The Jazz Lines

Price range: $29.95 through $39.95

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 video course.

Description

Master the Art of Constructing Authentic Jazz Lines That Flow Effortlessly Through Chord Changes

Overview Video

You’ve Hit a Wall

You know the theory. You’ve studied the concepts. You can identify chord progressions on paper.

But when the rhythm section kicks in and it’s your turn to solo… your mind goes blank.

Or worse—you play something that sounds robotic and disconnected. Your lines don’t flow. You can’t consistently nail the changes.

The knowledge is there. The execution isn’t.

Here’s what’s actually holding you back: You’ve been learning jazz backwards.

You’ve been given theory, concepts, and intellectual frameworks—but no one has put playable vocabulary under your fingers. You’ve collected information without developing the ability to use it in real time.

Meanwhile, there are players who can’t explain what they’re doing theoretically, but they play circles around you. They sound authentic. They nail every chord change. Their lines flow naturally.

What’s the difference?

The Missing Bridge: From Knowing to Playing

The players who actually sound good don’t have more theoretical knowledge than you.

They have lines under their fingers.

Not concepts they’re “working on.” Not scales they’re “applying.” Actual vocabulary they can execute without thinking.

And here’s what most jazz education gets wrong: They’re trying to teach you to think your way into playing.

Theory first, application later. Intellectual understanding before physical execution.

That’s backwards.

How Jazz Was Actually Learned

Before academic jazz education existed, the music was passed down differently.

In the speakeasies, bars, and late-night sessions of the 1950s and 60s, one player would show another player a line. Not the theory behind it—the actual line.

You’d take it home, work it under your fingers, and own it. Once you could play it, you’d naturally begin to understand how it worked.

Execution first. Understanding second.

That’s how the generation of Johnny Smith, Wes Montgomery, and Howard Roberts learned. And that’s the lineage Robert Conti comes from—he learned alongside those players, in that environment, using that method.

The Jazz Lines brings that authentic approach to you.

What Makes Robert’s Teaching Different

Robert Conti didn’t learn jazz from books or academic programs. He learned it from the players who created the modern jazz vocabulary—the working musicians of the late 50s and early 60s who were actually playing in clubs every night.

His teaching philosophy is radically simple: Put the line under the student’s fingers first. Then they’ll understand how it works.

No theory lectures. No homework assignments. No “go figure this out and come back next week.”

He shows you the complete line, breaks it down note-by-note with video, and gives you the notation and tablature ready to go. You learn by playing, not by intellectualizing.

And it works. Professional educators with decades of experience study his methods. Here’s one:

“I give Robert a 5 star review or more. I have been a performer and guitar teacher for over 60 years (past school band director)—now run a music studio with over 140 students and my own band for many years. Robert has put in a lot of accurate and hard work on his method—a great player and teacher. I am working on all of his methods. I highly recommend his course.”

— William Hill, New Braunfels, TX

What The Jazz Lines Actually Teaches

This isn’t a theory course. It’s not another collection of scales and modes.

The Jazz Lines teaches you the mechanics of line construction—how authentic jazz lines are built to navigate chord changes smoothly and naturally.

Robert breaks down his own playing, showing you:

  • How he constructs lines that nail each chord change
  • The devices and techniques he uses to move through progressions effortlessly
  • How to navigate the fretboard with purpose and confidence
  • The actual vocabulary that sounds authentic, not academic

Everything is already transcribed. You don’t spend time figuring out what was played—you spend time learning to play it.

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.”

Why This Approach Gets Results

Most instruction gives you information and sends you home to “apply” it.

The Jazz Lines gives you complete, playable lines with detailed instruction on how to execute them. You’re learning by doing—the way the masters actually learned.

The difference shows up in student results:

“So many light bulbs went on that it felt for a moment as if I was a celebrity being jumped by the paparazzi. I’m so happy to have found this amazing material. My only regret is that I didn’t find it years ago.”
—Julian Gurr, Dorset, United Kingdom

The Jazz Lines Includes:

  • Full size 8.5″ x 11″ Booklet (if shipped, otherwise PDF)
  • Two DVD Set totaling 8 hours of instruction from Robert Conti (or online streaming)
  • MIDI files of all musical data presented
  • Bonus Feature titled “After The Gig!” section
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James Macneil - Fayetteville, NC
James Macneil - Fayetteville, NC
VerifiedVerified
5/5
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...
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4 years ago
Grant Harris - Perth, Australia
Grant Harris - Perth, Australia
VerifiedVerified
5/5
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 ...
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4 years ago
Will Kriski - Alberta, Canada
Will Kriski - Alberta, Canada
VerifiedVerified
5/5
Regarding the DVDs, I'm not sure I can put into words exactly how I feel, but let me try: I love Robert Conti's approach of actually getting students to play music, the step by step approach and the Source Code  explanations, not to mention his warm, caring, and disarming style. And your quick respo...
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6 years ago
Will Kriski - Alberta, Canada
Will Kriski - Alberta, Canada
VerifiedVerified
5/5
...outside of jazz (classical history, piano, etc.) and all the theory/analysis and exercises, advanced tunes right out of the gate. Everyone sits there fumbling around a scale with no idea what to play, because they're not teaching us lines. They are generally opposed to it because they don't want ...
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6 years ago
Brian Fitzgerald - San Francisco, CA
Brian Fitzgerald - San Francisco, CA
VerifiedVerified
5/5
Hi Robert,My name is Brian. I am a semi-professional jazz guitarist - meaning that a good portion of my income comes from playing, performing and teaching, while the rest comes from being a publicist for a local jazz club called Kuumbwa Jazz (my boss, the guy that runs Kuumbwa also runs a little fes...
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6 years ago
Andrew Wilkey - St. James, NY
Andrew Wilkey - St. James, NY
VerifiedVerified
5/5
I'm actually a semi professional classical guitarist but I grew up playing Jazz. I played Jimmy Raney, Joe Pass, Django Rienhart solos but I always felt like I was missing something.  IMPROV!  Right away when I saw Robert play I knew his approach was right.  Frankly, I like his no BS approach at tea...
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6 years ago
Chuck callaway - Las vegas
Chuck callaway - Las vegas
VerifiedVerified
5/5
I'm a banjo player who decided last year to learn jazz guitar. I started learning basic Jazz chords and scales from various videos and books but wasn't making a lot of progress. I ordered Mr. Conti's Jazz lines source code and ticket to improv. and it opened doors for me. In a short time I was impr...
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6 years ago
Hugh McKenzie - United Kingdom
Hugh McKenzie - United Kingdom
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5/5
Hi I'm Hugh from London. Just wanted to say that I want more, more and more. I've got to say I'm almost ashamed to say I never heard of Robert Conti before about July last year. The lines Robert is putting in my hand and the chord combination is allowing me to play what I like to hear. This way of t...
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6 years ago
Erik Schmidt - Jacksonville, OR
Erik Schmidt - Jacksonville, OR
VerifiedVerified
5/5
Dear MR.CONTI, After playing fusion rock jazz for so many years, I found I was bored and not progressing with a jazz language that would take me into any type of bebop, so I purchased your Jazz Lines and I want to thank you! Your knowledge has opened up my playing and I am playing real jazz for the ...
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6 years ago
Geoffrey Stich - Hillsborough, CA
Geoffrey Stich - Hillsborough, CA
VerifiedVerified
5/5

Robert,Your instructional DVD's are so good, it's almost like you're a personal friend in my house ! :)  Looking forward to seeing you at NAMM 2009! Geoffrey E. Stich

6 years ago
Peter Smart - South Yorkshire, UK
Peter Smart - South Yorkshire, UK
VerifiedVerified
5/5
Hi Ann! The above book/DVD is something every guitarist should have in his musical library no matter at what stage of "jazz guitar" level they are at as of this time! Now that is some opening statement, but it is meant sincerely. I have been playing on and off for more years than I care to remember....
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6 years ago
Matthew Dimenna - Arlington Heights, IL
Matthew Dimenna - Arlington Heights, IL
VerifiedVerified
5/5

I have been absolutely loving your source code jazz lines! I think it is the best jazz improv educational material there is.

6 years ago

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