Goal-independent mechanisms for free response generation: Creative and pseudo-random performance share neural substrates

► Do different free generation tasks use common or context-dependent neural circuits? ► fMRI was used to compare musical improvisation to pseudo-random response generation. ► Musical improvisation did not induce more activity than pseudo-random generation. ► There was no relationship between response set size and brain activity. ► Core brain regions fulfill goal/context independent functions during free generation.