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Red Dead Redemption Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the video game Red Dead Redemption. Chiefly composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, the soundtrack was released on 18 May 2010. The two producers collaborated with each-other during the game's development, composing over fourteen hours of music which scores the game's missions. Critical reception to the soundtrack was positive, as reviewers considered that the music had been appropriated effectively for the setting and gameplay.

Background and recording

Red Dead Redemption is one of the first games by Rockstar to use an original score. Music supervisor Ivan Pavlovich has cited the large scale of the game as one of the largest difficulties when producing the score. He said that, in order to achieve an effective gaming experience, the game could not solely feature licensed music, like previous Rockstar games. "We figured we'd need to write an original score," Pavlovich said. To work on the score, Rockstar engaged Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, member and former member of Friends of Dean Martinez, respectively. In collaboration with each other, the duo composed over fourteen hours of music, which scores the game's missions, across fifteen months. The original score and subsequent album were both recorded and mixed at Jackson's personal recording studio in Los Angeles, and mastered at Capitol Studios.[1] Following the recording, Irish producer and composer David Holmes listened to the original score, and subsequently spent three weeks compiling fifteen instrumental tracks that could be used as standalone songs for the game's official soundtrack. Holmes attempted to make the soundtrack representative of the variety of sounds and moods in the game. Four vocal performances were also recorded for use in the soundtrack.[2][a]

"(Theme From) Red Dead Redemption"
"(Theme From) Red Dead Redemption", the game's main theme, was composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson. The duo collaborated to produce original music for the game.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Recorded at 130 beats per minute in A minor, most of songs featured are constructed from stems in the game's dynamic soundtrack. A mix of modern instruments and those featured in traditional Western films, such as the jaw harp, were used. Creative uses of instruments were used to bring unique sounds, such as playing a trumpet onto the surface of a timpani drum. Rockstar also consulted musicians who played traditional Western instruments; harmonica player Tommy Morgan, who had been featured on several films over his 60 year career, provided traditional harmonica segments for the game.[3] Beyond trumpets, nylon guitars and accordions, the composers incorporated other instruments, such as flutes and ocarinas. When researching music for inspiration, Jackson found that there was no "Western sound" in 1911; he felt that the soundtracks of 1960s Western films, such as Ennio Morricone's work on the Dollars Trilogy, was more representative of Western music. In appropriating the score to the game's setting, Elm commented that the process was initially "daunting", taking a long time to discover how the music was to work in an interactive way.[4]

Critical reception

In the context of the game, Red Dead Redemption Original Soundtrack was well received. Simon Parkin of Eurogamer named it "standout", praising the use of multiple instruments.[5] GamePro's Will Herring echoed these opinions, comparing the soundtrack to Errio Morricone's Dollars Trilogy.[6] Justin Calvert of GameSpot called the soundtrack "superb",[7] and IGN's Erik Brudvig named it "exceptional" and "wonderful".[8] Game Music Online praised the soundtrack as an individual piece, stating that it has the ability to accompany "any Hollywood film".[9] Gideon Dabi of Original Sound Version felt divided about the soundtrack; though heaping praise, he wrote that it was "a little too slow on the draw".[10]

The game's soundtrack also won Best Original Music from GameSpot,[11] and Best Original Score at the Spike Video Game Awards; the latter also awarded "Far Away" by José González with Best Song in a Game.[12]

Track listing

All music is composed by Bill Elm and Woody Jackson, except where noted

No.TitelLength
1."Born Unto Trouble"3:12
2."The Shootist"4:17
3."Dead End Alley"2:06
4."Horseplay"3:15
5."Luz y Sombra"5:19
6."El Club De Los Cuerpos"6:24
7."Estancia"2:02
8."(Theme From) Red Dead Redemption"5:38
9."Triggernometry"5:24
10."Gunplay"1:28
11."Redemption In Dub"2:10
12."Muertos Rojos (aka The Gunslinger's Lament)"5:51
13."The Outlaw's Return"6:54
14."Exodus In America"4:59
15."Already Dead"1:31
16."Far Away" (José González)4:40
17."Compass (Red Dead On Arrival Version)" (Jamie Lidell)2:59
18."Deadman's Gun" (Ashtar Command)4:15
19."Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie" (William Elliott Whitmore)2:24
20."Old Friends, New Problems" (Vinyl edition only) 
Total length:75:18

References

Notes
  1. ^ Four vocal performances were recorded for the soundtrack: "Far Away" by José González, "Compass (Red Dead on Arrival Version)" by Jamie Lidell, "Deadman's Gun" by Ashtar Command, and "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" by William Elliott Whitmore.[2]
Footnotes
  1. ^ Stuart, Keith (May 26, 2010). "Redemption songs: the making of the Red Dead Redemption soundtrack". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b "Features: Soundtrack". Rockstar Games. Archived from the original on September 25, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Rockstar Games (July 28, 2010). "Behind the Scenes of the Red Dead Redemption Soundtrack". YouTube. Archived from the original on September 4, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Jeriaska (November 4, 2011). "Myths, Mavericks, And Music Of Red Dead Redemption". Gamasutra. UBM TechWeb. Archived from the original on September 25, 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ Parkin, Simon (May 17, 2010). "Red Dead Redemption Review". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. p. 3. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  6. ^ Herring, Will (May 7, 2010). "Red Dead Redemption review from GamePro". GamePro. Archived from the original on May 22, 2010. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
  7. ^ Calvert, Justin (May 18, 2010). "Red Dead Redemption Review". GameSpot. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  8. ^ Brudvig, Erik (May 17, 2010). "Red Dead Redemption Review". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved May 17, 2010.
  9. ^ Sound Tracker. "Red Dead Redemption Original Soundtrack". Game Music Online. Retrieved October 1, 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ Dabi, Gideon (May 24, 2010). "Red Dead Redemption OST: Good, Bad, or Ugly? (Review)". Original Sound Version. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  11. ^ "Best Original Music - The Best Games of 2010". GameSpot. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved April 9, 2013.
  12. ^ VGA (October 27, 2011). "Video Game Awards 2010 Winners". Spike. Retrieved April 3, 2013.
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