Practice-based doctorates are well established in many creative disciplines, but it is only recently that similar music programs have come under scrutiny. While such doctorates are now offered at many Australian universities, some argue that approaches and expectations may vary widely across institutions to the detriment of the discipline. Similarly abroad, there have been reviews within the Bologna Process to establish a coherent framework for 'third cycle studies' in music. In concert with these developments, this paper draws upon the experiences of its authors as supervisors centrally responsible for the direction of an Australian conservatoire's Doctor of Musical Arts, offering practice-based research pathways for music professionals. Emergent themes include: a lack of prior research-training experience; few established research project exemplars; and, the problematic nature of defining and implementing practice-based research exegeses in music. The paper concludes by offering insights which aim to improve the efficacy of the program and contribute to higher degree music education more widely.