Licks for fills vs. improv

[wccook2]

Willie,

The "Summertime" improv section is excellent.

Since there are some half notes in "Summertime", there is room for fills. I know a number of typical fills use the notes you give in the Arrangement.

However, can you use some of these Improvization ideas for short fills? Is the idea that you do your fill with the thought process of going to a target as the melody or one of the melody chord tones?

The general question is if you think of doing fills the same way as you think of total improv - but I guess with much shorter phrases?

[wmyette]

Absolutely, very good!

Fills and improv are exactly the same thing. The only difference is a fill is a shorter span. Always thing of target. Think about where you are going. Try and create a line using chord tones or scales that end on the next melody note.

[wccook2]

Thanks for the confirmation of how to think of fills as short improvs.