Soundtrack of the Old West ~ by Kristine Raymond

And so it begins.  A thunderous blare of horns gives way to an overture of strings - staccato or mournful, depending upon the mood meant to be conveyed.  Then follows the low rumble of drums punctuated by a crashing cymbal; a single, pristine note from the triangle added for effect.  The combination of notes stirs the senses, creating anticipation and excitement, and maybe a degree of trepidation for what lies ahead.   Such is the soundtrack of the Old West - at least by Hollywood standards.

I've never made secret the fact that if time travel were possible, I'd be sporting crinolines and button-up boots in the space of a second, though I imagine I'd be disappointed upon discovering the lack of theme music scoring my adventures in a dusty, frontier town.  I've grown up associating a certain 'sound' with westerns, from the opening credits for The Big Valley and High Chaparral to the overture for The Magnificent Seven.  Makes me sad to think that folks didn't have background music underscoring their daily activities back then.

As an author writing historical western fiction, I have two things to rely on - research and experience.  Born 100 years later than the setting of my first story, the only 'true-life' experience I was able to draw from was my exposure to cinematic westerns (and some time spent living in Arizona in my late-20s.)  And, since music makes more of an impact on me than any of the other arts, the addition of The Wild West: The Essential Western Film Music Collection to my personal collection was, in fact, essential.

Photo courtesy of Amazon

Now, I prefer to write in absolute silence - no playlists for me - but while creating Hidden Springs and its characters, there were times I needed to 'get in the mood', as it were.  Cue up Track 16.  Or Track 4.  Or...oh, all right, just start at the beginning and let it play through.  There's not a song listed that failed to inspire and stimulate my creative juices, lending authenticity to the scenes I was constructing; authenticity that may have been manufactured in Hollywood, but every story needs a soundtrack, doesn't it?