Music Subject Guide

Title: What Digital Resource Should I Use For My Research?

(Note: this infographic contains 8 boxes, each containing different information. This alt text will go through each box from left to right, top row first then bottom row second)

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Box 1: Books/E-Books

Great for:

• autobiographies/biographies

• primary sources (like letters/reviews) and secondary sources (like analyses)

• other resources for you to explore (via works cited list/bibliography)

Some databases to try:

• Catalyst

• WorldCat

• MLA International Bibliography

• RILM Abstracts of Music Literature

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Box 2: Scores/E-Scores

Great for:

• conducting analysis of a work (facsimiles, manuscripts, editions, etc.)

• following along a recording with sheet music

• M2s/M3s (collected works) contain valuable information via prefaces and accompanying material

Some databases to try:

• A-R Online Music Anthology

• Classical Scores Library

• Percussion Orchestrations

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Box 3: Encyclopedias/Dictionaries

Great for:

• definitions/initial information about composers, musicians, instruments, genres, musical terms

• other resources for you to explore (via works cited list/bibliography)

Some databases to try:

• Oxford Music Online (aka Grove)

• Garland Encyclopedia of World MusicCredo Reference

• Oxford Art Online

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Box 4: Reference Materials

Great for:

• indexes, bibliographies for specific composers (or groups of composers), genres, time periods, etc.

• other resources for you to explore (via works cited list/bibliography)

Some databases to try:

• African American Music Reference

• Classical Music Reference Library

• Orchestral Music Online

• IPA Source

• Musical Theater Songs

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Box 5: Journal Articles

Great for:

• analyses/interpretations, arguments

• research on a piece, composer, genre, type of music, etc.

• other resources for you to explore (via works cited list/bibliography)

Some databases to try:

• RILM Abstracts of Music Literature

• JSTOR

• Music Index

• Music Periodicals Database

• Performing Arts Periodicals Database

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Box 6: Online Media (Audio/Video)

Great for:

• recordings/performances of a work

• liner notes, which provide valuable context about a work, musicians, composer and more

Some databases to try:

• Naxos Music Library/Naxos Jazz

• Music Online

• Met Opera On Demand

• Ethnographic Sound Archives

• DRAM

• Smithsonian Global Sound

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Box 7: Digital/Newspaper Archives/Databases

Great for:

• primary sources (correspondence, critic reviews from premieres or other performances, interviews, field researchers' notes, etc.)

Some databases to try:

• Historical Newspaper series

• TIME Magazine Archive

• Times Digital Archive (Times of London)

• Nineteenth Century Collections

• American West

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Box 8: For our full A-Z list of databases that St. Olaf College has access to, visit:

libraryguides.stolaf.edu/az.php

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QUESTIONS? Chat with a librarian online:

go.stolaf.edu/chat

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