The composer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 revealed that part of the score featured in the film actually came about during an impromptu jam session during a meeting while the film was in production.
In a new episode of Disney Music's For Scores Podcast, composer Tyler Bates explained that there was a particular film sequence in the Guardians sequel that he was having trouble composing music for because the visual effects team was still figuring out how the scene was going to work. At the time, Bates decided to call the film's music editor ask for 10 extra minutes in a meeting that was planned for the next day.
"[I said] I'm gonna set up some gear, and nobody is going to see it until the end of the meeting," Bates explained. "So if it goes well, then I'm going to play to that sequence live, just so that we can get into it. Because that's been the gorilla in the room for like months now." Bates ended up bringing a variety of instruments -- including a guitar, a viola, a bunch of pedals and a couple amplifiers -- to the meeting "and just stashed them in the corner."
"We had a great meeting. And I was like, 'Hey guys, before you leave, I just wanted you take a look at this one segment of the film.' So I literally improvised to the picture for four and a half minutes," Bates recalled. "And I was literally just looping parts, and then adding melody and developing chord harmony on top of this. And I didn't screw it up. It was amazing that I didn't."
The composer continued, "So [director James Gunn] is jumping up and down in a chair and he says, 'That's not fair! Of course I love it! That's not fair!' And I'm like, 'Well I want you to love it, so you don't make me write it four times. Or 14 times.'"
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 saw the return of Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer and Vin Diesel as Groot. The film also introduced Pom Klementieff's Mantis as a new member of the team and began the redemption arc of Nebula (Karen Gillan). The third installment in the franchise -- which will also be written and directed by Gunn -- is expected to begin production in 2021.
Source: YouTube