Reference Sources
Biographical Information
Guides to Writing + Research
Discographies
Books + Media
Journal Articles
Professional Organizations
The Internet
General music information may be found by consulting information in the Reference Area. This would include such works as:
- Alternative Rock. REF ML3534.T543 2000
- Baker's Dictionary of Opera. REF ML102.O6 B26 2000
- Blacks in Opera: an encyclopedia of people and companies, 1873-1993. REF ML102.O6 S6 1995
- Cyclopedic Survey of Chamber Music. REF ML1100.C7 1963 vols. 1-2
- A dictionary of early music : from the troubadours to Monteverdi. REF ML100 .R695
- Encyclopedia of Rock. REF ML102.R6 H37 1988
- Encyclopedia of the Blues. REF ML102 .B6 H39 1992
- The Garland encyclopedia of world music. 10 vol. set, with accompanying CDs in Media/Reserve dept. REF ML100 .G16 1998
- The Guinness encyclopedia of popular music, 2nd ed. REF ML102 .P66 G84 1995
- The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. REF ML100 .H36 1999
- The Literature of Chamber Music. Ref ML1100 .C74 1997
- New Grove Dictionary of American Music. REF ML101 .U6 N48 1986 vols. 1-4
- New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians, 2nd ed. LMU only Ref ML100 .N48 2000
- New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. REF ML 102 .I5 N48 1984 vols. 1-3
- The Norton/Grove concise encyclopedia of music. REF ML100.N6 1988
- The Oxford Companion to Music. REF ML100 .S37 2002
- Oxford Companion to musical instruments. REF ML102.I5 B34 1992
- Popular Musicians. REF ML105 .P66 1999
- The Rolling Stone of Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll. REF ML102.R6 R64 2001
While biographical information can be found in many of the dictionary or encyclopedia resources above, there are other sources listed below. Biographical information may also be found by using LINUS, searching under the subject's name
Subject: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Subject: Marley, Bob
- Baker's biographical dictionary of musicians. REF ML105 .B16 2001 vols 1-6
- Baker's biographical dictionary of twentieth-century classical musicians. REF ML105.S612 1997
- Biographical dictionary of Afro-American and African musicians. REF ML105 .S67 1982
- International dictionary of black composers. REF ML105 .I5 1999 vols 1-2
- International encyclopedia of women composers. REF ML 105 .C7
- Harvard Biographical Dictionary of music. REF ML105 .H38 1996
American National Biography LMU only
Biographical articles on deceased figures of significance in shaping the nation. Full text
Biography Resource Center LMU only
Biographical information on more than 180,000 people from throughout history and around the world. Full text
| Guides to Writing + Research |
- Irvine's Writing about Music. On Order
- A Short Guide to Writing about Music. Main Stacks ML3793.B4 2000
- Sourcebook for Research in Music. Main Stacks ML113.C68 1993
- Writing about Music: A style sheet from the editors of 19th-century music. Main Stacks ML63.W68 1988
- Writing about Music: An introductory guide. Main Stacks ML3797.W54 2002
A discography is a listing of recordings. There are discographies for individual composers, alphabetically by composer, at ML 156.5; for individual performers at ML156.7; for various topics under ML156.4, alphabetically by topic. For example:
- The Beatles : the ultimate recording guide. Main Stacks ML156.7 B4 W53 1992
- Igor Stravinsky--the composer in the recording studio : a comprehensive discography. Main Stacks ML156.5 S85 S88
- All music guide to the blues : the experts' guide to the best blues recordings. Main Stacks ML156.4 .B6 A45 1996
- MusicHound rock : the essential album guide. REF ML156.4 W63 M87 2000
You can also find discographies in various reference works, such as encyclopedias, catalogs of composers, periodical articles, and in books on the topic.
To find books, scores, and recordings, as well as videos, DVDs and even periodicals relating to music, you should use LINUS, LMU's online catalog, by author, title, keyword, and subject. A general guide on how to use LINUS and how to find media items in LINUS is available. Because Music can be very broad, it is extremely difficult to direct you to just one area in the library. Therefore, if you are trying to locate books, media or journals, it may be easiest to ask the Reference Librarian for help in focusing your search.
You may request books from other university libraries if they are not available at LMU. Search LINK+ and request the book online using your OneCard. Your book should arrive in 3-4 days. For more information on LINK+ please see LINK+ Instructions.
Periodical articles and reviews of specific works are a few of the items that can be found in a variety of databases, both general and specific to music. If you are off campus, please read Connect to LMU's library databases from off campus.
General Indexes: EBSCOhost, ProQuest Research Library , LEXIS-NEXIS Academic Universe all LMU only - great for current reviews, interviews.
Arts & Humanities Search LMU only
Citation index to over 1,300 periodicals focusing on the arts and humanities.
International Index to Music Periodicals Full Text LMU only
Index to over 375 popular and scholarly music periodicals from over 20 countries. Carries full text for a small but growing number of periodicals. Tutorial available.
International Index to the Performing Arts LMU only
Index to over 130 performing arts periodicals from 9 countries. Tutorial available.
RILM Abstracts of Music Literature LMU only
Comprehensive international index to music periodicals, books, and other documents.
Consult LMU's Journal List to determine if the Library has the journals you need. Check Other Libraries to see if the University of California, California State University, or U.S.C. libraries have those journals that LMU doesn't hold in paper, microfilm, or online. You can get articles via our Document Delivery Service for a small charge. Ask at Reference.
| Professional Associations |
American Federation of Musicians (AFM)
American Musicological Society (AMS)
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Performers (ASCAP)
Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC)
Billboard Talent Net
Country Music Association (CMA)
Gospel Music Association (GMA)
Music Library Association (MLA)
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS)
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)
Society for American Music (SAM)
Society for Ethnomusicology (SEM)
Music Web Sites
Search Engines
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Rhonda Rosen
Music Subject Selector/Liaison
Media and Reserves Librarian |