Secondary Library: Citing Music

There are several ways to cite music, depending on the source from which you accessed it. Typically, citations start with the artist's name, but they may also be organized by composer or performer. If not listed first, composer and performer details should appear after the album title. Song titles should be enclosed in quotation marks, while album titles should be italicized.

The citation should also include the recording manufacturer’s name and the publication date. If details like the record label or album title are not available from your source, you can omit them.

Source: "MLA Works Cited: Other Common Sources." Purdue OWL, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_other_common_sources.html.

Musical Illustrations/"Examples"

• The descriptor "Example" only refers to musical illustrations (e.g. portions of a musical score). It is often abbreviated "ex." 
• Refer to the example in-text and provide an Arabic numeral that corresponds to the example. Do not capitalize "example" or "ex" in the text.
• Supply the illustration, making sure to maintain basic MLA Style formatting (e.g. one-inch margins).
• Below the example, provide the label (capitalizing Example or Ex.) and number and a caption or title. The caption or title will often take the form of source information along with an explanation, for example, of what part of the score is being illustrated. If you provide source information with your illustrations, you do not need to provide this information on the Works Cited page.

Musical Illustration Example 1

In-text reference:

In Ambroise Thomas's opera Hamlet, the title character's iconic theme first appears in Act 1. As Hamlet enters the castle's vacant grand hall following his mother's coronation, the low strings begin playing the theme (ex 1).

Musical Illustration reference:

Source: Thomas, Ambroise. Hamlet. 1868.

Source: “MLA Tables, Figures, and Examples.” Purdue OWL, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_tables_figures_and_examples.html.\

Musical Illustration Example 2

In-text reference:

Aaron's 'swift' stylistic approach is represented in his use of staccato notation (Ex. 1). 

Musical Illustration reference:

Musical Illustration Example 3

If your musical illustration is your own transcription of an existing piece of work, please attribute the work to the original artist/composer but follow this with the acknowledgment, 'Transcription by candidate.'  For example:

           Example 2: Dhol Foundation, "Bhangra Chips," 2020, (mm. 12-13).  Transcription by candidate.

Include the full citation for all examples in the works cited list.  

Source: “Citation Guide - MLA9: Music.” UWC China Libguides, uwcchina.libguides.com/cite/music