https://www.tonyventura.com/blog daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/introduction-to-musical-modes monthly 0.5 2024-09-04 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/start-from-the-end monthly 0.5 2024-01-22 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1618225432556-93X1MFT7UWYW7E7NOTKH/Lets-start-from-the-end.png Blog - Start from the end… Starting from the end in mind provides greater motivation for learning the core elements - scales, reading, chords, improvisation, and much more. https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/a-hrefhttpswwwtonyventuracommy-blog20141224how-to-map-the-apogee-gio-footpedal-to-mainstage-3-stompboxhow-to-map-an-apogee-gio-stompbox-button-to-a-mainstage-3-stompbox-effecta monthly 0.5 2024-08-15 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/fire-on-the-mountain-quick-improvisation-example monthly 0.5 2024-01-22 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/a-hrefhttpswwwtonyventuracommy-blog201429scales-chord-studies-show-i-focus-on-memorizationscales-amp-chord-studies-show-i-focus-on-memorizationa monthly 0.5 2024-08-15 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/a-hrefhttpswwwtonyventuracommy-blog201429thank-you-pat-martino-convert-to-minor-areathank-you-pat-martino-convert-to-minor-areaa monthly 0.5 2024-08-15 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/category/Workflow monthly 0.5 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/tag/workflow monthly 0.5 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/tag/technique monthly 0.5 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/tag/improvisation monthly 0.5 https://www.tonyventura.com/blog/tag/gear monthly 0.5 https://www.tonyventura.com/home daily 1.0 2026-02-12 https://www.tonyventura.com/music daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/gallery daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272565845-QD84AIPL1T2P54VP44JT/cv.jpg Gallery My dad, Charlie Ventura, world famous tenor saxophonist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272565862-3E2FQMIOBZMJRCORFTTD/cv3.jpg Gallery Charlie Ventura & Bill Harris ‎– Live At The Three Deuces. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272565900-98826F7F1JW3HQU64Z9D/dave_phil_tony_glider.jpg Gallery I'm sitting in the rear seat, partially hidden. The glider is a L-13 Blaník, a two-seater trainer glider. We are at the Air Sailing glider port in Reno, NV. Time frame is in the mid 1980's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272565898-FPDOHF2GXBUJ87KFRRZP/glider1.jpg Gallery On a glider tow at Desert Soaring in Boulder City, Nevada. Early 1980's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272566731-LL0HN4P9NDU8KFI9REP3/glider2.jpg Gallery Coming in for a landing in a glider at Desert Soaring in Boulder City, Nevada. Early 1980's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272566722-Z827X33JFMV18M45A793/glider3.jpg Gallery On a glider tow at Desert Soaring in Boulder City, Nevada. Early 1980's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272566771-B3OYSOY0ORNL34M6WF8C/landing.jpg Gallery Looking at runway 17/35 at Air Sailing in Reno, NV. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272566774-LHKSF31FNQ9F2R1M5UKH/joe_bobonconga_tony.jpg Gallery The Penetrations rock band in the 1960's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272567172-KTKVNO2SLOH1V6YENVJS/pic.jpg Gallery Flying in a Cessna 152 in the early 1980's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272567848-VPQDVFQKLYF5L5HST0SG/tony_grant_all.jpg Gallery The Tony Grant Stars of Tomorrow show. Time frame is the mid 1960's. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272567150-O6FE6HDX1YS6RK753094/tonight_show.jpg Gallery Playing guitar with Ben Vereen on The Tonight Show. The television photo captured when I was taking a guitar solo on one of my original songs, “Love Can See You” that Ben sang on. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272567850-HJKMMBRE60MUHSSQKH51/tony_grant_penetrations.jpg Gallery The Penetrations performing in Atlantic City, NJ in the 1960's on the Tony Grant Stars of Tomorrow show. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272567847-K56MPV7GZRTXZ97YPI45/tony_ronThomas.jpg Gallery Playing guitar with Ron Thomas at Vincent's Jazz Cafe in West Chester, PA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272567848-Y4P81OMI7JSGTSJGYKQ1/TONY_VINCENTS_GOOD.jpg Gallery Playing guitar at Vincent's Jazz Cafe in West Chester, PA. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272567951-8X0GV94RZS04LZGTM3EH/vm_backstage_lot.jpg Gallery In our zoot suits, in Hollywood, CA for a Ben Vereen TV special. From left to right- Tony Ventura, Marc Dicciani, Mike Boone, and Dave Loeb. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272568843-5DKZKY3R2O2ST2U0I5HO/vm_ben_fence.jpg Gallery Hanging out with the Vereen Machine [Ben Vereen's band] in the early 1980's. Location unknown. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605272568866-XPBTI1QSDX0IQA5V2WA4/WilmYMCA0006.jpeg Gallery I was a member of the Wilmington [Delaware] YMCA Judo club. I'm standing, 3rd from the right. Time frame is @1970. https://www.tonyventura.com/about daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605314653418-FVH08O45AHKAXWUGQD3P/tony_vincents_good.jpg https://www.tonyventura.com/preparation-and-warmup daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/86c933d4-524d-41c8-b4e9-650b9d4c24e9/preparation_warmup.png https://www.tonyventura.com/reading-and-sight-reading daily 0.75 2024-08-24 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605482563527-OGZXZL7O72R7N309EVIT/PBonaSightReading.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605524087391-K0F8PQEABT96VOJ9A5KX/Wohlfahrt.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605524338129-PGUOJ6Q394GUD8274M40/sight-reading-mastery.jpg https://www.tonyventura.com/general-4 daily 0.75 2024-10-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605609922707-5IUY4U2DJCH1LZYXDZ0U/tonyventura.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605609950051-UE6AW17J2FCGT4R90SSE/Melba-Moore-250x250.jpg Albums - What A Woman Needs by Melba Moore Released October 1981 (check out the YouTube video of “Let’s Go Back to Lovin“: that’s me on guitar) Melba Moore Label: EMI AmericaCatalog#: ST-17060 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Country: US Released:12 Oct 1981 Genre: Funk / Soul Style: Disco Musicians: Bass – James Williams Congas – Darryl Burgee Drums – Keith Benson Engineer – Joe Venneri Guitar – Tony Ventura Saxophone – Sam Peakes Written by – Jerry Cohen , Gene McFadden, John Whitehead https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605610053359-F3NTQ6WR89KFIWZDSDFF/fogel3.jpg Albums - SOUL EYES by Dan Fogel Dan is an amazing, very powerful, melodic, reflective and intriguing jazz organist. Genre: Jazz: Traditional Jazz Combo Release date: 2004 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1605610090580-AJOHG8ZFGF22DW743PZX/dain3.jpg Albums - ...half A Dream by Dain Carlton Mergenthaler Quirky but melodic pop-rock songs written in the genre of lennon & mccartney, squeeze, and tom petty Genre: Pop: Beatles-pop Release date: 1995 https://www.tonyventura.com/videos daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/hands daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1606007987366-P08I54ZVKLN287O0CGJY/Whitfill-Strat.png Hands - How to position the right hand Relax Your Right Arm: Let your right arm hang naturally at your side. Notice how your fingers naturally curl slightly. Rest Your Arm: Place your right upper arm on the body of the guitar. Adjust based on your arm length. Hold the Pick: Position a regular-sized hard pick on your first finger, with the top of the pick parallel to the second joint of your finger. Personal Tip: I prefer using an extra heavy pick (1.21MM). Place your thumb flat across the pick. Keep it relaxed—don't stiffen or bend it. Position Your Fingers: Pull your first finger back slightly, so it doesn’t touch the strings. The pick should stick out just a bit more than your first finger. Caution: Hold the pick lightly—just enough to keep from dropping it. Your hand should form an inverted "V" shape. As you pull your first finger back, the bottom tip of the pick and your finger should protrude slightly under your thumb. Movement: Pick using your elbow, with your fingers and thumb moving as a single unit. All movement should come from the elbow. Glide Your Hand: As your right hand moves across the pick guard, your fingers should stay in their natural semi-curled position. Key Tips: Keep your fingers in their natural semi-curled position—don’t open or close them. Don’t anchor your right hand on the pick guard or bridge. Avoid unnecessary movement in your picking hand. Hold the pick flat and parallel to the strings, using only the tip. Maintain a consistent depth when the pick enters between the strings by picking from the elbow. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/1606008592148-ODK7V9BSOKN218F5L1JR/Whitfill-Tele.png Hands - How to position the left hand Place your first finger across all six strings at the first fret to create a bar. Tip: Position your left thumb at the center of the back of the neck. Caution: Avoid pressing your left palm against the neck. Use your thumb as support for your left hand. Test: You should be able to hold the guitar up using just your thumb and first finger. https://www.tonyventura.com/finger-exercises daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/scale-studies daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/basic-chord-studies daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/chord-studies daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/improvisation daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5fae73006300280599bf0fc6/fb865545-f913-4560-99c1-106dc622d02e/intro-3rd-flatted7th.png https://www.tonyventura.com/paget daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/playing-a-song daily 0.75 2025-09-27 https://www.tonyventura.com/contact daily 0.75 2020-11-21 https://www.tonyventura.com/short-passages daily 0.75 2021-11-20 https://www.tonyventura.com/calendar daily 0.75 2025-07-16 https://www.tonyventura.com/finger-exercises-1 daily 0.75 2025-09-30 https://www.tonyventura.com/c-scales-5th-string daily 0.75 2024-10-20 https://www.tonyventura.com/collaborations daily 0.75 2026-02-12