LibGuides: Music 133: Introduction to World Music: Reference Tools

The Basics

Reference tools, like dictionaries and encyclopedias, can be good starting places when you're trying to find some basic information. These are a few well-known examples but looking on the shelves nearby may result in some other useful resources as well.

These items are all located in the reference section, unless otherwise specified.

Tools

The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music (online)
The Garland Encyclopedia of World Music (print)
Call Number: ML100 G27
This is the definitive reference tool for ethnomusicology. It is divided into 10 volumes by geographic area: Vol. 1 Africa; Vol. 2 South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean; Vol. 3 The United States and Canada; Vol. 4 Southeast Asia; Vol. 5 South Asia: The Indian Subcontinent; Vol. 6 The Middle East; Vol. 7 East Asia: China, Japan, and Korea; Vol. 8 Europe; Vol. 9 Australia and the Pacific Islands; Vol. 10 The World's Music: General Perspectives and Reference Tools. The tenth volume contains very useful information (like glossaries, indexes, bibliographies, and discographies).

Accompanying CDs (with the same call number) can be obtained at the Circulation Desk.
Oxford Music Online
This online tool contains The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, which after Garland this should be the first place you look to start your research. It has entries on people, things, and terms covering all areas of music. Also available in print behind the reference desk. ML100 G76N382001
World Music: The Rough Guide
Call Number: ML100 W67 1999
This is a fun place to start your research. It includes a lot of pictures and information about recordings. The text is divided into two volumes: the first covers Africa, Europe and the Middle East while the second covers Latin and Norton America, Caribbean, India, Asia and Pacific.
Continuum encyclopedia of popular music of the world
Call Number: ML102.P66 C66
As the title implies, this encyclopedia covers popular music. It would not be a good resource if you're interested in traditional music but popular music is becoming more and more a genre to be studied academically.It is divided into two sections. Section one covers general topics > Vol. 1 Media, Industry and Society > Vol. 2 Performance and Production. The second section covers musical styles by location and is divided into > Vol. 3 Caribbean and Latin America > Vol. 4 North America > Vol. 5 Oceania and Asia > Vol. 6 Africa and Middle East > Vol. 7 Europe
Selected Musical Terms of Non-Western Cultures: A Notebook-Glossary by Walter Kaufmann
Call Number: ML108 K38 S4
Offers definitions of and information about a wide variety of words and phrases. Entries rarely go into great detail but it could be a good starting place or resource to check facts.The information is arranged alphabetically in one volume.