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Carmichael Library

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Music Research Guide

 

This guide is the starting point for identifying, locating, using, and evaluating  materials relating to music in the Carmichael Library and on the Internet.  If you need additional assistance, please Ask a Librarian or contact Jason Cooper, Technical Services Librarian at cooperjd@montevallo.edu, or 665-6114

Finding Library Materials    
Library Catalog
The Library Catalog is often the best place to begin research. Search by author, title, subject, keyword, or a variety of other specialized searches.

  • To find items related to Mozart's symphonies, try a General Keyword Search: mozart symphony
  • A General Keyword Search would also help to find items related to Verdi's Requiem Mass: verdi requiem
  • If you only have title information about a piece, try a Title Keyword Search: emperor concerto, clock symphony
  • Use an Author Alphabetical Search to help with the spelling of composer's names: rachman, tchai

Several examples of standard music subject headings appropriate for use in the library catalog when searching for music materials are:

  • Music
  • Music -- History and Criticism (Subject heading MUSIC and the Subdivision HISTORY AND CRITICISM)
  • Music -- Theory (Subject heading MUSIC and the Subdivision THEORY)
  • Church Music (Narrower topic)
  • Popular Music (Narrower topic)
  • Symbolism in Music (Narrower topic)

To obtain an authoritative list of subject headings check the Library of Congress Subject Headings, near the Ask Here desk.

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Call Numbers
Carmichael Library uses Library of Congress Classification to organize its materials.  Every book, score, and libretto is assigned a call number.  Materials in music can be found in these call number ranges:

M Music
M 5 - M 1490 Instrumental Music
M 1001 Symphonies
M 1495 - M 5000 Vocal Music
M 1670 - M 1671 Spirituals (Songs)
ML Literature on Music
ML 100 - ML 109 Dictionaries. Encyclopedias.
ML 112.8 - ML 158.8 Bibliography
ML 159 - ML 3775 History and Criticism
ML 3919 - ML 3920 Music Therapy
MT Musical Instruction and Study
MT 1 - MT 5 Music Theory
MT 40 - MT 67 Composition. Elements and Techniques of Music
MT 90 - MT 146 Analysis and Appreciation of Musical Works

 

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Reference Materials
Reference materials include dictionaries, encyclopedias, atlases, and indexes.  They are good starting points in the research process.  

Several examples of music reference materials available for use in the Carmichael Library include the following:

  • Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Ref. ML100 .G16 1998
  • The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Ref. ML100 .N48 2001
  • The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, Ref. ML102 .O6 N5 1992
  • Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Ref. ML102 .P66 G84 1998
  • Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Ref. ML105 .B16 2001
  • Reader's Guide to Music History, Theory, Criticism, Ref. ML160 .R42 1999
  • American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle, Ref. ML1711 .B67 2001
  • The New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning, Ref. MT1 .N48 2002

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Journals and Periodicals
Journals and periodicals are published at regular intervals in print and electronically.  You may click on any of the following music periodical titles to search their holdings in the Carmichael Catalog:

  • American Choral Review
  • American Music Teacher
  • Bulletin - Council for Research in Music Education
  • Choral Journal
  • Clarinet
  • Clavier
  • Instrumentalist
  • ITG Journal [International Trumpet Guild]
  • Journal of Research in Music Education
  • Journal of Singing
  • Journal of the American Musicological Society
  • Music Educators Journal
  • Musical America: International Directory of the Performing Arts
  • Musical Quarterly
  • Piano Guild Notes
  • Saxophone Journal
  • Teaching Music
  • Voice of Chorus America

The following searches may also be helpful in finding electronic journals in the catalog:

  • Music - Periodicals (Subject alphabetical search)
  • music periodicals (General keyword search)

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Print Indexes
Indexes are used to identify published articles in specific journals.  Most of the indexes in the Carmichael Library are electronic and are available from the Databases page.  However, in some instances only print indexes are available:

  • Music Index (1949-1999) Index ML 118 .M84

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Electronic Resources
Databases

Electronic access to journal articles is available from the Databases page.  Most databases can be searched using author, title or subject in either basic or advanced search formats. The results of a search will include either a citation, a citation and abstract, or a citation, abstract and full text of the article depending on the database searched.

Listed below are databases pertaining to Music that are available from the Databases pageYou can access these, and other databases, from the Databases by name page or the Databases by subject page.

Indexes and abstracts music literature from 1969 to the present and includes 500 scholarly journals.  Covers all aspects of music, including historical musicology, ethnomusicology, instruments and voice, dance, and music therapy.

A streaming audio library featuring over 50,000 fully licensed recordings, thousands of program notes and composer biographies, and hundreds of recommended play lists.

Includes document citations, journal article citations from over 775 professional journals, and ERIC digest full-text records. Also includes full-text from nearly 500 journals and full-text of most of the ERIC documents from 1996 to the present.

A multi-disciplinary, full text database. Contains full text for nearly 3,180 scholarly publications.

Indexes 2,600 journals with full text articles from 1,400 titles in academic disciplines including the arts, humanities

Additional information about specific databases is available at each database site. 

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Internet Links
Several recognized music sites are listed below:

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Additional Resources
Associations
The following are associations and groups of musicians and scholars.  They may be helpful in answering a variety of questions, from how to conduct specialized research to how to plan your career:

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Additional Research Guides
The following guides were prepared by other libraries and may be of help to you in your research:

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Archives/Special Collections
The Library has a large collection of sheet music that has not yet been brought into the online catalog. These materials are located on the second floor of Carmichael Library and are arranged alphabetically by composer. There is a card catalog available for these scores. Please ask a librarian if you need assistance in searching these materials.

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Compiled by Jason Cooper 9-03, updated 8-09

Finding Library Materials
Library Catalog
Call Numbers
Reference Materials
Print Indexes
Journals and Periodicals
Reserves
Class Handouts
Electronic Resources
Databases
Internet Links
Additional Resources
Associations
Additional Research Guides
Archives/Special Collections
Other Libraries
Style Manuals
Library Services
Ask a Librarian
Interlibrary Loan

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