Background: Arts-based research practices draw upon music, visual art, poetry and other media as methodological tools throughout the research process. There is also growing recognition of the contribution of arts-based practices, including music as method, to interdisciplinary fields of health, social sciences, humanities and education. Research into: i) the role of music as a therapeutic intervention; and ii) the use of creative approaches to practice development are clearly evident in the literature. What is less evident is the role of music as method. This article is a critical reflection on the novel use of music recordings during qualitative interviews in a small-scale study exploring the role of music in the work and lives of black, Asian and minority ethnic women working in a UK domestic violence and abuse charity.

Aim: To describe a critical reflection on music as method in a small-scale qualitative research study.

Implications for practice:

• Music has potential as a model and method in qualitative health and social care research practice, particularly with sensitive topics such as drug misuse or homelessness
• Music is a means of developing compassion and critically reflective practice development in the field of domestic violence and abuse and other areas of practice

This article by Kathryn Waddington and Maria Erbmann is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 3.0 License.