This text illustrates and explains the practices and processes of musical improvisation. Improvisation, by its very nature, seems to resist interpretation or elucidation. With contributions by 17 scholars and improvisers, the text offers a history of research on improvisation and an overview of the different approaches to the topic that can be used, ranging from cognitive study to detailed musical analysis. Such diverse genres as Italian lyrical singing, modal jazz, Indian classical music, Javanese gamelan, and African-American girls' singing games are examined.