons
ft. Personalized Feedback & Assignments (with reference PDFs)​

​“A customized learning experience!” 

I am now accepting a limited amount of students via my unique Video Exchange Lessons. This system is much more effective than in-person or zoom lessons. The Video Exchange Lessons combine the best of the live lesson experience with the best of an online course by including detailed feedback on your submissions as well as customized assignments, which include reference videos and PDFs. This is an experience and delivery not seen in the instructional marketplace. Email me directly if you're interested or to set up a FREE ZOOM meeting and lesson assessment where I can answer any questions about how the Video Exchange Lessons work.
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BI-WEEKLY - $250/month
This is my most elite offering which will contain a full 2 weeks worth of lesson material. One can expect to receive maximum growth when using this program. Every 2 weeks you will submit your assignments by Monday morning (via YouTube link or Google Drive/Dropbox files) and by the Wednesday of that week I will send you a personalized 15 minute feedback video as well as additional assignment videos & PDFs from my library to match the lesson content. As a student working with this program, I am available for you via email with any questions you may have while practicing. We will become great friends as we work together and I can assure you full personal involvement with loads of information.

MONTHLY - $125/month
This plan works exactly like the bi-weekly plan however it is allowing more time to pass between lessons for those exceptionally busy people who want to make the piano a part of their lives but may have work or personal things that may not allow bi-weekly corresponding.

How It Works

FREE CONSULTATION & ASSESSMENT: 
I offer a free consultation to anybody interested in the Video Exchange Lesson system. I can answer any questions you may have about the system, assess your level and learn about your musical background & goals during this meeting. All levels accepted from beginner to professional musician. 

PREPARE THE LESSON: 
I then prepare your personally designed lesson. 

BIJAN EMAILS YOU THE LESSON:
I then email out your entire lesson with videos of me playing all the content assigned to you. Your lesson consists of: 
  1. A personalized video where I am speaking to you directly (15 mins in length). This is where I will highlight the lesson content, critique your submission playing and answer all your questions. 
  2. Assignment Videos & PDFs. Each lesson will contain an assignment in each of the 4 areas: harmony, repertoire, improv and general

YOU PRACTICE:
You have 1 or 2 lessons per month. Practice as little or as much as you wish. Each month your workload may be lengthened or shortened at any time depending on your schedule. 


RECORD YOUR LESSON: 
Maximum submission 15 minutes in length. Email me your video submissions of the assigned material. Feel free to ask specific questions as well.

BIJAN LISTENS/CRITIQUES and CREATES YOUR LESSON:
Upon receiving your submissions, I listen to your entire recording and personally design your next lesson that is best suited to you. 

The Benefits

MORE CONVENIENT 
You never have to leave your home. Unlike an in-person lesson there is no fighting traffic and unlike a live zoom lesson there is no moving schedules to conform around lesson times. You are now able to have a professional pianist work personally with you in the comfort of your own home.

MORE FLEXIBLE 
Feel free to practice as you find the time as little or as much as you wish. Again, you have the ability to have that lesson over and over again, a luxury any musician would love to have. This is what sets this method apart! It is far superior to an in-person or live lesson.

MORE THOROUGH 
The Video Exchange Lessons System is more comprehensive than a live lesson could ever be. To watch your instructor play your entire lesson for you as well as having explicit detailed exercise PDF handouts would take a full day lesson. You now have both valuable resources available for your constant review, over and over again.

MORE AFFORDABLE

At only $125/month, the Monthly Video Exchange Lessons are much more affordable and more effective than weekly live piano lessons that may cost upwards of $75-$150/week.

IN CLOSING
This is an experience and delivery not seen in the instructional marketplace. Through this method, I determine where you’re at on your musical path and develop a step-by-step plan that systematically builds on top of each other. You’ll work hard, but you’ll never feel overwhelmed or lost. You get to experience the best of the live lesson experience with the best of an online course by including videos and PDFs from my library to match all the lesson content. And if you have questions, I am only an email away. ​

Testimonials

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"I love my lessons with Bijan! The video correspondence format works great and each lesson is loaded with skills to work on, and tailored just for me. The lessons are well organized, and Bijan is always positive, encouraging and quick to answer any questions I might have along the way.  Highly recommend lessons with him!"

- Carrie Selbee (Michigan)

​- Professional Pianist and Director of River City Music School

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"As an avid jazz enthusiast from a classical background, Bijan's jazz piano lessons have been transformative for me. Bijan combines a multitude of essential components like repertoire, improvisation, transcriptions, and most importantly, the language of jazz, into each lesson; something you just can’t learn from a book! The flexibility of correspondence lessons ensures I can learn at my own pace while still having the guidance and accountability of a personal teacher, and his teaching is high-quality tailor-made instruction to meet the individual needs of his students. As an active jazz pianist, he integrates real-world experiences into his lessons, sharing performances and insights from his peers, while staying accessible students and available to guide their work during the week."

​- Dr. Benjamin Corbin (Virginia) 

- Assistant Professor of Piano and Collaborative Arts, Christopher Newport University

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"Bijan's lessons are the ultimate balance of customization and convenience. The instruction is focused on exactly what I need next, but it's delivered in a way that lets me learn at my pace and on my schedule. His blend of challenge and encouragement motivates me to reach the next level. A top-notch learning experience!"

- Ben Jackson (Washington D.C.)

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​"Bijan is a gifted and passionate pianist and teacher.  I have studied with Bijan for almost three years, have made great progress, and appreciate Bijan's attention to understanding my individual learning needs.  He is consistently patient and encouraging.  His teaching material is understandable and workable and keeps me motivated and inspired.  If I have a question he also readily responds with a detailed answer.  The correspondence/video format is the best and has advantages over in-person lessons.  I can always go back and review the videos after initially viewing them and often find reviewing the videos again after I have worked on the lesson material for a while a plus.  I can always access the previous lessons and pdf's as well. I think of Bijan as my portable teacher as I made a cross country move a year and a half ago and was still able to continue lessons. I started lessons with minimal jazz piano skills and more experience playing jazz on another instrument for over a decade, so I had to spend time working on the basics.  Bijan made sure that I did not have holes in my playing with his ongoing attention to detail.  Now I am playing at jam sessions and starting to play out more.  I am very grateful that Bijan is my jazz piano teacher."

- Janette Greene (Pittsburgh, PA)

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"I feel very fortunate to be a student in Bijan‘s Personal Correspondence Lessons. The format he has developed for teaching Jazz Piano is unique in the field and works well for the student interested in working independently with the aid of a very knowledgeable instructor. Bijan brings with him a very strong skill set in all areas of both the theory and application of Jazz Piano. His lessons are very thorough and his knowledge is constantly shining through. The lessons are extremely organized with each one containing personalized videos, and accompanying PDF downloads, which include both Theory and Sheet Music applications. When you submit your videos to him, he responds with a totally personalized lesson. His vast knowledge and experience in teaching allows him to tailor each lesson to the correct level that you are at or should be progressing to. There is no cookie cutter approach whatsoever, and the time element that he spends on each lesson is extremely evident. It is obvious that Bijan loves sharing his knowledge and I strongly recommend studying with him should you wish to move ahead with your Jazz Piano abilities and enjoyment."

​- Ron Meador (New York, NY)

- Physical Therapist

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"I have studied with many different jazz piano teachers in the past, but Bijan is absolutely the best teacher I've ever had! Bijan is good at detecting what I need to work on and knows exactly what kind of practice helps me improve it. Also, I've never met any teachers as organized as Bijan. Bijan's assignments are well balanced and cover various categories that jazz piano players need to learn; repertoire, improvisation, harmony, and more. Each assignment comes with a professionally edited video and a PDF file. I can access all the videos and PDF files Bijan shared with me. That allows me to review old assignments anytime. Bijan always gets back to me with detailed and personalized feedback. Many times I felt like 'Wow, I never noticed that for years!' or 'None of my other teachers pointed that out!' I truly feel lucky to be able to study with Bijan."

- Yuki Shibata (New York, NY)

​- Professional Pianist & Educator

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My name is Glody Singa, I am a pianist in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I had always wanted to learn jazz piano, but until now I hadn't found a teaching method that suited me perfectly. Knowing that most pianists who offer the same services will lean more towards a one-to-one system, which is fine, but in terms of assimilation it can take longer. That's how I came across Bijan's page. His way of teaching is just great and suited my schedule and my ability to assimilate the lessons. Bijan is a very good teacher. His lessons are very well explained and easy to understand, especially as they are accompanied by a pdf that allows me to perfect my acquired notions. I used to have trouble with jazz improvisation, but thanks to him I'm doing really well. I can finally say I'm a jazz pianist.

- Glody Singa (Democratic Republic of Congo)

- 
Math & Statistic Analyst

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Before I started working with Bijan, I struggled to find a viable pathway for learning jazz piano.  Despite nearly two decades of classical piano training and self-study, I was forced to acknowledge that jazz was simply too complex for me to learn on my own.  Bijan's method is logically progressive, and in the 12 short months that we have worked together, my grasp of jazz harmony and improvisation has greatly improved.  Bijan's iterative approach to teaching ensures that you, as a student, master foundational concepts and receive customized lesson plans based on your current skill level so that you're always trending towards mastery.  Bijan's mentorship has greatly amplified my confidence as an aspiring jazz pianist, and I can proudly say that he's the best piano teacher I've ever had. 

​-Nick Joslin (North Carolina)

- Nuclear Engineer

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  • About
  • Media
    • CACTUS SESSIONS CD
    • Pianist
    • Educator
    • Composer/Arranger
    • Articles
  • Calendar
    • Upcoming Performances
    • Past Performances
  • Educator
    • Video Exchange Lessons
  • Transcriptions
    • Bijan Taghavi >
      • Stella by Starlight (Solo Piano)
      • Body and Soul (Solo Piano)
      • Autumn Leaves (Solo Piano)
      • I Should Care (Solo Piano)
      • Have You Met Miss Jones (Solo Piano)
      • Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Solo Piano)
      • Ask Me Now (Solo Piano)
      • Wave (Solo Piano)
      • East of the Sun (Solo Piano)
      • Everything Happens to Me (Solo Piano)
      • Girl From Ipanema (Solo Piano)
      • I Fall in Love Too Easily (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)
      • Comping over Rhythm Changes (for a Bass Solo)
      • The Secrets to Walking Basslines on Piano
      • Funky Bassline
      • LH Comping Approach for Solo Piano
    • Comping P.2 >
      • Comping Fill over Just Friends
      • Develop Your Rhythmic Vocabulary to Create Interplay (Bb Blues Comping)
      • Bossa Nova Duo Comping
      • Exchanging Ideas When Comping over a Ballad
      • LH Sweeping Texture on "Ask Me Now"
      • SECRET To Playing Bossa Nova Solo Piano
      • How Listening Fuels CREATIVITY
      • Why Your Left Hand is Failing You and How to Fix It (4 LH Comping Techniques over "Pent Up House")
    • Harmony >
      • How to Harmonize a Melody with 2 Voices
      • Inverted Pedal Point on Rhythm Changes
      • How to Jazzify the Living Pianos Theme Song
      • 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
    • Harmony P.2 >
      • Barry Harris Round Midnight Reharmonization
      • 3 Inner Voice Movements for a dom7 chord
      • How to Use Barry Harris' "Diminished Notes"
      • Solo Piano Rubato Intro on "Days of Wine and Roses"
      • Let Your Melodies Dictate Your Chords (Solo Piano Rubato Intro P.2)
      • How to Harmonize Every Melody Note with a New Chord
      • 3 Inner Voice Movements on "Wave"
      • 3 Ways to Create Motion
      • The SECRET to Creating LH Counterpoint like Bill Evans
      • Do You Know the Original Chord Changes to "Wave"?
    • Harmony P.3 >
      • How to Use Pedal Points (Part 1)
      • How to Use Pedal Points (Part 2)
      • 2 Ways to Use Pedal Points
      • Swing Like Bach: Contrary Motion in Your Improv
      • This Tritone Sub Got a 'Woo' From My Drummer!
      • How to Pass Voices Through the Thumbs like Bach (Lesson from Fred Hersch)
      • Do You Know this SECRET Tension Chord?
      • 6 Chord Substitutions & Inner-Voice Movements
      • How to Use Contrary Motion ala Bach & Bill Evans
      • How to Use Contrary Motion P.2 ala Fred Hersch
    • 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")
    • Improv P.2 >
      • 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
    • Improv P.3 >
      • What is Over the Barline Phrasing in Jazz Improvisation?
      • How to Use Theme & Variation like Kenny Barron
      • Modal Solo on Cmin7 (from "Crossfire")
      • Use This Motif When Improvising in 3/4!
      • 2 Ways to Use Triplets in Your Improvisations
      • 3 Ways to Approach the Bridge of Rhythm Changes
      • How to Use Shapes to Achieve New Sounds in Your Improvisations
      • Jazz Improv Tip: DEVELOP Your Ideas P.7 (I Fall in Love Too Easily)
      • How to Play Bluesy over Non-Blues Chord Changes
      • What are Red Garland Block Chords?
    • Improv P.4 >
      • Repetition in Improvisation
      • How to Use 16th Notes in Your Jazz Solos (Days of Wine and Roses)
      • How to Adapt Improv Shapes to Fit Over New Chords (Days of Wine and Roses)
      • 3 Tips to Take Your 16th Note Lines to the Next Level
      • Chordal Improvisation Part 3
      • 3 Ways to Sound Like McCoy Tyner
      • Use this Shape to End Your Phrases
      • Chordal Improvisation Part 4
      • What are New Orleans Block Chords?
      • 3 Tips for Soloing in 3/4
    • Improv P.5 >
      • How to Build Your Solo Using Motifs
      • Stop Time
      • 16th Note Line EXPLAINED (Have You Met Miss Jones)
      • 3 Substitutions over a 36251
      • Building a Jazz Solo
      • How to Play Fast Like Bud Powell
      • Up-Tempo Improv over "Donna Lee"
      • Playing the Blues
      • How to Start Your Solo
      • How to Interact with the Drums While Soloing
    • Improv P.6 >
      • Piano + Drums Duo?
      • The SECRET to Fluid Improvisation in 3/4
      • The Power of ACCENTS
      • How to Use This Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk Improv Shape
      • The Piano is an Orchestra
      • The SECRET To Channeling McCoy Tyner
      • The Importance of DANGER in Improvisation?
      • The SECRET to Playing Fast Bebop Lines like Oscar Peterson
      • TASTEFUL Chordal Improvisation on "Wave"
      • The SECRET to Spontaneity in Jazz Improvisation
    • Improv P.7 >
      • 6 Ways to Create Tension-Release
      • 3 Ways to Create Your Own Jazz Lines!
      • Regular 2-5-1 vs Sidestep 2-5-1
      • Jazz Improv Tip: Get the Drummer Involved!
      • Jazz Improv Tip: Develop Your Ideas P.14
      • Interlocking Polychords
      • 2 SECRETS to Playing Fast Runs (Ala Mulgrew & Herbie)
      • Improv Analysis on "I'll Remember April"
      • Use Monk Clusters to Create HIP Phrasing
      • Take Your Phrasing to the NEXT LEVEL with this Simple Trick!
    • Improv P.8 >
      • How to Improvise on a SOLO BREAK
      • Jazz Improv Tip: Get the Drummer Involved (P.2)
      • Use Polychords to Create Harmonically RICH Improvisation
      • UNLOCK Up-Tempo Improv with Pentatonic Permutations
      • Keep Your Ideas Going to Achieve FLOW in Your Improvisation
    • Rhythm >
      • Polyrhythm vs Polymeter EXPLAINED
      • How to Create Rhythmic Tension in 3/4
      • 2 Ways to Create Rhythm Section Interplay (Rhythmic Telepathy Part 8)
      • Soloing on an E Minor Blues in 12/8
      • 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")
    • Rhythm P.2 >
      • 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)
      • Playing in 2 vs in 4 (Part 2)
      • Half Time vs Double Time ("Here's That Rainy Day")
      • How to "Set Up" The Band
      • Metric Modulation on Have You Met Miss Jones
      • How to Swing
      • Communication on the Bandstand
      • Piano + Bass Rhythmic & Harmonic Telepathy (Part 10)
    • Rhythm P.3 >
      • How to Create Rhythmic Interest on a Ballad
      • Metric Modulation over "Ask Me Now" (Part 1: 4 to 3)
      • Metric Modulation over "Ask Me Now" (Part 2: 3 to 4)
      • CRAZY Rhythmic Technique Creates Piano+Drums Connection
      • INSANE Trio Interplay (Starting & Stopping the Time)
      • 3 Levels of Jazz Basslines
      • CRAZ Duo Interplay (Piano+Bass)
      • 3 Ways to Connect with the Drummer in Your Jazz Solos
    • Rhythm P.4 >
      • 2 Rhythmic Feels on a Ballad
      • How Quoting Jazz Standards Can Create Piano+Drums Connections
      • Metric Modulation on a Jazz Ballad
      • Metric Modulation on "Everything Happens to Me" (3 to 4)
      • Bossa Nova Rhythmic Language You MUST KNOW!
      • Jazz Rhythmic Language You MUST KNOW!
      • 2 Bossa Nova Rhythmic Hits You MUST KNOW!
    • Rhythm P.5 >
      • How Listening Sparks MAGICAL Trio Interplay on "I'll Be Seeing You"
      • Jazz Rhythmic Language You MUST KNOW! (Part 2)
    • 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)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (I Fall in Love Too Easily)
      • PAINT: How to Orchestrate a Melody for a Ballad (Here's That Rainy Day)
    • Piano Orchestration P.2 >
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Have You Met Miss Jones)
      • How to Add Colors in Your Playing
      • 3 Ways to Fill When Orchestrating
      • What is Inner Tonal Movement?
      • Using the Bottom of the RH to Fill
      • Stride Piano SECRETS on "East of the Sun"
    • Piano Orchestration P.3 >
      • How to Orchestrate a Rubato Ballad (Everything Happens to Me)
      • How to Orchestrate an In-Time Ballad (Everything Happens to Me)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Girl From Ipanema)
      • How to Orchestrate a Melody for Solo Piano (Girl From Ipanema PART 2)
      • 4 Ways to Create Motion
      • The MOST Important Thing When Orchestrating a Rubato Melody (It's Not What You Think!)
    • Intros/Outros >
      • Jazz Trio Intro EXPLAINED
      • Ahmad Jamal Ending Chords
      • How to End a Song Quietly
      • How to Fade Out (Ending to "Secret Love")
      • The CRAZIEST Cadenza You've Ever Heard
      • How to End a Ballad with a Solo Piano Cadenza ("Here's That Rainy Day")
    • Intros/Outros P.2 >
      • The Magic of Circle of 5ths Endings
      • Classic Ending for Any Jazz Standard (#4 Ending)
      • How to Create an Elegant Intro ("Wave")
      • Ending Wave with a Reharmonized Cadenza
      • MUST KNOW Chord Progression to Create a Classic Jazz Intro
      • BLUES OUT on a 3625 Progression
      • Solo Piano Rubato Intro on "East of the Sun"
    • Intros/Outros P.3 >
      • Girl From Ipanema Vamp Intro Breakdown
      • Girl From Ipanema Reharmonized Ending
      • What if the First Chord is the ii?
    • 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
    • Piano Technique P.2 >
      • 3 Piano Technique Tips - Lessons From Robert Estrin
      • How to Play FAST
      • Subtractions Practice Technique (for Syncopation & Hand Independence)
    • Composition/Arranging >
      • 3 Ways to Use Counterpoint in Jazz
      • 3 Tips When Composing an AABA Tune
      • Inspired by Ahmad Jamal's Poinciana ("Secret Love" arr. Bijan Taghavi Japan Trio)
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