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Worldwide Students Speak

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Entrada Archtop Guitar
Scott Tarulli
Berklee Professor Reviews Lefty Entrada

See Attached Video Review by Scott Tarulli of Boston, MA

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Vol. 4 - Ticket To Improv
gerald mckinnon
volume four

Super excellent

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The Jazz Lines
Jack Marchewka
Just getting started

Worked though the first two lessons of the Jazz Lines book (more to go), but it opened a door for me. I’ve come to understand there is a difference between theory and harmony. This is about learning harmony. If you want to play jazz learn harmony.

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Vol. 4 Wave
Mike Sanders - Las Vegas, NV
One of Conti's Best Solo Lessons

All of the Robert Conti DVDs are top-notch, but this one takes the cake. He takes what some consider to be a harmonically complex tune and breaks it done into the simplest of terms. From here, the viewer is taken through the lesson a few measures at a time, with each concept explained in detail and with care. Once you have the lesson under your hands, you not only have an impressive solo but an increased vocabulary of lines to use on other songs and a better understanding of how to approve improvisation over any song. Great fun and well worth the effort. If you are new to improvisation, I recommend learning from a few of Conti’s “Ticket to Improv” DVDs first as you will internalize the lesson much faster and have a greater understanding of the concepts presented.

Preferred Gauge Strings

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Preferred Gauge Strings
Jack Marchewka
My choice of strings

For my Entradas. These strings came with my Entradas so I’m sticking with them. Live the wound 3rd string. Great tone and playability!

Chord Melody at Its Best!

This is a great DVD to start building your chord melody repertoire. Mr. Conti walks you thru the classic “Since I Fell for You” and provides you with several ways to approach the tune using a series of different chordal harmonic arrangements. Besides learning to play the song several different ways, Mr. Conti is at the ready with his famous “Off the Sheet” tips. These are items that not part of the regular lesson plan, but are sure to help take your chord melody playing to an even higher level. Of the Chord Melody arrangements, this is my personal favorite, but after finishing the DVD, I purchased ALL the other Chord Melody DVDs as I was so inspired to learn more.

The Jazz Lines

$29.95

Have you discovered it is essentially impossible to create pro-level lines out of modes and scales?  Wouldn’t you rather be playing at jam sessions instead of spending a fortune on instructors who insist on teaching you endless theory?  Robert teaches you the “under the hood” behind his mind boggling jazz lines in this 8 hour two DVD set.

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Description

Overview Video

Have you discovered it is essentially impossible to create pro-level lines out of modes and scales?  Wouldn’t you rather be playing at jam sessions instead of spending a fortune on instructors who insist on teaching you endless theory? If so, Robert Conti, has again redefined high impact instruction, as The Jazz Lines is his Twenty-Sixth Blockbuster DVD of immediately useful “take it to the gig tonight” lines and other ideas.

The early greats continuously evolved their improv skills by playing in bars, clubs, buses, and back room jam sessions from New Orleans to New York. Through ongoing hands-on exchanges of knowledge, they taught each other what they were playing on their instruments. In essence, the key ingredient to their continuous improvement was actually playing jazz, not talking about it. As evidenced by endless student testimonials, the cornerstone of the Conti approach is his ability and willingness to teach students to play jazz, by actually having the student play jazz from the start, not modes, scales and other nonsense. Indeed, nobody brings their “A-Game” knowledge to Jazz Guitar instruction like Robert Conti.

Robert stated in an interview: Theory vs Reality:

“Theory is often defined as a guess or conjecture. In relation to jazz improvisation, it is the branch of the art form that deals with its principles or methods, not its practice. Therefore, if improvising well is your goal, then why pursue theory first, as you’ll still need to learn to play – after spending several months trying to comprehend theory. Conversely, if you expend your energy learning to play well (like the early greats) you’ll quickly discover that the theory will become obvious as a by-product of playing lines that are tangible enough for clear analysis. From the student perspective, the best part of this pragmatic approach is that they have the great pleasure of playing jazz on their instrument, rather than trying to comprehend modes, theory, scales etc.”

From the intermediate to professional level, the concepts presented in The Jazz Lines will quickly breathe new life into your solos with a truckload of fresh, creative and exciting ideas.

The Jazz Lines Includes:

  • Full size 8.5″ x 11″ Booklet
  • Two DVD Set totaling 8 hours of instruction from Robert Conti
  • MIDI files of all musical data presented
  • Bonus Feature titled “After The Gig!” section

Customer Reviews

Based on 67 reviews
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Jack Marchewka
Just getting started

Worked though the first two lessons of the Jazz Lines book (more to go), but it opened a door for me. I’ve come to understand there is a difference between theory and harmony. This is about learning harmony. If you want to play jazz learn harmony.

M
Mike Sanders - Las Vegas, NV
Jazz Lines That Take Your Playing to the Next Level

A well-thought-out series of lessons to help the aspiring jazz soloist take their playing to the next level. An important hallmark of any jazzer is having a diverse vocabulary of melodic lines to draw from when improvising. This DVD not only provides some of the hippest, bebop lines that would make Charlie Parker proud, it also teaches you how to use these lines and apply them to completely different harmonic structures than were originally intended. This is all explained in great detail by Mr. Conti in his usual laid-back, friendly style. He has dedicated his life to the art of jazz and shares with the viewer every tip and trick with nothing held back. Definitely a great source for reference material and its advanced application.

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Vernon Fuller
Early days but the signs are very encouraging! Recommended!

It's early days as I have only recently started working my way through the Jazz Lines. But, even with only lesson one completed, I can see a connection between the chords, the notes and how moveable and applicable the lines are. I plan to be back and comment further and possibly even film me playing sometime.

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James Macneil - Fayetteville, NC
Find endless ideas...

I just love all the material presented. I have all the Source Code and Ticket to Improv series. Even though the TTI series is an introduction, I find that coupled with The Jazz Lines you can find endless ideas from those "simpler" lines presented. I really think I've seen other people imitating the approach Conti has used for decades. The problem with theory is that many students don't understand how to apply it. Robert demonstrates that theory in real world application. Anyone who understands theory can analyze Robert's lines and see how that theory works in real playing. I think Robert understands theory as much as any music theory teacher, but he also knows that on the bandstand the mind doesn't have time to compute all that information when chords are flying by at break neck tempos. He just presents things that make sense to the mind in real time playing.

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Tom Hooper - Cheshire, UK
Robert said the lights would come on...

Hi, I've been toiling away with my improvisation over the last few months, I've been having fun with the ticket to improv stuff, sounding like a jazz guitarist even if it's only learning Robert's solos. I have been dipping in and out of The Jazz Lines course and understood the first few lessons so everything was going well. However imagine my surprise the other day when I finally get a bit of time to noodle over a ii-V-I C major backing track when all these lines that Robert has shown me start to come out. Now I have no idea why its working but I'm moving all over the neck with lines from The Jazz Lines and Ticket to Improv and I'm not hitting any rough notes. It blew my mind that I was moving across the fretboard, improvising without knowing what CAGED shape I was in or what scale or arpeggio etc I was playing but it was working. Now I know Robert said the lights would come on eventually but I never really thought it would for me. There is still a long way to go but it has given me a renewed sense of hope that one day I'll get there. So I just wanted to let Robert know that I'm very thankful for his courses so Thanks. Hope this email finds you all well.

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Grant Harris - Perth, Australia
Already such a revelation...

Hi Robert. I purchased your "The Jazz Lines" course yesterday and already such a revelation.

With just the knowledge of 3 patterns (Fmaj, Abmaj, and G augmented) I have made more intuitively melodic solo lines than in the rest of my playing days - in fact I find that you almost can't help but find a pattern under your fingers to exploit and explore.

I also really like how your personality shines through in the videos - you're a really likeable human and a great player. A real inspiration to me. Cheers and happy new year.

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Thomas Runolfsson - Berkeley, CA
Completely opened the door to jazz for me

Hello, I am truly inspired by Robert Conti's instruction. I have very much enjoyed his "Source Code" video lessons, it really is exactly what I am looking for to play more traditional jazz. I really can't put into words what these lessons have done for me. I know I will buy more lessons from this website. I have seen Conti in action on Youtube. Robert Conti has just completely opened the door to jazz for me. I love these lessons so much. Thank you for sharing these jazz secrets that no one wants to tell. So happy I finally decided to lay down some money and really check this out.

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black friday sale Details

Take advantage of this great opportunity to save big on the most effective jazz guitar learning resources on the planet – as verified by nearly 5000 reviews.

Through November 30, 2023, use coupon code BFCM23 at checkout (be sure to click the apply button!) to save 30% on all learning resources, both shipped and streaming. Please note that Conti Guitars are not included in this sale event, but we still have a couple of the heavily discounted Entrada prototypes available!