Citing Alternate Formats - Chicago Style: Sound recordings, video recordings and liner notes

The composer, conductor or performer may be listed first, depending which is the focus of the recording or is more relevant to the discussion.

Names of additional contributors, the number of discs, the duration of the recording, and the date and location of the recording, production, or performance can also be included. The order of these elements will depend on the nature of the source.

Include designations such as vocalist, conductor, or director as appropriate.

In a note, a citation may begin with a title; in a bibliography entry, list by composer, performer, or other primary contributor

Date: Include the date of the recording or the copyright date or published date . If a date cannot be determined from the recording, try checking the record in the library catalogue. If no date can be found, use "n.d." (no date).

For streaming audio formats and downloads, list the service or the file format, as applicable.

Musical recordings are usually listed in a separate discography rather than in a bibliography. If included in a bibliography, they are best grouped under an appropriate subhead.

Please see 'Formatting' page for information on how to properly format the Notes and Bibliography in your paper.

[14.263]

Composer/Performer/Conductor First-Name Last-Name or Name of Ensemble, Name of musical work, Composer/Performer First-Name Last-Name or Name of Ensemble, Conductor First-Name Last-Name (if ensemble), Record label and CD identifying number, Year, Format.

OR see examples below for alternate note formats.

Composer, performer

Composer, Ensemble, Soloists, Conductor, Recording date

Title of Work, Conductor

OR see examples below of other bibliographic entries.

Entire CD set featuring performer

Conductor, Title of Work, LP

Citations of video recordings, like those of sound recordings, will vary according to the nature of the material.

Any facts relevant to identifying the item should be included.

Online videos should include a URL as the final element of the citation.

If no date can be determined from the source, include the date it was last accessed.

If the material is a digital version of a published source, include information about the original performance or source. Whether to include information about the original or the digitized copy first will depend on the information available.

For multimedia designed to run in a web browser, a file format does not need to be mentioned.

If a downloadable file was consulted, specify format.

Please see 'Formatting' page for information on how to properly format the Notes and Bibliography in your paper.

[14.265, 14.267]

DVD / VHS recording, Ensemble, Conductor, Performance Date, Release Date

"Carmina Burana - Orff," filmed October 30, 2011, posted by "Desautels Faculty of Music," November 4, 2011, YouTube video, 2:21, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZFz1QuKY8U.

"Elemental | Teaser Trailer," posted by "Pixar," November 17, 2022, YouTube video, 1:27, https://youtu.be/-cT495xKvvs. 

If the notes are unsigned (that is, no author is indicated), simply add “Liner notes.” to the end of the citation of the recording.

Signed notes may be cited by the author’s name. If the notes are titled, the title may follow the author’s name.