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Library Research Guides

Percussion Resources

This is a guide to locating information and materials related to percussion in the Music Library.

Introduction

This is a guide designed to help you locate information and materials related to percussion. It is not a complete bibliography, but rather indicates key resources and types of materials that may be useful when seeking information in this area. It can act as a starting point for your research and as a reference point that you can revisit in the future. Along the left side are tabs to direct you to information regarding book, score, audio and video recording, article, periodical and other online resources for percussion.

Please note: This guide largely focuses on materials and resources that fall under the larger umbrella of the percussion instrument family. For more information on specific percussion instruments, you can conduct keyword searches and, to a lesser extent, subject searches using the desired instrument rather than the term "percussion" (for example, marimba or xylophone).

All listed items are available in the Music Library. Consult the Library Catalog for complete holdings information and availability of materials. If you need assistance, a music librarian will be happy to help you. Also, if you have recommendations for other resources on percussion that are not owned by the Music Library, please let us know.

Music Library Contact

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Jason Imbesi
Contact:
3239 Moore Building
School of Music, Theatre & Dance
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2085
734.764.2512

Subject Headings

Below are some examples of subject headings related to percussion which may be useful when searching or browsing in the Library Catalog Search.

To search subject headings in Library Catalog, go to the "Advanced" search page and select Subject in the pull-down menu next to the search field. Enter any one of the headings in the list below into the search field. Use quotes around phrases for more precise results.

Books and Periodicals

Scores, Recordings and Videorecordings

For chamber ensemble music, you can use "Percussion ensembles" to browse items with all percussion instrumentation and use "Trios" (or quartets, etc.) to browse items with mixed instrumentation (ex., wind and percussion).  Please note that these terms are only starting points which will lead you to more specific subject headings connected to items that include percussion within their instrumentation.

Call Number Areas

Below are some selected call number ranges where percussion materials may be located. You can browse the shelves or consult the Library Catalog for a more specific listing of materials by call number.

M 145-175 Solo percussion music
M 284-285 Percussion and piano music
M 298 Duets: two percussion instruments (not all items include percussion)
M 298 Duets: non-percussion and percussion instrument (not all items include percussion)
M 1038 Percussion with orchestra (full scores)
M 1039 Percussion with orchestra (piano reductions)
M 1138 Percussion with string orchestra (full scores)
M 1139 Percussion with string orchestra (piano reductions)
ML 1030-1049 Percussion history
MT 655-664,
MT 710-720,
MT 724.5-725		 Percussion instruction and study
MT 655.4 Orchestral excerpts (general works)
ML 128 .P23
Z 6814 .P38		 Percussion bibliographies

To search by call number in the Library Catalog, select "Call number starts with" in the pull-down menu in the Advanced search page and enter the beginning of a call number  (ex., M 320).