Description

More Licks. More Positions. More Ways to Sound Like You.

You learned the fundamentals of improvisation in Book 1. Now it’s time to go deeper. Banjo Improvisation Book 2 gives you a broader palette of licks to draw from — licks that move across the neck, licks that add a bluesy edge to your playing, licks built on chord shapes, and licks directly inspired by one of the greatest banjo players who ever lived: J.D. Crowe.

This isn’t a book of licks you memorize and play back note-for-note. Geoff teaches you each lick in detail, then shows you how and where to use it inside a real song. That’s the difference between a player who has memorized a bunch of licks and a player who can actually improvise — you learn the lick, you understand it, and then you know when to reach for it.

What You’ll Learn

• Positional licks — licks that can be played in different positions on the neck, so you’re not locked into one spot
• Bluesy licks — licks that add a darker, bluesier tone to your playing, drawing from the blues roots of bluegrass
• Chord-based licks — licks built around chord shapes, so you can improvise based on what chord is being played
• J.D. Crowe-inspired licks — licks in the style of one of the most influential banjo players in bluegrass history
• How to use each lick in context — Geoff demonstrates where each lick fits inside real songs, not just in isolation

How the Course Works

• 1. Watch Geoff teach each lick. 155 minutes of detailed video instruction showing you exactly how to play every lick, with close-up views of both hands.
• 2. Read the tab. 60 pages of full tablature for every lick and example in the book.
• 3. Play along with the backing tracks. Audio tracks let you practice each lick with a band so you hear how it fits into real music.

Who This Book Is For

This is Book 2 in Geoff’s four-part Improvisation series. If you’ve worked through Banjo Improvisation Book 1, you’re ready for this. You should be comfortable with basic licks and rolls and understand the concept of using licks to build solos. This book assumes that foundation and builds on it with more sophisticated material.

This book is also a good fit for intermediate players who already solo but sound the same on every song. If your improvisation vocabulary feels limited, these licks — especially the positional and bluesy ones — will open up new possibilities.

Who Geoff Is, and Why That Matters

Geoff Hohwald has been playing banjo since 1964 — back when Columbus, Ohio was a genuine bluegrass hot spot — and studied under John Hickman. He’s performed with two of Bill Monroe’s guitar players, shared stages with Red Allen, Frank Wakefield, and Hylo Brown, played with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra, and co-founded the Greater Atlanta Bluegrass Band. Six decades of improvising on stage and at jams means Geoff doesn’t just teach licks from a book — he teaches licks he’s actually used in real playing situations for decades.

Geoff also runs Banjo Warehouse, our sister shop in Yellow Springs, Ohio and Atlanta, Georgia, where he’s been buying, selling, and setting up banjos since 1980.

Buy Direct. Skip the Warehouse.

When you order from GeoffHohwald.com, you’re buying directly from us — a small family business in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Your book is packed and shipped by people who actually play banjo, and if you have a question about a lesson, Geoff is the one who answers the email.

• ✔ Signed by Geoff on request — add a note at checkout
• ✔ Direct access to the author if you get stuck on a lesson
• ✔ Your purchase supports a small family business, not a warehouse
• ✔ Ships from Yellow Springs, Ohio, usually within one business day

Product Details

• Format: Paperback, 60 pages
• Includes: Free online video and audio access (155 minutes of video, plus backing tracks)
• Focus: Positional licks, bluesy licks, chord-based licks, J.D. Crowe-inspired licks
• Level: Intermediate
• Style: 5-string Scruggs-style bluegrass banjo
• ISBN: 978-1790443550
• Ships from: Yellow Springs, Ohio, USA

The Complete Improvisation Series

• Book 1: Banjo Improvisation — learn the fundamentals of creating your own solos.
• → You are here: Book 2: Banjo Improvisation — positional, bluesy, chord-based, and J.D. Crowe-inspired licks.
• Book 3: Pentatonic Improvisation — use pentatonic scales to improvise freely across the neck.
• Book 4: Up the Neck Licks — advanced licks for playing up the neck with confidence.