Open AccessBest versus Good Enough Practices for Open Music Research
Author(s) -
Alexander Refsum Jensenius
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
empirical musicology review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1559-5749
DOI - 10.18061/emr.v16i1.7646
Subject(s) - craft , best practice , openness to experience , computer science , empirical research , work (physics) , field (mathematics) , data science , face (sociological concept) , event (particle physics) , good practice , knowledge management , engineering ethics , sociology , psychology , engineering , management , social science , visual arts , social psychology , mechanical engineering , art , philosophy , physics , mathematics , epistemology , quantum mechanics , pure mathematics , economics
Music researchers work with increasingly large and complex data sets. There are few established data handling practices in the field and several conceptual, technological, and practical challenges. Furthermore, many music researchers are not equipped for (or interested in) the craft of data storage, curation, and archiving. This paper discusses some of the particular challenges that empirical music researchers face when working towards Open Research practices: handling (1) (multi)media files, (2) privacy, and (3) copyright issues. These are exemplified through MusicLab, an event series focused on fostering openness in music research. It is argued that the "best practice" suggested by the FAIR principles is too demanding in many cases, but "good enough practice" may be within reach for many. A four-layer data handling "recipe" is suggested as concrete advice for achieving "good enough practice" in empirical music research.