Reviews

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4955 reviews
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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.

Vol. 1 – Ticket To Improv

$19.95

Subject Lesson Songs:

  • Satin Doll
  • On Green Dolphin Street
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Bonus Solo!

Or

Streaming Video Options (Info About Streaming Video)

Description

The time-tested and acknowledged pathway to become a skilled improvisor is to play your instrument at every jam session or other opportunity that becomes available. That’s exactly how the early greats learned their craft, simply by playing jazz, not wasting time talking about modes, scales or unimportant activities that prevented them from actually playing their instruments. As seen in 25 prior DVDs, the core success of the Robert Conti approach is his ability to teach the jazz language (improv) at the street level, where it actually began.

If you’re an entry level jazz guitarist such as a blues or rock player trying to make the crossover to jazz, Ticket To Improv will take you on one of most exciting and productive musical events of your life. Very soon, you will be impressing your friends with your new playing skills.

As in each of his learning products, once again, Conti delivers another “Motherlode!” How? By teaching you exactly how to start playing an arsenal of lines over the chord progressions to three “must know” tunes that are played in every real life jam session. More importantly, after you learn the first three tunes, he will also teach you how to quickly begin reshaping those lines for usage in other tunes.

Play Video

Volume 1 Subject Lesson Songs:

  • Satin Doll
  • On Green Dolphin Street
  • Autumn Leaves
  • Bonus Solo!

Ticket To Improv, Volume 1 Includes:

  • Printable PDF of lesson solos in notation & tablature
  • MIDI & MP3 files of single note solos & rhythm sections

DVD Running Time: 4 Hours

Customer Reviews

Based on 55 reviews
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Mike Sanders - Las Vegas, NV
A First Class Ticket to Start Your Journey

The Ticket to Improv Volume One is without a doubt, the best product on the market to get the beginning improviser up and playing in record time. Mr. Conti has a relaxed style of presenting the material and if the viewer follows the detailed lessons and associated explanations, they will soon be out playing hip music with confidence and style. Unlike other methods, this video provides the “meat and potatoes” of improv, allowing the student to develop skills and vocabulary, without wasting time on needless scales and the like. Highly recommend!

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Joseph Yamin - Troy, MI
One of very few who actually teach how to play

RC is fantastic. He is one of the very few who actually teach how to ‘play’ the instrument rather than memorize single tunes or riffs. The state of guitar lessons is tragic and if the instrument is going to survive/flourish we need players not tape recorders.

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h.l.
Common sense approach

Thanks for providing practical and common sense approach to learning jazz, I am excited to begin this journey with the right tools.

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Michael bierly
good stuff

really enjoying it. havent made enough time to study but am working through it. robert's teaching is very clear and straight forward

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James V Brown - Churchton, MD
Wish I found this course much earlier...

Hi! My name is Jim Brown. I am retired and I have been playing guitar since I was a child. I have had a very difficult time learning jazz improvisation. I started the Conti Ticket to Improv course about six months ago and have to say that I wish I found this course much earlier in my guitar career. I have tried many guitar books and courses in the past, with little success. Most courses emphasize theory, scales and licks. The Conti method uses whole songs and melodic lines. None of the other methods I have tried in the past have given me the access to the melodic lines needed to learn jazz guitar. In particular, this method covers melodic lines that run four measures, or more, you learn by playing actual jazz solos. The Conti approach is ideal for people trying to learn jazz who feel like their progress has stalled. Mr. Conti is one of the true New York Italian jazz guitar pros of the sixties. For those of you on a limited budget like myself the cost of the CDs in the ticket to improv series is ridiculously low, especially when using the new streaming option. Now is the time to get instruction from a jazz great before the opportunity is gone.

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Bonar Harris - Gibsons, BC Canada
No better place to start...exceptional

I gotta share this. I study with Robert Conti's courses. They are outstanding. He is one of the best teachers I have ever seen period. (and I have reviewed dozens and dozens of guitar instruction DVDs over the years.) If you want to start to play Jazz lines, there is no better place to start. And, for the beginner Jazz student, the Ticket to Improv series is exceptional (and incredibly affordable). And no, Bob's not paying me anything to plug his stuff. It really is just that good.

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Eric Philippsen - Martinsville, IN
Progressed more in these last few weeks

I''m 61 (yep) and play in a jazz combo. I do pretty well playing and reading changes which works fine because I'm the only rhythm instrument. Soloing? Even after all these years/decades, I struggle in spite of owning just about every jazz guitar instruction book there is. I mean, really. So, I committed this last month, come hell or high water, to go thru RC's first Improv DVD along with his Technique DVD. Every day. And you know what? I've progressed more in these last few weeks, improvisationally, than any time before. Again, mind you, I've been playing and getting paid to do so for decades!

Streaming Video Option

DVDs are now available in an affordable, instantly available streaming video format. Videos may be watched on any device with an internet connection. Printable PDF download file is included.

Upon clicking the Streaming Video Options button, you will be directed to a checkout with two options:

  1. Streaming + PDF
  2. Streaming + PDF + Ship DVD

Note: You will be asked to create an account at checkout. The account to access your streaming video purchases is different than your RobertConti.com account. Please view our FAQ for additional information.

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!