2 Hour Lesson

hink of (the Benson technique, a stint at Troy Grady’s “Cracking the Code” website and even bought The Magnet and paid for a Technique Critique, and of course a smattering of YouTube videos by people who had real chops.) All of these approaches have helped many, and were of some benefit to me, but none of them got me where I needed to go. Then I had two lessons with Robert Conti (via Zoom) and now I’m on the way forward on two fronts. First, my picking is much better. Conti does not teach a specific method for picking; he saw what I was doing, made a few suggestions, and after a couple of weeks, I’m miles down the road in that respect. Thank God and Robert Conti! Second, the light is coming on in understanding how to APPLY the things I’ve learned. In one way, it’s easier than I thought, though in another, it’s demanding because it requires a more intense and disciplined focus than I’m used to having while improvising. Learning is necessary, and that includes learning how to use what you have learned! Robert Conti is giving me more help with this than any other teacher I have consulted (and there have been a bunch of ’em!) He might do as much for you.Update: Phew! I’m working hard (playing the lines, over and over) and learning how to use them. It’s great to get feedback (-even if it’s that I gaffed something up) and a pro’s assessment of where I am and what I need to work on. Also, getting a link to download the video of the lesson is a tremendous value: I can go over and over the lesson, making sure I’m playing something right or understanding a concept fully.Update: Lesson #4 was the best so far. The work assigned in the first two lessons is paying dividends. I’m getting better and am inspired to get better still. When I get really good, I’ll buy a Conti guitar to celebrate my arrival at “Good.” (Not great but good.)
Show Less

ike a legit jazz cat. Mr. Conti is a living legend so why not learn from the best
Show Less

to review my personal history, music experience, and to assess my technical skills. He came well prepared for my lesson (3 handout documents) with a focus on improvisation, as requested. He “tuned” this first lesson to my level of interest and playing ability.His approach to improvisation is direct, different, and perhaps unique. He presents a down-to-earth focus on fingering the fretboard rather than using a theoretical approach of pairing various scales/modes to each chord in a progression, one at a time.Robert demonstrated the wide application of major scale riffs to a surprisingly wide range of chords built from the major scale. This simplification avoid overthinking (my bad habit) which creates lock-up, anxiety, and lag when suddenly called upon to solo on the jazz bandstand. He played these riffs over backing tracks “live” that he called out to Mike who played the audio files on-demand. Both Robert and Mike were attentive to my music lesson. Robert concluded the lesson with additional tips and a clear assignment and challenge to be completed before a future lesson.To conclude, the “hands-on” Conti method avoids over-complicating the improvisation process and it will re-energize my daily practice routine.
Show Less

to learn more from Robert!!! Looking forward to the next lesson as soon as I am ready.
Show Less

of his teaching my gig schedule has increased and I am getting calls to sub. The poster attached is from a past gig. I have more coming but you get the idea.Also attached is a recent video. I no longer worry about my improvisation skills when they point and tell me to play. Do yourself a favor and book it. Have fun playing...
Show Less

e deceiving, in my opinion, because it’s going to take time and effort on my part to learn and internalize the material. There aren’t any shortcuts.The two hours went by quickly, and I look very much forward to doing more lessons with him. I also received a video of our lesson that day. As a teacher, Robert Conti was personable, patient, knowledgeable, and encouraging. As a side note, I really enjoyed his stories and look forward to hearing more in the future.
Show Less

been amazing and his teaching style fits with the way I need to learn.Robert teaches a no modes/no scales method...and he hates that I use the word “method”. Make no mistake though the guy knows his music theory. Not only does it sound good to your ear but he can explain at a Ph.D. level why it sounds good.Do yourself a favor and take a lesson from the guy. I guarantee you will walk away with something new. Every week I have met with him save a few times when I was traveling and I walk away exhausted and energized.He has completely changed my playing...for the good. He’s a rare combination of being a stellar player who can teach.
Show Less

rst 4 licks together and then started applying them immediately into the chart he sent. He talked about what to think about when applying these licks over the chords and theoretically why they work over the chords. Also, how to use these phrases over more chords and why they work over those chords. He talked about my technique, the equipment I used (strings, picks, etc...) to get a great sound from my instrument, and lots about the music. Robert teaches in a studio with an assistant that plays chords and backing tracks as Robert demonstrates playing the stuff we're working on. This really helped save time and our workflow was quick and efficient in the lesson. About an hour after my lesson was over, he sent me the video of my entire lesson. This is invaluable! I, like most people, cannot remember everything that was said in a 2 hour lesson a week later. Now I have a great reference video to go back and watch Robert play and talk about what I'm working on. Robert has the online teaching game down! With great content, fast workflow, great knowledge and all the extras like the video file and handouts, this was one of the most professional online lessons I've ever taken.
Show Less

professionally before I graduated and got a corporate job in early 2012. My previous musical experience has been strictly within original and cover rock, blues, and folk music and I had no real experience with jazz prior to taking these lessons besides a dozen lessons or so I took with a local jazz player 11 years ago. Also, I bought most of Robert's books and DVD's in 2015 but that's about it in terms of my previous "jazz" experience.During the last 10 years, where I have been working full time in the corporate world, had kids, etc., my guitar practice has only been sporadic. Besides learning a new song here and there, I didn't really play or practice in structured fashion. Working +full time as a lawyer, having small kids, and other competing interests made it difficult for me to play consistently.At some points though, I did feel the "urge" to play and tried to get back on the horse. For instance, I worked through the Chord/Melody Assembly Line and some of the Ticket to Improv solos a few years ago (great products btw, which I highly recommend).Since I started listening to jazz in 2008, I have been wanting to learn this style. My first step was to learn from the usual free stuff on the Internet, which got me into new scales, arpeggios, and chords, etc. When I took jazz lessons in 2010 I got turned on to transcribing jazz solos, which paid huge dividends in terms of language and opening my ears. But I still never felt like I "got" it. Like most others starting on this path, I got the impression that you are supposed to know all music theory, scale fingerings, chord inversions, etc. before you can learn to play jazz. As a disciplined guy, I trusted this process and spent years (literally) running scales, arpeggios, chord exercises, transcribing licks, etc. but for some reason, I was never able to merge this attained knowledge and these playing tools into "one" and actually play jazz and improvise over jazz standards.When I got Roberts books and DVD's, I knew I was onto something. After working through the Chord/Melody Assembly Line, I was able to make simple chord/melody arrangements. Actually play my own arrangements of jazz standards. But life got in the way I didn't manage to stick with it consistently.Fast forward until 2020. The Covid19 pandemic had shut down most of society and I've been working from home for almost a year. While being a rough period in general, for my family it was also a time to take stock of our lives. I worked too much and felt bad not spending more time with my family. Also, I knew and felt that I had to make music a part of my life again. I decided to leave the law firm I worked at and got a new job with much better working hours allowing for more family time and time to play music. I started practicing consistently again and I made a plan to study Roberts books and continue with learning solos.However, after a few months of this, I discovered the possibility to take Skype lessons with Robert. I was intrigued about the idea of getting personal feedback and having the structure of a weekly session and booked one lesson. During my first lesson he threw some lines and some very high impact concepts at me, which opened completely new doors to me, and he had me improvise to On Green Dolphin Street. Playing jazz and improvising with a few devices immediately. I had just seen the tip of the iceberg and immediately made a promise to myself to stick with the lessons every week.So what have I learned during the last 3 months? I've basically learned to practice improvisation first and foremost (by playing it). As someone with sufficient technical chops on the guitar, we spend most of my lessons on getting my "brain up to speed with my fingers" as Robert would say. I assume this depends on the strengths and weaknesses of the student. My weakness is not being able to use the technique and knowledge I have because I've skipped this most important step of applying these tools to actual music.I learn a new new standard every week on my own, which forms the basis of the lesson. Robert then teaches me lines and explains how to use them and the necessary theory. I practice it, vary it, and try to make it my own. Also, I get honest feedback. It's a very organic process and I get the whole package in terms of jazz language and understanding it.Robert Conti is a monster player and educator and really knows his stuff. I highly recommend taking Skype lessons with Robert!(I've uploaded a short video of an improvisation over Bluesette, filmed by my father at a family reunion from a month ago, using some of the devices I've learned in my lessons.)
Show Less

them. I’ve never been so optimistic about my jazz-guitar-playing future!Looking forward to the next lesson!
Show Less

Bob’s amazing solo’s, I dived into his many learning materials, really fun stuff. However, it is when I decided to up my commitment to learning bebop and I started taking private online lessons with Bob that things started to click. After just three lessons now I have a new way to approach soloing, and how to tie together great lines throughout the tune.I am very confident that Bob’s effective and supportive teaching style has enough push and challenge to get me to those next levels. As Bob told me, “The journey is even more fun than the destination.” He’s right, and I am jazzed about that journey.
Show Less