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Creative Arts Subject Guide

Resources for music

 

Featured eBooks

Search for books/eBooks using Library Search.  Your Course Readings list will also have mandatory and recommended texts that will help you with your research. 

See here for details on borrowing, requesting digitized chapters scans, renewing or finding out how to join other university libraries near to you. 

Locate items

Locate scores, sound recordings, videos and research material within genres or styles through Library Search. 

Scores can be found a couple of different ways. 

One of the common methods is to:

  1. Enter your search term e.g. Bach and select search
  2. Filter the results by Resource Type
  3. Select Scores.
  4. Apply filter. 

Specialist databases focusing on music scores are available.

For sound recordings: 

  1. Filter the results by selecting Audio from Resource Type

 

Example: 

Carson, A. D. (2020). I used to love to dream : [a mixed tape essay] [Broadcast]. University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.11738372
Meyerbeer, G., & Letellier, R. I. (2010). Choral music and songs (1st ed.). Cambridge Scholars.
Ricketson, D. (2006). Trace elements : four unidentified genres for four undefined instruments. Curious Noise.


DPD-, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Featured Journals

Identify key journals in your area of research by selecting Journal Title Search from the Library Advanced Search page. 

Find research articles from the most prominent journals in your field by narrowing down your results by selecting the Peer Reviewed filter option on the left side of your results.

Some peer reviewed journals are listed below.

Musicology Australia (Online) is a peer reviewed journal with articles and reviews covering a broad spectrum of music research, including historical musicology, ethnomusicology, popular music, indigenous music practices, jazz, theory and analysis, organology, performance practice, contemporary music and psychology of music. 

Music theory online : MTO is a publication of the Society for Music Theory. It is a peer reviewed and open access journal of research and scholarship in music theory, music analysis, and related disciplines. 

Popular music (Cambridge University Press : Online) is a peer reviewed open access journal. It is an international multi-disciplinary journal covering all aspects of the subject - from the formation of social group identities through popular music, to the workings of the global music industry, to how particular pieces of music are put together.

Contemporary Music Review is an interdisciplinary peer reviewed journal. Themed issues feature articles on global contemporary music research as well as reports, bibliographic studies, interviews, scores and translations and address any topic in contemporary music studies, including analytical, cultural, environmental, historical, scientific, social, and technological approaches.

Research Studies in Music Education is an internationally peer-reviewed journal that promotes the dissemination and discussion of high quality research in music and music education. The journal encourages the interrogation and development of a range of research methodologies and their application to diverse topics in music education theory and practice.

Featured Databases

See here for a list of highly relevant databases that have a subject focus within the area of music and creative arts. 

Some additional highly recommended databases are listed below.

 

Encyclopedia of Popular Music contains over 30,000 entries cover all genres and periods of popular music from 1900 to the present day, including jazz, country, folk, rap, reggae, techno, musicals, and world music.

Music Online: Classical Scores Library (Alexander Street Press) Classical Scores Library will contain 400,000 pages of classical scores from both in-copyright and public domain editions. The major composers output is represented, as well as many lesser known composers and works.

Ethnographic video online (Alexander Street Press) contains over 1,3000 hours of streaming video - including ethnographic films, documentaries, feature films and previously unpublished fieldwork - examining human culture, behaviour and society.

ProQuest (One Academic) The world’s largest curated collection of journals, ebooks, dissertations, news, video and primary sources, all in one place.

EBSCOhost Megafile Ultimate This suite of databases contains information in most subject areas taught at UniSQ. 

Open source web based resources and tools

Below are a list of open source or web based resources that may assist with your research or creative works. 

IMSLP (International Music Score Library Project) or Petrucci Music Library, was started in 2006. The goal of the IMSLP is to gather all public domain music scores, in addition to the music scores of all contemporary composers (or their estates) who wish to release them to the public free of charge. However, another main goal of IMSLP is to facilitate the exchange of musical ideas outside of compositions: for example, the analysis of a particular piece of music.

Musictheory.net is a free website (paid app suite) providing lessons, exercises and tools for learning music theory concepts incluidng ear training and notation. 

Mutopia Project contains 2124 pieces of music – free to download, modify, print, copy, distribute, perform, and record – all in the Public Domain or under Creative Commons licenses, in PDF, MIDI, and editable LilyPond file formats.

ToneGym is a free membership (and paid subscription) site that offers ear training, opportunities to develop musical intuition and improve core skills such as interval detection, chord recognition, sense of rhythm, chord progression, echoic memory and more.

Domains of music: Careers, education and therapy

Musicians today may work as performers, composers, producers, educators, music directors, or in administrative and technical roles within the broader music industry.

Professional bodies play a vital role in supporting musicians' careers through advocacy, networking, accreditation, and professional development.

QLD and Australian professional organisations

  • QMusic is Queensland’s music industry development association. QMusic is the peak body for QLD's music sector. It is an established not-for-profit organisation in Queensland dedicated to delivering sector development and major music events including the Queensland Music Awards and BIGSOUND to stimulate and grow the state’s music sector.

  • Musicians' Union of Australia (MUA) is the primary national trade union representing professional musicians across all genres. Established over a century ago, it advocates for fair pay, copyright protection, working conditions, and the rights of musicians in both live and recorded performance contexts. The MUA supports musicians working in orchestras, bands, venues, theatre, recording studios, and more.

  • APRA AMCOS – Australasian Performing Right Association / Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society. APRA AMCOS represents composers, songwriters, and publishers in copyright, licensing and royalties and is essential for musicians earning income from public performances, streaming, and reproduction of their works.

  • Music Australia as part of Creative Australia  is a national organisation focused on advocacy, research, and policy for the music sector. It works across education, community music, and industry development. Creative Australia is the Australian Government’s principal arts investment and advisory body. 

  • Sounds Australia is a national initiative supporting Australian artists in international markets through showcasing and networking opportunities.

 

International professional organisations

  • FIM The International Federation of Musicians (FIM) is a global organisation that represents professional musicians’ trade unions, guilds, and associations. Founded in 1948, FIM is headquartered in Paris and currently includes members from over 65 countries across the world. It focuses on advocacy, representation representing musicians at international institutions like UNESCO, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the European Union, and offers support and guidance. 
  • GRAMMYs Recording Academy are prestigious international awards that recognise excellence across all areas of the music industry. Beyond the awards, the Recording Academy advocates for musicians' rights, offers professional development programs, and supports music creators through initiatives like MusiCares, which provides health and financial assistance. It also runs GRAMMY U, helping students prepare for careers in music.

Music production involves the creative and technical processes of composing, recording, editing, mixing, and mastering sound to create a final musical work. Producers shape the artistic direction of a track and work closely with artists, engineers, and technology to bring musical ideas to life. Below are some digital tools students can use to explore music production.
 

Open source tools for music production

  • Audacity is a free, open-source audio editor and recording tool that’s great for beginners. It supports multi-track editing and is widely used in education worldwide, including in Australia.
  • Cakewalk by BandLab (Windows only) is a professional-grade DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) that’s completely free. It offers features like MIDI editing, multi-track recording, and advanced mixing tools.
  • LMMS (Linux MultiMedia Studio) is cross-platform open-source DAW ideal for composing, sequencing, and mixing music. It is useful for creating electronic music and experimenting with virtual instruments and samples. It is widely used in education and by independent creators because it's accessible, lightweight, and community-supported. It’s a great starting point for students learning music production without needing to invest in expensive software.

 

Music plays a powerful role in both health and education, serving as a tool for therapy, learning, and personal development. In health, music therapy uses sound and rhythm to support physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being, helping people manage stress, recover from injury, or cope with mental health challenges. In education, music enhances cognitive skills, creativity, and social development across all ages. Professionals in the field of health or education combine musical knowledge with therapeutic and pedagogical techniques to make a meaningful impact on individuals’ lives.

 

Associations for music in health and education

  • Queensland Music Teachers’ Association (QMTA) Founded in 1921, QMTA is a respected not-for-profit professional body supporting instrumental and voice teachers across the state. It offers professional development, teaching accreditation, mentoring, recommended teaching rates, student performance opportunities, networking across branches (such as Brisbane and Cairns), and a teacher directory to connect with students 

  • Australian Society for Music Education (ASME) The national organisation representing music educators across all sectors in Australia. ASME provides advocacy, professional development, resources, publications like the Australian Journal of Music Education, and hosts conferences and award programs

Open source tools

  • MuseScore is a free, open-source music notation software that educators and therapists can use to create and share customised music materials.  MuseScore Studio is an easy-to-use application that helps musicians learn, create, and edit musical notation. The Studio is an open-source desktop software application. It supports more than 50 languages and is available for PC, Macintosh, and Linux.

  • Sonic Pi is a free, open-source live coding music synthesizer used to create music by writing code. Originally developed for education, it’s also been adopted in music therapy and accessible music-making because of its interactive and creative potential. It is accessible for blind or partially sighted people. It can be used to group or individual lessons. Available for Windows, MacOS and Linux

Planning and managing creative research projects

A Creative Works research project at the level of 4th year, Masters level and above usually involves a creative component (e.g. composition, performance, sound installation), as well as an exegesis or critical written component, which situates the creative work within scholarly contexts. Common research methods in musicology and creative practice can include:

  • Practice-led research: creative practice generates new knowledge
  • Historical musicology: archive analysis, score study, historiography
  • Ethnography: interviews, fieldwork, participant observation
  • Analytical musicology: theory-based analysis, score analysis

For higher level research projects, ensure you visit the library guides for Research Support for comprehensive help in publication planning, data management and complex literature reviews. 

Systematic-type reviews include systematic reviews, systematic literature reviews, scoping reviews, rapid reviews, systematic quantitative literature reviews, and many more (Sutton et al., 2019). The common theme is that they follow a systematic, structured process. 

To see examples of literature reviews in the field of music:

Examples: 

  • Dickson, G. T., & Schubert, E. (2019). How does music aid sleep? literature review. Sleep Medicine, 63, 142–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2019.05.016
  • Park, J., Choi, Y., & Lee, K. M. (2024). Research Trends in Virtual Reality Music Concert Technology: A Systematic Literature Review. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 30(5), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2024.3372069
  • Zhang, J. D., Susino, M., McPherson, G. E., & Schubert, E. (2020). The definition of a musician in music psychology: A literature review and the six-year rule. Psychology of Music, 48(3), 389–409. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735618804038

 

For higher level research projects, ensure you visit the library guides for Research Support for comprehensive help in publication planning, data management and complex literature reviews. 

To help get you started on literature reviews, see the eBook suggestions below.

UniSQ's music curriculum engages with both contemporary popular music and broader critical perspectives, including diverse musical cultures. Some of the genres and styles held here at UniSQ include:

Western pop music & pop songwriting Core focus on twentieth-century and contemporary pop styles, including the structures, aesthetics, and social contexts of popular music 

Australian popular music & Indigenous popular music Explore the development and cultural significance of music across Australian contexts, including First Nations musical expressions.

Contemporary genres (e.g. Rock, Hip-Hop, EDM, Metal, Indie)  Investigating contemporary music and engaging in critical analysis, covering genre-specific historical and cultural issues.

Digital composition & electronic styles Techniques for composing across electronic styles are taught via courses in digital composition and recording/production 

Songwriting & collaborative practice Emphasis on popular songwriting methods in genres like folk, pop, and singer-songwriter traditions, within collaborative ensemble contexts

 

Locate items

To search for research material in these areas, use Library Search:

Enter phrases such as

"Australian popular music", "digital composition", "contemporary rock"

Or you can use boolean operators to focus or expand your search such as an asterix *, for example: 

 Austral* Pop* music* 

This will expand your search to include Australia, Australians, Australasian, Pop, Popular, Pops, Music, Musicians, Musicology.  This type of search will expand the results you retrieve. 

It is easy to search the library for research on composition and tools to assist you in projects.

A simple Library Search for

music composition 

will result in over 70 000 items including books, journals, scores, kits and much more. 

 

Composition tools

MuseScore is a full notation editor with MIDI input, sheet export and playback. It is one of the most popular Open-source alternatives to Sibelius. 

Sibelius is a music notation software primarily used for composing, arranging, and notating music scores. It’s a powerful tool for engraving sheet music, used by composers, arrangers, educators, and students. Sibelius First is a free version of the software however you will need to have an account with Avid. 

Referencing and citing difficult creative works

APA 7 Referencing

For Film, TV, Radio, Audio, Streaming video, YouTube, and Podcasts, APA 7,Chapter 13.

See APA 7,Chapter 4 for details on referencing musical scores. 

Sound recording (Classical work)  Include the composer name as the author.

In the reference list, add the name of the artist who recorded the track after the title in square brackets.

Add the year the track was composed at the end of the reference if different from the publication date of the track. See APA 7,Chapter 13

In text

(Composer Surname, Year of Composition/Publication Year)

Example: Mozart’s serenade … (Mozart, 1787/2001)

Reference

Composer Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of recording [Song recorded by Artist Name (if different from Composer)]. On Title of Album. Music Label. (Year of Composition)

 

Example

Mozart, W. A. (2001). Serenade in G, K.525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” – 1. Allegro [Song recorded by Academy of St. Martin in the Fields and Sir Neville Marriner]. On Essential Mozart: 32 of his greatest masterpieces. Decca. (Original work published 1787)

 

Sound recording (other recordings)  Include the recording artist name as the author for tracks that are not classical works.

In the reference list, add the format ‘song’ after the title in square brackets. See APA 7,Chapter 13

In text

 

(Recording Artist Surname, Year)

 

 

Example: “Bird on the wire” … (Barnes & Cassar-Daley, 2005)

 

Reference

 

Recording Artist Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of recording [Song]. On Title of Album. Music Label.

 

Example

 

Barnes, J., & Cassar-Daley, T. (2005). Bird on the wire [Song]. On Double Happiness. Liberation Music.

 
Musical score

In text

(Author Surname, Year)

 

Example: In Lloyd Webber’s (ca. 1970) musical …

 

Reference

Composer Surname, Initial. (Year). Title. Publisher.

Example

 

Lloyd Webber, A. [ca. 1970]. Jesus Christ superstar. Leeds Music.

 

Song, track or lyrics

For songs associated with albums, songs not associated with albums or songs that have been re-recorded,

See the APA style blog for details. 

Each APA Style reference has an author element, date element, title element, and source element.  For a song or track reference, the author of the work is usually the recording artist, which may be an individual or group. The blog outlines details on what to do for stage names. If its associated with an album, write On followed by the album title in italics. 
Song with an associated album, with multiple music labels

In text

(Recording Artist Surname or band name, Year)

Example: 

  • Parenthetical citation: (Coldplay & BTS, 2021)
  • Narrative citation: Coldplay and BTS (2021)

Reference

 

Recording Artist Surname, Initial. (Year). Title of recording [Song]. On Title of Album. Music Label.

 

 

Coldplay & BTS. (2021). My universe [Song]. On Music of the spheres. Parlophone; Atlantic.

 
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