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University of Oregon Libraries
Index for this guide:
Encyclopedias and Indexes
Articles and journals
Books, scores, recordings
Film and Video
Organizations
Web resources
Borrowing Materials from Other Libraries

Research Guides


RESEARCH IN FILM MUSIC AND FILM SOUND

I. Starting your research


Resources discussed here address motion picture music, silent films, silent film music, and film sound. There are also instructions for locating scores and recordings. Research in film music will require an interdisciplinary approach, potentially involving research in music, film, sound technology, as well as video and audio sources.

For information on research in film studies, see the Research Guide to Film Studies.


II. Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and Indexes


Grove Music Online and the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 2nd ed.

See "Film music" article for background information-silent films, early films, Hollywood, non-US cinema, jazz, electronics, popular and classical music, and techniques-and an extensive bibliography.
Print version in Music Reference REF ML 100 .N48 2001

Indexes


The Music Index

Index to music articles. Available online through the UO Libraries, from articles published 1979-present. Print volumes for 1949-2000 are in Music REF ML118.M84

RILM

Index to international articles about music and related fields, from 1967-present. Available online through the UO Libraries. The print version volumes for 1967-1995 are in Music REF ML118.R4.

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III. Articles and Journals


OneSearch

  • Advanced Search-Category: Film Studies
  • Advanced Search-Music-Music History/Theory

Selected Databases

Individual Journals

Remember, there are very few journals dedicated entirely to film music. Articles may appear in music journals, film journals, and popular culture journals.

  • The Cue Sheet

    Newsletter or quarterly journal of the Society for the Preservation of Film Music. Not peer reviewed.
    Print issues, 1984-2005, MUSIC ML2074 .C83
    Selections from back issues, 2003-present, online at http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/news_events/archives/index.html

  • Popular Music

    Print issues, MUSIC ML5.P66
    Online, 1981-2003, from JSTOR
    Online, 2000-current, from Cambridge journals

  • Journal of the Society for American Music

    Print issues, MUSIC ML1.J756

  • American music

    Print issues, MUSIC ML1.A497
    Online, 1983-2006, from JSTOR

  • Journal of Film Music

    Not currently available at UO. Table of contents and selected articles available online from Journal of Film Music http://www.ifms-jfm.org/
    Individual articles may be requested through FindText.

  • Music and the Moving Image

    New journal. Not currently available at UO. Information and table of contents available online: http://www.press.uillinois.edu/journals/mmi.html
    Individual articles may be requested through FindText.

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IV. Books, Scores, and Recordings


Finding materials searching by Subject


Motion picture music is one of the most important subject headings. Books about motion picture music, soundtrack recordings, scores, vocal or piano scores of excerpts, bibliographies, dictionaries, and encyclopedias all are included in this subject. Many sources will be in the Music section, but some will be in the section with PN call numbers (map)

See search results for a search of Subject: Motion picture music

To limit your search to books about a subject or to scores or recordings, you can limit your search using the library catalog's Advanced Search LINK. Use the menu to choose Music, Printed for scores, Music, Record. for sound recordings, or Books for books.

To find narrower or more specific topics or specific types of resources, you can add other phrases in the subject after Motion picture music. In the following list, each heading can be used after Motion picture music. The links on each heading take you to a sample search. Common call numbers are included where relevant.

--Bibliography Bibliographies, lists of published scores, films, and recordings. MUSIC and MUSIC REF ML128.M7
--Discography Lists of recordings MUSIC REF ML156.4.M6
--History and criticism Books and criticism on the topic. MUSIC ML2075
--Excerpts Used mostly for recordings of soundtracks.
--Excerpts--Vocal scores and Excerpts, Arranged Sheet music for voice with piano, some with guitar chords, usually in anthologies
Additional subjects

Other subjects besides Motion picture music that may be helpful are

Animated film music
Jazz in motion pictures
Musical films
Motion pictures and music
Motion pictures--Sound effects
Silent films
Silent films--United States (or other countries)
Silent film music
Sound motion pictures
Voice in motion pictures
Voice-overs
People

You can also search for people as authors (authors, directors, or composers) or as subjects

Herrmann, Bernard
Hitchcock, Alfred, 1899-1980
Murch, Walter
Prokofiev, Sergey, 1891-1953
Steiner, Max
Williams, John, 1932-
etc.
Title

If you are looking for music for a specific movie, you can search by the movie's title.

Hint--Keyword searches

If you are looking for information about a particular composer, director, or film, you may also want to try using a specific name in a keyword search in the catalog-sometimes they are mentioned in a note but don't get their own official subject heading.

Recordings


In addition to looking under the subjects, remember that there is streaming audio available through the UO Libraries! Find a list of databases at Audio Resources Online. Classical Music Library and Database of Recorded American Music include music from movies.

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Film and video

VHS and DVD

Search for film title or by director in the UO catalog. To find videos only, select "A-V Media" from the material type menu in the advanced search catalog. See the Video Collection page for information on borrowing policies.

16 mm films at UO

UO has a collection of 16 mm film reels. If you want to browse the collection in the catalog, go to Advanced Search Options from the library home page, and then click on the Call # tab. In the box for Non-LC Call Number Search, enter FILM Ma and you will get a list of titles. For more information on viewing or checkout, or about equipment, please contact Media Services.


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V. Organizations


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VI. Web Resources

 

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VII. Borrowing from other libraries

For information on borrowing materials that the UO Libraries do not own, see step-by-step instructions in What if the book I want isn't here?


Eugene residents can also check materials out from the Eugene Public Library, which has circulating films on DVD and VHS. A library card is required to borrow materials.


If you have any questions or comments about this guide or your research, please contact Rebecca Belford, music librarian, at rbelford@uoregon.edu

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Maintained by: Rebecca Belford rbelford@uoregon.edu
Last Modified: 04/10/2008