Guitar Music Resources

Keyword

• A keyword search searches almost every word in a catalog record.
• It can be a handy way to get started (searching with composer’s name and opus number, for instance) but learning some other searching strategies can make your search more efficient and cut down on irrelevant results.

Author

• Do an author search for composers and/or performers.
• Enter authors’ names in indirect order (last name, first).

   
Subject

• Subject searches use “controlled vocabulary,” an established set of terms that describe the contents of a library object.
• Starting a search with these established terms can cut down on your search time and improve your results.
• These subject headings are used for both scores and recordings.

Sample subject headings for solo guitar music: 

Passacaglias (guitar)
Guitar music, Arranged
Guitar -- Studies and exercises
Guitar -- Methods (Jazz)
Guitar music

Sample subject headings for duets:

Guitar music (Guitars (2)) -- Scores
Guitar music (Guitars (2)), Arranged
Clarinet and guitar music -- Scores   

Sample subject headings for trios:

Plucked instrument trios (Guitars (3))

Sample subject headings for quartets:

Quartets (Guitars (4))

 Sample subject headings for Jazz and popular guitar music:

Guitar music (Jazz)
Guitar music (Rock)

Limits

• Limit your search by format (sound recording, score, DVD, etc.) to improve results.
• In a keyword search, apply limits at the beginning of your search.
• In all other searches, click on “Limit & Sort Search” after you have retrieved results to limit your search.