Reflection is necessary, especially in areas so intangable as improvisation, in
remember elements which work well, which can be expanded on, and habits for which other solutions should be found. It helps to answer questions such as, What is the ethos? What makes it work? What is it about? Or how do you judge an improvisation?

Reflection can also provide a focus for future development. Reflection on improvisation provides material which can be used as the intention for another improvisation.

But it is not so simple as that. Improvisation has to be awareness in the moment, it should be as if the music happens by itself. When you are in this mindset of non-doing, it can be difficult to reflect. Also, it is natural to present the results of a reflection as analysis, which is good to see how elements work. But then, an analytical approach does not work when improvising. It becomes too much like carrying out a task, and it is impossible to improvise when you are trying to ‘do’ something.

What is needed, is a way in which the mindset of reflection is the same as the mindset of actually playing. In my research, I am finding guideline for improvisation within particular styles, and using them in improvisation. Although the guidelines may be clear, and the concept simple, it is impossible to improvise with them unless the player first makes them his own. That means, seeing these guidelines (the results of reflection) not just as possibilities in written form, but actually in terms of awareness of what it is actually like to improvise with those concepts.