Music Studies Paper Topics

According to legendary contemporary musician, Frank Zappa (1990), “Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid.” (p. 37). Music, as a vocal or instrumental sound put together in a manner to produce art, form and emotional expression, plays an important role in contemporary society and has played important roles throughout the duration of human history. In terms of modern applications, music study has been linked to higher academic performance, more likelihood to reach higher levels of academia, declines in substance use, reduced disciplinary problems and even reductions in racism (Music, 2009). As a result, whether a person is intent on making music their respective major of study or whether they are simply wishing to develop portions of their brain that may not be stimulated through traditional education constructs, music studies are generally agreed upon to be beneficial to the education process.

Music Studies Paper Topics

The professional staff at PowerPapers.com are equipped to handle a variety of facets related to the broad spectrum of topics that can be included in music studies. This expertise can be used to assist students throughout the research process from topic selection to editing a finished product. PowerPapers.com has history of success in music studies paper topics and beyond. Whether a student needs a single paragraph discussion board post or a full doctoral dissertation, PowerPapers.com can assist. For your music studies paper topic needs, PowerPapers.com’s staff can be reached by email for questions regarding topics or to complete an order through our secure server.

Interesting Music Studies Topics for a Research Paper

Music studies can be treated as a subject unto itself or it can easily be viewed within the context of interdisciplinary studies. For example, an education student could view music studies in terms of how music therapy has been used in the classroom or how music education has been linked to academic success in adolescents. A political science major could examine music studies by researching the role in which music has played in political movements like the labor struggle or the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. While these examples are interdisciplinary in nature, an actual music major may choose to explore the topic of pentatonic minor scales and their use in contemporary rock music. Regardless of the lens in which the researcher is studying, there is more than likely a way to incorporate music studies to accommodate academic exploration in terms of that discipline. While this is perhaps not the case of all subjects, music studies are sufficiently robust for such endeavors.

When selecting a topic, students should consider the scope of the research, the length of the assignment and the expectations of the instructor. These characteristics will ensure that the teacher gets that which they are asking and the topic being explored can be accomplished within the parameters of the assignment. While it would be difficult to explore the role of music in the human experience in only a paragraph, such an endeavor could be well suited for a master’s level thesis. Successful music education topic papers will employ the proper level of academic research and critical thinking required for their level of analysis.

Below is a list of some topics that fall within the scope of inquiry specific to music studies. This list is by no means exhaustive. The staff at PowerPapers.com can complete a project on any of the below listed topics; however, these topics can also be considered a catalyst for other music studies paper topics proposed by the student.

1. Popular music and gender
2. Music therapy
3. Music education and education theory
4. Classical composition
5. Contemporary analysis of writing and production
6. Contemporary music and file trading
7. Vocal performance
8. Biological explorations of human voice
9. A history of musical instrumentation
10. Tribal percussion and cultural representations
11.  Music and society
12. Music and political commentary
13. Film scores and reinforcing meaning
14. Classic music in contemporary film: Apocalypse Now (Wagner) & A Clockwork Orange (Beethoven)
15. Music business and management
16. Argentinian music and globalization
17. The blues and the African American experience
18. Country music: An American form of expression
19. A history of the Grand Ole Opry
20. Punk music and subculture
21. Song and warfare
22. Background music and psychological conditioning
23. Savant syndrome and musicality: The exceptional child
24. Gospel music: Influence and commentary
25. Bards in the Middle Ages
26. The use of song in theater
27. A history of Hip Hop in the South Bronx
28. Rhythm and Igor Stravinksy
29. Rodgers & Hammerstein: Revolutionizing contemporary theater
30. Polyrhythms and tribal percussion
31. The pentatonic minor scale: Building blocks of contemporary rock music
32. Black Sabbath and the British archetypes of modern heavy metal
33. Folk instruments and economic socialization
34. Ear training and human biology
35. The rise and fall of the music video
36. ASCAP & BMI: An analysis of performance rights organizations
37. The labor movement and folk music
38. A history of piano methods
39. Innate ability versus practice in the mastery of an instrument
40. Music and human emotion
41. Performance arts and the development of intelligence
42. Contemporary music and controversy
43. The computer and the evolution of music production
44. A history of American music education
45. Regions and musical preference
46. Budget cuts and the fate of music education in public schools
47. Benefits of music education

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References

Music education statistics and facts. (2009). SMHS. Retrieved from http://smhsmusic.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/musicfacts.pdf

Zappa, F. (1990). The Real Frank Zappa Book. New York: Touchstone.