A magic battle, that is. This week’s cue comes from the game Wizard Ops: Part One. The wizard is doing a kind of sideways walk while being buffeted by enemy fire, so for fun I picked an asymmetrical meter that paralleled the rhythm of walking sideways. (Yes, it’s possible to overthink these things, but in this case I thought the musical analogy worked.)

Terminology corner: this is an example of a “hybrid cue”, meaning one that combines traditional orchestral and contemporary rhythmic elements.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Battle on the Shore

That’s not a solo cello you hear, but a contrabass played lyrically with a bow, courtesy of bassist Maggie Hasspacher. This is the theme for Leo, a gentle soul who just wants to wear a blonde wig and avoid fights. Since he’s Emerald, Texas‘s analogue to the cowardly lion, I gave him the growly timbre of a bass, but put it in its uppermost register to reflect the character’s softer side.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	The Story of Leo

The music for Emerald, Texas‘s last scene has a happy-go-lucky vibe, with guitars segueing into a finale for piano and strings. (The film’s denouement is less straightforward than this cue suggests!)

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Postcard Therapy

Just your basic ambient percussive quasi-ethnic forest hippie music.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Welcome to Ozana

This week’s selection, from the score of Emerald, Texas, uses a southwestern guitar feel to accompany a drive in the desert at night. (It took some self-restraint for me not to add a rattlesnake sound.)

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Driving at Night

And now, my personal favorite of the tracks from the Emerald, Texas score. The scene is a moment of relaxation in a windy field of golden flowers.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Golden Coreopsis

In this selection from the score of Emerald, Texas, we’re introduced to bail bond bounty hunter Elva West, a modern reimagining of L. Frank Baum’s wicked antagonist. She’s musically characterized with a motive for low-register electric guitar, accompanying mandolin, vibes, and “witchy” counterlines for solo violin.

(Click on the play button to stream, or the cue title to download.)

	Elva Arrives

In one scene from the film Emerald, Texas, protagonist Dee pauses for reflection while her more carefree friends play in a parking lot. Like much of the score, this cue mixes acoustic guitar with strings to reflect both contemporary Americana and the Wizard of Oz parallels of the story.

Guitar solo by Kyle Johnson.