Music Theory Spectrum (ISSN 0195-6167) is a peer-reviewed, academic journal specializing in music theory and analysis. It is the official journal of the Society for Music Theory, and is published by University of California Press in Berkeley, California. The journal was first published in 1979 as the official organ of the Society for Music Theory, which had been founded in 1977 and had its first conference in 1978. Unlike many other journals (music or otherwise), Music Theory Spectrum was initially published in an oblong (landscape) page format, in order to accommodate better such musical figures as Schenkerian graphs.
Published twice annually, Music Theory Spectrum includes research articles and book reviews. Online access to back issues of the journal is provided through JSTOR. In a 1999 study, it was the seventh most frequently cited journal in music theses overall, and the third most frequently cited journal in music theory theses.
Music Theory Spectrum is currently edited by Severine Neff. Its first editor was Bryan Simms, and other past editors have included Joel Lester, Philip Lambert, Daniel Harrison, and Henry Klumpenhouwer.
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