Reviews

Worldwide Students Speak

4837 reviews
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Entrada Archtop Guitar
David Harrison - United Kingdom
Found the perfect electric guitar…

The superb Conti Entrada was received extremely well packaged through FedEx International ahead of schedule. The supplied gig bag provided a safe and secure environment and the guitar was revealed in perfect condition.

Once tuned, the Entrada played perfectly, no adjustment was needed to the intonation or playing action. The fret ends and fingerboard were exquisitely finished as was the tailpiece and headstock. A nice touch is the volute on the reverse of the join between the headstock and the neck. A sign of a quality instrument.

The body finish is perfect with the stain revealing the attractive grain through the lacquer. Played acoustically, the tone is rich, consistent and surprisingly loud, very satisfying! Plugged in to a Roland Jazz Chorus combo, using the clean channel with no effects, there is a charming, well rounded acoustic feel which is perfect for the music I currently play (jazz vocal/guitar duo – Fitzgerald/Flack/Streisand style) in a lounge environment. It is particularly pleasing that the pick up voicing is perfectly adjusted for left handed use, so all strings sound at the same volume.

All in all I have found the perfect electric guitar after many years of searching. Many thanks to Conti Guitars.

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The Comping Expo
Robert Amster MD

Excellent, comprehensive explanations and insightful exercises to do.

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Vol. 4 Satin Doll
User: Mitch on TrueFire
Information is timeless!

What a master! This course may be old - but the information within is timeless!

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Entrada Archtop Guitar
Lonnie Smith - Canada
Far superior to a $5,000 archtop I sold…

Beauty, playability, consistency, quality and value all describe my two Conti Entradas perfectly, but not completely. The purchasing process was undoubtedly the most customer focused experience I’ve ever encountered (for any product purchase I’ve ever made). From working with Steve in finalizing the guitar options, Mike on the supply/shipping/delivery side, and finally Robert and his incredibly enjoyable and personal videos; just an outstanding effort by a highly professional team that places the customer first.

They are the finest guitars I’ve ever owned (far superior to a $5,000 archtop I recently sold). The craftsmanship and value of the Entrada make me question why anyone would purchase anything other than a Conti Guitar.

I’m also about a third through the Source Code family of videos and Robert’s instruction is concise, insightful and highly enjoyable; a tremendous teacher without peer.

My sincere thanks to the great Conti Team!

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Entrada Archtop Guitar
David Skinner - College Station, TX
Wonderful instrument, superb buying experience

As with all things Conti, my new Entrada arrived on time, and the day after I watched the video of Robert ‘leading by example’ on it. As I got more used to the fingerboard and the balance of the instrument, my thought was that it plays itself! Notes just fly off. The tone is acoustic and warm, and the pickup worked great through my studio board (Audient preamp into a UA Apollo). I’ll use my Bose L1 compact at a gig tomorrow night…can’t wait! Thanks for a wonderful instrument and a superb buying experience.

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2 Hour Lesson
David Skinner - Bryan, TX
A direction that will allow me to improvise lines easily...

What I learned in my first lesson with Robert is that he is as energetic and friendly as he is in his DVDs. I’ve watched hours of the DVDs and it was a privilege to be able to personally converse, for two hours. Within the first 15 minutes, Robert watched me play and asked a few questions, and then had his tech email me three pages, which we spent the remainder of the lesson on. During the analysis of those pages, he answered the question I had not asked, which was how do I apply the Etudes from The Precision Technique and the few lines I learned in the Jazz Lines to a song. By focusing me on Green Dolphin Street, he answered this question and gave me some wonderful homework. The most important impact of the lesson though, was that Robert has helped me integrate and focus all of the skills and knowledge I’ve developed over the years into a direction that will allow me to improvise lines easily. Handing someone a scale book or a list or arpeggios to learn is like handing someone a fishing pole and walking off without telling them to thrown the line in the water. Robert wants you to land a big fish…tonight at the gig.

Signature Chord Melody Arrangements Vol 5

Again an excellent and tastefully selected collection of standard melodies.
Very useful for gigs that involve background settings such as restaurants, wedding events and formal dinner settings where tasteful and unobtrusive music is required.
Can be played with a plectrum of fingerstyle as you wish-either one chord per beat as written or adapted to your own personal preferences.
Highly recommended for the chord melody guitarist,.

Vol. 2 – Ticket To Improv

$19.95

Subject Lesson Songs:

  • One Note Samba
  • There Will Never Be Another You
  • All The Things You Are
  • 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 26 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.

Volume 2 Subject Lesson Songs:

  • One Note Samba
  • There Will Never Be Another You
  • All The Things You Are
  • Bonus Solo!

Ticket To Improv, Volume 2 Includes:

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

DVD Running Time: 4 Hours

Play Video

Customer Reviews

Based on 21 reviews
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Michel Boulet, Montreal
Ticket to improv 1-2-3-4

This is great stuff! I have been playing for a long time but I always felt a little stuck in the Jazz genre. These lessons are what I was looking for because they only imply earing and playing typical jazz sounds and making them your's so they can pop into your improvisations later on. There is no bettr way to learn and Robert Conti is a real champion teacher.

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Bonar Harris - Gibsons, BC Canada
They are fantastic

I have just been thinking I need to get back to my "Ticket to Improv" DVDs by the wonderful Mr. Robert Conti. I have to say, I love them to bits. I have to be more disciplined and make more time for them, because they are fantastic. And furthermore, when people ask who MY teacher is, I always tell them about you. On top of which, watching you teach and your whole philosophy of teaching REALLY pushes me to examine what I am doing as a teacher - what is useful and what is necessary. At the end of the day, 90% of our learning comes from learning, practicing and playing actual music. It's mainly a physical activity, so our focus has to be on physical mastery. You taught me that.

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J.R. Ellison
Extremely enjoyable!

I absolutely love all the previous DVDs--a lifetime of work for sure--however extremely enjoyable! I really appreciate the promptness that you guys demonstrate with the shipping of your merchandise. I will always be a repeat customer :)

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Pat Betts - Westerville, OH
Can't believe I'm actually playing

Dear Mr. Conti, I just wanted to tell you how "cool" and helpful your "ticket to improv" DVDs have been to me. I ordered awhile ago and kind of just stuck them in the corner and life got in the way and really didn't get a chance to dig into them. Now that I have, I can't believe I'm actually playing stuff that is "jazz guitar." Your words regarding just jumping in and playing really hit a nerve with me. I'm the classic "rock/blues" player that you referred to. I never thought I could play it because of my "lack of theory." Sure, I know some theory and scales but I wouldn't have been able to play this style without your help. I'm finally getting it! The fact that you are such a world class and quality player only adds to the impact of your words. Thanks so much for offering your teachings to all of us. Rock on! or should I Jazz on! Great stuff.

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VK Badrinath - Hong Kong
best f**king customer service...(Pt. 2)

...bop sound on my axe. My knowledge of scales/modes/theory has helped me integrate Robert's teaching fairly quickly; however, I completely agree with Robert that I've been approaching my guitar backwards for the past four years. I ran through the Ticket To Improv Volume 1 just days before a gig and I'm telling you I swung hard at the gig. My bandmates and the audience were totally digging my playing. It's not that I played all the lines with perfection, but my playing had that bop sound and feel. I laid down a hard groove and laid down several Conti licks (along with some harmonic generalization stuff) and BAM! I was tearing up the joint. What is most clear to me is that The Source Code series, along with several prepared solos/arrangements, is taking my playing where I want it to go quickly. And that's good because I'm 46 years old and need to hurry up and play! My plan is to purchase The entire Source Code series. I'm finishing the Chord Melody Assembly Line and own the Intros Endings and Turnarounds. P.S. Having Robert teach from the DVDs is what brings the books to life. He forces me to step through the material with patience which is critical to internalizing this stuff...it's like "a walk in the park"!!

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VK Badrinath - Hong Kong
best f**king customer service...(Pt. 1)

Until I came across Robert Conti's courses, I spent a lot of time in theory/scales/mode books and a few stints with teachers who really weren't providing good value. For the most part I'm going it alone, lifting licks off records for the most part to get my sound. This, for me, has been a slow process that seems difficult to work into our shows. I've discovered Robert's approach and style to be a perfect fit (I'm originally from Allentown, PA so Robert's south Philly ways are like a slice of home to me). I'm on the seventh solo from the Ticket to Improv series and am going to start Danny Boy today. Last night I created a chord melody to "There Will Never Be Another You". It is very apparent that I need "The Formula" next. My plan is to run through the rest of the DVD and then create several chord melody arrangements of some of my favorite songs before moving on to the Formula. My goal is to be able to play solo gigs around town within the next year. Along with that, I will master the eight solos form Ticket to Improv. I also purchased "Wave" which looks challenging, but I love the song and think I'm up to it as I already took some Ticket to Improve lines to 16th note runs. I do best when I understand what I'm creating on the guitar so I think the Source Code will be the key to advancing my playing to the next level. Ironically, that's why I thought theory was so important all these years. Robert's approach has opened my eyes, (and ears!), to bringing out the...

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Jim Finn - Connecticut
Streaming Video

I'm thrilled to see that Robert Conti's DVDs are now available for streaming. Just got Ticket to Improv Vol 2. and it's everything I was hoping for. The 4 projects will keep me busy for quite a while.

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.