Reviews

Worldwide Students Speak

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. 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

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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.

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!