Be it at school, university or throughout the course of our professional lives, many of us have had to write some sort of analytical paper with the aim to find more about a specific topic. Although there are various styles of analysis, the core fundament of such kind of writing is that it focuses on analyzing and commenting on a given work – literary, cinematographic, pictorial, musical, theatrical, etc.

As the starting point of an analysis paper, the reviewer should consider the following aspects:

• detailed and critical reading of the work;
• bibliographical information and some more significant biographical data of the author;
• producing a summary of the work, presenting the main ideas of its author, respecting their intentions and impressions;
• well-founded analysis of at least one relevant aspect of the text;
• appreciation of the chosen aspect, that is, critical evaluation in this respect;
• clear, objective, cohesive and coherent argumentative writing.

At the same time, it is important to remember that critical evaluation is not limited to agreeing or disagreeing with the work but to give a relevant opinion consistently. In order to do so, the reviewer should dive into research, looking for information the author of the work in question and how that particular piece relates to the author’s overall style or contributions. Essentially, an analytical paper should establish a dialogue with the reviewed work and its author.

In the context of music, an analysis paper must consider both the linguistic factors as well as the melody and technical aspects involved in the creation of the song’s emotional significance.

Below are some of the key stages for the creation of a music analysis paper:

Being by listening carefully

Just like you can’t write a book analysis without reading the book, you can’t write an analytical paper on a song before you have listened to it carefully. But more than hitting play over and over again, you must let yourself be absorbed in the music and pay attention to all distinct elements involved in the creation of sounds and the emotions they evoke. Here is also when the brainstorming phase starts. Try to focus on how that particular piece of music speaks to you and jot down all relevant thoughts and sensations. By doing so you are likely to find the angle of your analysis and can thus let that theme guide your paper.

Take your time analyzing the lyrics

As this is the stage which will form the backbone of your argumentation when you begin to write, give it time and approach it from different angles. If the song you are writing about has lyrics, be sure to print them out and scrutinize the written word, looking out for how linguistic aspects work with melody and impact the general meaning of the song. For instance, any kind of wordplay, rhyme or structural repetition may induce a stronger (or weaker) sensation when combined with the melody, sounding smoother or harsher. There is also the aspect of communication to be examined since many song lyrics transmit some kind of message, even if not bluntly apparent at first. Needless to say, in case this is an instrumental piece, you will find yourself giving full attention to the sound itself.

Focus on the sound and its elements

After having focused on analyzing the lyrics, turn your focus towards the sounds and all its elements. Try to isolate each instrument or sound and examine them separately; then analyze the melody as a whole and how rhythm, dynamics, pauses, sound-effects, tempo changes or any other technical details influence the song. By all means, record your observations on the song’s texture – that combination of sub-elements which make the song more vivid. At some point in this phase, it is worth bringing out your notes and observe in-depth how the lyrics and the melody interrelate and how one might have been chosen because of the other.

Look at the general context of the song

Since each and every song is a reflection of the artist’s experiences and/or emotions, they invariably fit into a social and political context, often translated through musical movements. Even if subtly, these tend to influence how the artist composed the piece, which words he/she chose, the intensity with which they presented the piece, etc. Therefore, if a particular historical context or musical movement affected the creation of the song, you need to be aware of it in order to write a compelling and honest analysis paper.

Listen to the full album

Besides the case of a single, most musicians tend to release full albums or at least an EP. And since they compiled several pieces into a whole, it is very likely that those individual songs speak to each other somehow. Hence, when working on your music analysis report, examine the given song in the context of the full album, so as to unveil meanings or messages that extend beyond that one single piece. Similarly, pay attention to how the album was organized and whether or not the songs “merge” into one another. These are all observations that can be included in your paper, so long as there is evidence to back your arguments.

Get your notes organized

Once you feel like you have gotten a substantial amount of information from the different analysis stages, it is time to have a look at your own observations and begin to connect them. Essentially, the thesis for your analysis will be your conclusion about that particular piece of music, so try to find a balance between your observations and the general impact the song had on you. While doing so, remember to always support your arguments and provide examples or sources that can help illustrate it.

Let the writing begin

Now that your thoughts and notes are organized, you can begin writing the first draft of your music analysis, keeping an eye out for specific guidelines and referring back to the song when needed.