Musical examples

You may need to consult more than one section of Re:cite to accurately represent the source used. Your citation may look different depending on the number of authors it has. Check the frequently asked questions about Chicago A for further advice.

Musical examples may be included to support a point in your essay. They must be incorporated into the text and include:

  1. An example number,
  2. A caption identifying where it is from, and
  3. An accompanying footnote and bibliography entry indicating where the excerpt has been taken from.

All examples must also include clefs, key and time signatures, instrumentation and bar numbers.

Examples and captions

Captions are generally placed above the example rather than below. See Figure 3.5 in the Chicago Manual for an example.

Caption template

Example number. Composer Surname, “Title of individual piece or section”, from Title of Work, Bar numbers of excerpt. [Footnote marker]

Caption examples

Example 5. Debussy, “Prelude III”, from Preludes for Piano: Book 1, Bars 1-4.2 OR Example 8. Lim, Anactoria: For Six Percussionists, Bars 7-8.7

Visual examples

Musical example with caption

Musical example with a caption

Each example and caption must have an accompanying footnote.

Footnote template

Footnote number. Composer's full name, "Title of Individual Work or Section" in Title of work or volume, ed. Editor name (Publisher, year), page number(s).

Footnote examples

First entry:

2. Claude Debussy, "Prelude III" in Preludes for Piano: Book 1, ed. Roy Shepherd (Allans Music Australia, 1969), 7.

OR

7. Liza Lim, Anactoria: For Six Percussionists (Ricordi, 1998), 2.

Subsequent entries:

36. Debussy, "Prelude III", 7.

9. Lim, Anactoria, 2.

Bibliography

Each musical example must have an accompanying bibliography entry indicating where the example was taken from.

Bibliography template

Composer Surname, Given Name. Title of volume or work, edited by Editor name. Publisher, Year.

Bibliography examples

Debussy, Claude. Preludes for Piano: Book 1, edited by Roy Shepherd. Allans Music Australia, 1969.

OR

Lim, Liza. Anactoria: For Six Percussionists. Ricordi, 1998.

Tips for this reference type

  • Published musical scores are treated in the same way you would treat a book. See Manual 13.22 and 14.2.
  • Where possible, you should take examples from the complete scores or collected editions. If you use an example from a secondary source (ie. from another article or book), you should include the secondary source in your footnote and bibliography.
  • For scores with more than one composer, consult the About Chicago A page.
  • The Chicago Manual of Style no longer requires the place of publication to be included in most printed citations. See Manual 14.30.
  • Specify the edition if it is not the first edition (see Manual 14.15).
  • For scores in an alternative format (i.e. microfilm), include the format type after the facts of publication (Manual 14.17).
  • In the bibliography (but not the footnotes), invert the name (i.e. Surname, Given Name).
  • Captions should be placed above the musical example and include an example or figure number.
  • Examples should be discussed within the text and be referred to by their number.
  • Examples should be placed as closely as possible to the paragraph in which they are discussed.
  • More information on how to incorporate music examples into your writing can be found in the Incorporating Music Examples resource form Academic Skills.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)