Research Starter - MUSB 331: Home

1. Define Your Research Scope

• Artist Selection: Choose the specific artist you want to research.
• Focus Areas: Decide on specific aspects you want to explore, such as the artist’s biography, musical style, discography, influence, and impact on the music industry.

2. Gather Primary Sources

• Interviews: Look for interviews with the artist, band members, producers, and collaborators.
• Recordings: Collect albums, live performance recordings, and music videos.
• Concert Reviews: Find reviews from reputable sources like newspapers, music magazines, and online platforms.

3. Collect Secondary Sources

• Books and Biographies: Search for books and biographies about the artist.
• Scholarly Articles: Use academic databases like JSTOR, Project MUSE, and Google Scholar to find scholarly articles on the artist.
• Documentaries: Watch documentaries that provide insights into the artist’s life and career.

4. Explore Tertiary Sources

• Encyclopedias: Use music encyclopedias for general information about the artist.

5. Analyze and Synthesize Information

• Timeline: Create a timeline of the artist’s career, noting key events, album releases, and significant milestones.
• Musical Style: Analyze the artist’s musical style, influences, and evolution over time.
• Impact and Influence: Assess the artist’s impact on the music industry and their influence on other artists.

Where to start your search:

Ella Fitzgerald 

Discovery Service – Ella Fitzgerald  

Internet Archive – Ella Fitzgerald – Movies, audio, texts

Aretha Franklin 

Discovery Service – Aretha Franklin

Internet Archive – Aretha Franklin – Movies, audio, texts

Sting 

Oxford Music Online (Online Music Encyclopedia) – Sting

Internet Archive – Sting – Limit to Text

1. Define Your Research Scope

• Genre Identification: Choose the hybrid genre you want to study.
• Focus Areas: Decide on specific aspects to explore.

2. Gather Primary Sources

• Interviews: Look for interviews with musicians, producers, and DJs who helped shape the genre.
• Recordings: Collect studio albums, singles, remixes, and live performances that exemplify the genre.
• Concert Reviews: Find reviews from reputable sources like newspapers, music magazines, and online platforms.

3. Collect Secondary Sources

• Books and Biographies: Search for books on genre history, artist biographies, or cultural movements tied to the genre.
• Scholarly Articles: Use academic databases to find scholarly work on genre formation, hybridity in music, or cultural studies.
• Documentaries: Watch documentaries or docuseries that explore genre evolution, artist journeys, or industry trends.

4. Explore Tertiary Sources

• Encyclopedias: Use music encyclopedias for general information about the band.
• Websites: Visit reputable sites like Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Genius, and NPR Music for articles, reviews, and genre analysis.

5. Analyze and Synthesize Information

• Timeline: Build a timeline showing key events—early experiments, breakout hits, viral moments, and mainstream adoption.
• Stylistic Evolution: Analyze how the genre’s sound has changed over time, including production techniques, lyrical themes, and instrumentation.
• Impact and Influence: Assess the genre’s influence on other artists, its role in shaping musical trends, and its reception across different communities.

Where to start your search:

The creation of the Grunge genre in the 1990s, and how it was influenced and morphed by the punk genre of the mid 70s and heavy metal of the late 60s 

Oxford Music Online – Grunge or Punk or Heavy Metal

Catalog – “Grunge Music” – Beware of Book Reviews – Limit to Book

Internet Archive – Grunge – Limit to text

1. Define Your Research Scope

• Instrument Selection: Choose the specific instrument you want to research.
• Focus Areas: Decide on specific aspects you want to explore, such as the instrument’s origins, evolution, cultural significance, structural components, and technological advancements.

2. Gather Primary Sources

• Historical Documents: Look for historical texts, manuscripts, and patents related to the instrument.
• Interviews: Find interviews with instrument makers, musicians, and historians.
• Recordings: Collect recordings that showcase the instrument’s use in different musical contexts.

3. Collect Secondary Sources

• Books and Articles: Use the library to access books and scholarly articles on the instrument.
• Biographies: Read biographies of notable musicians who played the instrument.
• Documentaries: Watch documentaries that provide insights into the instrument’s history and development.

4. Explore Tertiary Sources

• Encyclopedias: Use music encyclopedias for general information about the instrument.

5. Analyze and Synthesize Information

• Timeline: Create a timeline of the instrument’s history, noting key developments and changes.
• Technological Advancements: Analyze how technological changes have influenced the instrument’s design and use.
• Cultural Impact: Assess the instrument’s impact on different musical genres and cultures.

Where to start your search:

The Drum Set 

Oxford Music Online – Drum Set

Discovery Service - the history of the drum set – natural language search - Consider utilizing ILL

Where to start your search:

“I Saw the Light” 

Oxford Music Online – Hank Williams, “I saw the Light”

Internet Archive – “I saw the Light”

Execute these same searches for comparative artists and artists' music styles.

Detailed Steps for Research and Analysis

1. Define Your Thesis

• Clearly articulate what you aim to compare. For example, “This paper compares the vocal techniques and audience engagement of Artist A and Artist B in their performances of ‘Song X’.”

2. In-Depth Analysis

• Musical Elements: Analyze melody, harmony, rhythm, tempo, and dynamics. Note any unique interpretations or deviations from the original composition.
• Vocal Techniques: Examine vibrato, pitch, tone, and articulation. How does each artist’s vocal style affect the song’s emotional impact?
• Instrumentation and Arrangement: Compare the instrumental backing and arrangement choices. Are there differences in the use of instruments or the overall arrangement?

3. Contextual Research

• Historical Context: Research the time period when each performance was made. How might historical events or cultural trends have influenced the performances and/or the audience reception of the performance?
• Artist Background: Look into the artists’ careers, influences, and previous works. Understanding their backgrounds can provide insight into their stylistic choices.

Types of Sources

1. Primary Sources

• Recordings: Obtain high-quality recordings of both performances. Use platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, or purchase CDs/vinyl records.
• Interviews: Look for interviews with the artists discussing their approach to the song.
• Concert Reviews: Find reviews from reputable sources like newspapers, music magazines, and online platforms.

2. Secondary Sources

• Books and Articles: Use the library to access books and scholarly articles on music theory, performance studies, and specific artists.
• Biographies: Read biographies or watch documentaries about the artists to gain deeper insights.
• Music Criticism: Look for critical analyses from respected music critics.

3. Tertiary Sources

• Encyclopedias: Use music encyclopedias to locate general information about the artists and the song.