Explorational instrumental practice: An expansive approach to the development of improvisation competence

This article seeks to discuss approaches to instrumental practicing directed towards developing improvisation competence, by analyzing empirical data from a qualitative study on jazz students’ instrumental practicing. The concept explorational practice is derived from the theory of expansive learning, and compared against the concept deliberate practice. Findings show a variety of open-ended strategies to develop students’ improvisation competence, which are framed as explorational practice.