LibraryGuides: Music: Find Articles & Web Sites

When Should I Use a Database?

Since Primo Library Search includes articles in its results, you may be wondering why you would bother to search in a journal article database. There are several reasons for using an individual database:

Noise - Say you're looking for information on zombies (computers that distribute spam) and you find articles on the walking dead, philosophy, anthropology, and other subjects; using a database that specializes in computer literature lets you focus on your topic
Bells and Whistles - Some databases have specialized subject headings and powerful search features; most let you search within the full text of articles
Thoroughness - not all database articles are included in Primo Library Search, for technical reasons; some articles from Education Resource Complete and CINAHL (Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), many newspapers (including The Oregonian), most images, and the databases on the Databases on the Web guide are not included in the Library Search

Use Databases to find Articles

Additional Indexes to Periodicals

Bach Bibliography
The Bach Bibliography database is compiled and maintained by Yo Tomita, of the School of Music, Queen's University Belfast. It contains a large number of citations to journal articles, books, dissertations, and other materials relating to the study of J.S. Bach. Click Search Scholarly Literature to begin. "Since 2012 the Online Bach Bibliography is taken care of and continually enlarged by the Leipzig Bach Archive in close collaboration with Prof. Dr. Yo Tomita."
Beethoven Gateway
The Beethoven Gateway, formerly the Beethoven Bibliography Database, is a comprehensive, "fully-indexed bibliography of published materials relating to Ludwig van Beethoven. … The database is a primary project of the Ira F. Brilliant Center forBeethoven Studies at San Jose State University." Many entries have abstracts or descriptions in the "notes" field.
CAIRSS for Music
CAIRSS for Music database of music research literature in music education, music psychology, music therapy, and music no longer exists separately; it has been incorporated into the UTSA library metasearch tool.
Canadian Music Periodical Index
Indexes Canadian music journals & magazines.

Getting Reference Help

E-mail a Question to Reference
Phone Reference at 503.399.5231
Chat reference: Please use the form below
We recommend that you include an e-mail address so that you can receive a transcript of your chat and so the library can send you any followup help.

Photo credit tudor-rose used under Creative Commons license

Web Sites

All-Music Guide
A guide to music in a wide variety of genres, with historical background, outlines of important composers or performers, definitions of terms, biographies, discographies, links to Internet sites, etc.
Jazz Research Library Guide
Collection of resources curated by Liza Vick at Harvard's Loeb Music Library.
Online Resources for Music Scholars
Harvard College Library offers this great collection of resources.
Top 25 Web Sites for Music Education
Stefani Langol's picks for music ed.