After almost twenty years of writing music for a galaxy far, distant, it may be argued that Gordy Haab is probably the most prolific composer within the Star Wars universe, John Williams included. Haab, who’s created the scores for Star Wars video games together with The Previous Republic, Battlefront I and II, Squadrons, Jedi: Fallen Order, and Jedi: Survivor, simply completed work on EA and Bit Reactor’s Star Wars: Zero Company. Now, Haab is revealing precisely how each his and Williams’s earlier work instantly influenced the music of the brand new XCOM-style sport.
I sat down with Haab for an unique interview instantly following Star Wars Zero Company’s launch, the place he revealed that he considers the sport’s rating to be a “sequel” to different Clone Wars-era tales.
“After I wrote the rating for [2017’s] Battlefront II, I felt like I used to be actually onto one thing. [With] Battlefront I, the task was to write down the B-sides for the unique scores. So [afterward] I actually kind of branched off and began doing my very own factor. So selecting up [with Zero Company], I virtually needed to think about it as utilizing Battlefront II as kind of my springboard. My parameter was ‘What can be the sequel to that?’ I needed to have that sparkle that the Prequel period music has, but in addition have my private aesthetic stamp on it.”
Haab additionally revealed that at a sure level after years spent engaged on Star Wars, he was in a position to throw out the Lucasfilm rule guide.
Zero Company composer reveals Lucasfilm’s guidelines for Star Wars composers
“At first, Lucasfilm’s path was all the time ‘Be unique, do your personal factor, however the north star is from the unique movies,’” Haab says. “However then with the onset of a number of reveals and video games having their very own unique tales, that’s modified fairly a bit. Every venture I’ve labored on has had a distinct set of partitions. After I labored on Star Wars: Hunters, I did the entire thing with an orchestra and a heavy steel band. That might not work in [Zero Company] or the Jedi sequence, [which is] a lot darker. It is a lot heavier, and it is acquired numerous horror.”
Haab, who’s additionally composed music for a number of Indiana Jones video games, together with 2024’s Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, says he’s flattered by being related to John Williams’s iconic music, however that the comparability does create a way of stress.
“At first it was intimidating,” Haab says. “I felt that kind of stress to attempt to dwell as much as the unique scores from the movies. Those that impressed me to even develop into a composer within the first place. I take these moments, I see these issues occur, I soak up them, after which I shortly simply neglect about it and deal with it as noise.
“It is virtually like successful an award. I settle for that award, which I think about that to be. That is an enormous praise to be spoken in the identical sentence as my musical hero. However then I shortly put it away and say, ‘Don’t relaxation on these laurels. Do your factor, get again to work, create your voice throughout the franchise.’”
Regardless of a number of journeys by way of the Star Wars galaxy, Haab says composing the varied themes that make up Zero Company’s soundtrack introduced a contemporary set of challenges.
“I spent a pair months simply arising with the themes earlier than I even began placing pencil to paper,” Haab says. “I most likely wrote 15 variations of [the main] theme earlier than I even despatched it to the builders. I would not even let it out the door of my very own studio till I used to be completely thrilled with it. Model 1 was numerous flourish. I spent numerous time boiling that theme all the way down to one thing that’s extraordinarily concise and easy, and I feel it really works.”
Haab says that, other than the primary Zero Company theme, there are two items of music from the sport that he counts amongst his favorites.
Star Wars Zero Company composer reveals his favourite musical themes
“I feel from a melody standpoint, [the theme for Hawks, Zero Company’s leader] is my private favourite as a result of it is acquired this heroic, drifting upwards form,” Haab says. “[And another one] can be the theme for the Plague. I needed it to be one thing [where] you could possibly have an enormous set piece with Hawks’s theme taking part in, after which the Plague theme can be very like the Plague itself and work its approach by way of the feel of the music, develop[ing] into one thing fairly darkish and heavy and grotesque.”
Haab, who says he’s been a Star Wars fan since seeing the unique trilogy in theaters, revealed that there are two explicit themes from these movies that constantly function an affect for his work.
“The Pressure theme,” Haab says. “I feel there’s an apparent purpose for that. It is utilized in each single one of many movies and repeated a number of occasions. That was such an impactful second in time for me as a result of I used to be only a child watching Luke look out over the double sundown and listening to that horn solo. I do not forget that, earlier than I knew a factor about music, it formed who I used to be. I feel that is likely one of the biggest themes ever written.
“[Also], if you happen to have a look at the Imperial March, the primary part may be very singable. When you get into the B part of that factor, it begins to go actually angular and chromatic to the purpose the place, if you happen to had been to problem me to sing it word for word proper now, I most likely would not nail it. However I can keep in mind the define of it. I can keep in mind the contour and the form of it.”
After quite a few accolades, together with a Grammy for his work on Jedi: Survivor, Haab says that he’s desperate to proceed engaged on the franchise however that he realizes he’s only one artist within the huge Star Wars galaxy. After I requested Haab his recommendation for future Star Wars composers, he revealed a couple of key guidelines.
“I’d say the 2 issues that you just actually should take away from it are the significance of theme and never abandoning the sophistication and harmonic complexity that is accessible to you with a full symphonic orchestra,” Haab says. “I feel that’s kind of the recipe for good Star Wars music. Now what you do with it’s fully as much as you. Paint something you need and it will really feel proper so long as these issues are honored.”
Star Wars Zero Company is obtainable now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Collection X/S.
For extra on Star Wars Zero Company, learn our 9/10 assessment and discover out why we name it “a superb tactical sport that does a implausible job of slathering on the identical cinematic feel and appear we noticed in Respawn’s Star Wars Jedi video games.”
Michael Peyton
Michael is the Senior Editorial Director of Occasions & Leisure at IGN, the place he leads leisure content material and protection for tentpole occasions together with IGN Reside, San Diego Comedian Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest.
Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Occasions & Leisure at IGN, main leisure content material and protection of tentpole occasions together with IGN Reside, San Diego Comedian Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He is spent 20 years working within the video games and leisure trade, and his adventures have taken him all over the place from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Observe him on Bluesky @MichaelPeyton