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Worldwide Students Speak

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This IS the guitar of one’s dreams…

First, the punch line: After a month I’ve concluded that this guitar is not a substitute, surrogate, or compromise for that more expensive jazz box that one longs for and cannot afford. This IS the guitar of one’s dreams.

I’ll be as brief as I can. I have many guitars. But no real jazz guitars. I don’t play much jazz, but sometimes want to go there, and somehow my .strandberg* just isn’t right. I try to stay away from retail stores because there is ALWAYS something that catches my eye. But, I needed a set of strings and since I was near a store, I stopped by. As usual, I looked at used wall. There was nothing interesting. Walk away. Quickly. But… what’s that? Needing a ladder to get to it, there was a red wine archtop high on the wall. Conti? What’s a Conti? I’d never heard of them. I suspected that it was some Asian product, à la Cort (Nothing wrong with Cort. I believe they made my .strandberg*.) I found someone to get it down and I played for three minutes. I was meeting someone for lunch in fifteen minutes so I had no time to play much. I put it back.

It was two weeks before I was back in that neighborhood. In that time I did some research and if you are reading this, you’ve done the same and I won’t bore you with the details of Robert Conti’s business model to bypass the middleman. None of his guitars would be sold in stores. No distributors. Instead, he sells direct to player. He asks his prospects to trust that the guitar he gives them will make them exceptionally happy. That’s a big ask. You can’t play one to see if you like it.

Armed with this information and with more time set aside I went back to the store. While every other Conti customer needed to muster faith to buy, I had the luxury of actually playing one. The model is Equity, discontinued after the first production contract ended. The guitar played well and seemed well taken care of, 99% brand new. There were very few scratches, no dings. I copied the serial number and went home.

I went back to the Conti website but could find no serial number reference, nor a support page, but I could chat online with Steve. I asked about the serial number, and he told me the guitar was built in 2013. He also said that from what he knew of the previous owner, it should have been well taken care of. Wow. Steve told me the guitar was solid wood, not laminate. He asked me about the price and told me it was a very good deal. So, I went back the next day and bought it.

The next day I cleaned it and changed strings. It was clean but needed a little detailing. The cleaning process brought me closer to the instrument (LOL the truss rod cover on the headstock still had it’s original protective plastic covering). At every turn I was surprised and impressed by the build.

I love this guitar and I consider myself lucky to have it.

T
The Formula
Tancredo Netto - Brazil
I think it is the best

I think you are the only one that explains the magic of chord melody! I admire Conti's method, I think it is the best, a hands on approach and at the same time it teaches the way professionals play. Like we Brazilians say, he doesn't only give the fish, he teaches to fish! I love jazz standards and I hope I will study a lot with Conti's help!! Thank you very much! It's a pleasure for me to recommend a very good teacher and Conti is one!!!

Will re-energize my daily practice routine.

Robert is an entertaining and competent instructor with a wide range of past real-playing experience of the bandstand. Mike provided tech support and sent ZOOM setup instructions before the lesson to avoid wasting time on video-audio snags.

Robert took a few minutes at the start of the ZOOM lesson 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.

Video Comments

See attached video for Lee's comments

Judge.me YouTube video placeholder
A brilliant approach

The Precision Techniques has helped me hone my technique tremendously and like every Robert Conti Book with CD it is extremely practical and gets you running in the real world playing while mastering the theory as you go so it is extremely efficient and all-encompassing and frankly, better than the dozens of books and classes that I’ve tried. It is a brilliant approach.

Robert's teaching approach stands out

It was a pleasure to spend the two hours with Robert and I must also thank you for the technical assistance and making sure everything went smoothly - I know it’s a team effort on your end.

As for my comments on the lesson : Robert gave me plenty to think about and I’ll be putting the ideas into practice in the woodshed. It was particularly enlightening to hear how he approaches improvisation over certain chord changes and this is something I look forward to picking his brains about in future sessions too on other standards. Roberts teaching approach is something that stands out - he has a way of making you feel comfortable and engaged whilst also being very to the point. I particularly appreciated that he didn’t waste precious time just having me play things over and over as from experience a lot of ‘teachers’ seem to do that instead using the time to impart as much advise and information they can on the student - often a means to get more money out of students and not give too much away in terms of valuable information. As Robert said - he’s not here to teach someone how to play, he’s there to show you what to play and why etc. this is exactly what I need. He had me play the lines to get them under my fingers and ensure I understood the concepts and knew that I am to take them away to practice in my own time. This allowed Robert to use all the time available to feed me more and more ideas and pearls of wisdom.

I will most certainly be booking another lesson after I’ve got some more practice in as there are many more things I’d like to ask Robert and certainly a lot for me to learn!

Best and most efficient way to learn jazz guitar

So much easier for me to practice and learn all of the valuable information Robert has shared on these videos! This is without question the best and most efficient way to learn jazz guitar and I plan on ordering more around Thanksgiving! I totally stand behind Mr. Conti's teaching methods 100 percent as they really work! He truly understands what he is talking about and knows how to teach it to others in the most comprehensive and applicable ways possible! It also helps that he is one of the best Jazz guitarists I have ever heard!

So Many Products, Where Do I Start?

Before you consider any teacher, take the time to review the credentials of that teacher.

By credentials, we don’t mean pieces of paper which only prove that someone sat in a classroom for 4 years.  That’s not going to cut it for playing jazz.  Jazz credentials are on the bandstand experience playing jazz guitar at a high level of skill for numerous years.  Robert Conti is the rare combination of pro player and teacher who has a knack for delivering information straight to your fingers.  Now, on to the products. . .

Can You Drive A Car Without Being A Mechanic?

Driving a car is a great analogy to learning to play jazz guitar. In much the same way that you are able to drive a car without knowing its internal mechanical functions under the hood, you are also able to play jazz guitar without knowing the “how and why” behind what you’re playing. The Conti learning products are designed to put you in the driver’s seat of that automobile to get you driving (playing jazz guitar) immediately.

Want More? Get Under The Hood

Alternately, in order to understand what actually makes your car operate, you would read a technical manual that goes into great detail about the various parts of your engine, electrical system, transmission, wheels, etc.  The technical manuals Robert Conti produced for jazz guitar are the Source Code DVD Series.  These are seven volumes of info-packed DVDs/Books that present the “how to, and nuts & bolts” driving the lines or chord melody you already have under your fingers. It is much easier to comprehend the underlying “why does this work so well?” of theory after you’re actually able to play the lines or chord melody.

Start By Determining Your Current Skill Level

Each day, scores of guitarists begin their journey to learn jazz guitar. Most guitarists quickly discover that playing jazz guitar requires a bit more technical dexterity to play new chord forms and single note lines – the staple of jazz guitar playing. Aspiring jazz guitar students will generally fall into two groups. This narrative will assist you to determine exactly where you should begin, to gain the most traction and enjoyment in your learning experience. Your first step is to determine if you are a Group 1 or Group 2 type student. Then, simply read the guidelines to select the product you will need to achieve your goals.

Group 1 (Generally Entry Level)

These are players who have acquired some basic chord playing skills over a year or two, and then discovered, the alluring sound of jazz guitar.

Technique – The Currency of Playing

If you’re already aware that you need to improve your Left/Right hand coordination and picking skills, start with The Precision Technique in the Source Code DVD series. While you can spend several months mastering the specialized data in this Book/DVD, it isn’t necessary. In fact, after you have mastered only one or two exercises, you will have acquired enough skill to begin working with the Ticket To Improv Entry Level DVD series. Note the emphasis on “mastered.”

For another perspective to determine your skill level, watch the following videos to see students playing entry level material from the Ticket To Improv DVD series. After watching, if you feel that your current level of technical ability is at or near the same level as the skill they display, then you can skip The Precision Technique DVD, and begin with the Ticket To Improv DVD series.

Adam Hinchliffe, United Kingdom

Mario Ochoa, Florida, USA
(note: solo begins at 31 seconds)

While you enjoy working with the data in the Ticket To Improv DVDs, you can, and should continue working through The Precision Technique DVD, although at a slower pace, as those studies, along with playing the lines in the Ticket To Improv series all serve to improve your technical skill. If technique is the currency of playing, if you don’t have it, you’re broke.

Based on the time you can allocate to practice, after mastering at least two of the Precision Technique studies (any two), the ideal study plan for entry level players should ideally include:

  1. The Ticket To Improv DVD Series
  2. The Chord Melody Assembly Line
  3. The Precision Technique DVD*After completing #1 & 2 above, you will have gained enough insight to select the appropriate DVD(s) for your continued course of study.

*Once you understand the quick and easily achievable Conti Fingering Protocol, you can then continue working with the other studies as a short routine daily primer.

Group 2 (Generally Adv Level)

You have already played for several years in a variety of music genres, such as Blues, Country or Rock. You have already acquired greater levels of chord playing and single note skills. The additional level of acquired skills will make your transition to playing jazz guitar much easier. In general, these players are looking for Pro Level “take it to the gig tonight” lines and ideas that they can learn and apply immediately.

Although you are in this advanced group, if you still feel that you need to improve your Right & Left Hand coordination skills, you can also utilize the The Precision Technique to upgrade those skills very quickly. When a guitarist makes his/her transition to jazz after several years of prior experience playing other genres, they’re able to reach higher level skills “on the fly,” as a direct result of playing jazz.

Advanced Improvisation Examples

Lucas Costner, Tennessee, USA

Adam Hinchliffe, United Kingdom

If your playing goal is single note playing at an advanced level, select any of the following advanced improv DVDs:

  • The Smoking Lineman Improv Series – 5 Volumes (Bebop Tunes)
  • The Sound Of Rio Improv Series – 5 Volumes (Bossa Nova Tunes)
  • Big City Blues Improv Series – 5 Volumes (Blues Tunes)

Did you notice that Adam Hinchliffe appeared in both the Entry Level and Advanced Groups? That's the power of the Conti approach - short term, noticeable playing progress.

A Note On The Source Code Series

Each title in The Source Code DVD Series is tightly focused on a single facet of playing. The Source Code Series is the perfect solution for aspiring jazz guitarists and all other players who want to learn the devices that I employ to create what fans call “edge of your seat lines” and reharmonized chord melody arrangements. The Source Code DVDs are perfectly focused on the “Source” or the “the How To Nuts & Bolts” of my Chord Melody Arrangements, Technique, Solo Improv Lines, etc.  I have prepared overview videos for each volume in the series to provide a great understanding of the goal of each of those titles.

Ready to dig in and start achieving your goals?

Now that you have a general guideline and understanding of the Conti products, click the button at right to start your jazz guitar learning journey the old school way – by playing.

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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!