# Which VSTs Libraries for Thomas Newman sound



## Aleela (May 20, 2018)

Which VSTs Libraries for Thomas Newman sound?


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## Eptesicus (May 20, 2018)

Aleela said:


> Which VSTs for Thomas Newman sound?



Some kind of expressive oboe and a nice piano and you will be set


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## BenG (May 20, 2018)

There really isn't a library that will get you there, but studying his music in-depth would be really helpful! A lot of his sound with Newman's unique voicings, counterpoint, harmony, etc.

That said, I do believe he uses a lot of Omnisphere for those ethereal pad-like sounds. IMO, any piano with the right treatment should do as well.


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## Eptesicus (May 20, 2018)

The overall sound he makes is gorgeous. I think The Adjustment Bureau is one of my favourite film soundtracks, especially the romantic/Elise bases cues


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## storyteller (May 20, 2018)

Piano in Blue is a good starting place.


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## N.Caffrey (May 20, 2018)

As they said, piano in the high register, like emotional piano, an oboe, some pads, also metallic sounds as well.. although he's so much more than that!! But the first things that comes to mind is the piano actually..


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## Niah2 (May 20, 2018)

As for strings I think 8dio's century string sordinos will get you there as well...


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## Lilainjil (May 20, 2018)

Agreed there is much more to Newman than his perceived ‘sound’. Having said that here are my recommendations:

Woodchester piano,
Spitfire Chamber Evolutions and/or Albion Tundra,
Spitfire Ricotti Mallets,
and/or Flying Hand Scoring Mallets,
Flying Hand Percussion.


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## Aleela (May 20, 2018)

Thank you, I'll check this out! Any other suggestions?


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## Jacob Cadmus (May 20, 2018)

The best way to get the Tom Newman sound is to remake one of his cues, using whatever you got, and dissect the ingredients that make it tick. Here's a mockup I did a while back of "Weehawken Ferry," from Cinderella Man. I find that it has less to do with the libraries, and more with the composition itself as well as the mixing.


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## OleJoergensen (May 21, 2018)

It is a good mock up, sound good.
Thank you for sharing.


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## Will Blackburn (May 21, 2018)

I like the Imperfect samples Fazioli for Newman'esque stuff.


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## Rob Elliott (May 21, 2018)

….in addition...hire Steve Tavaglione.


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## Niah2 (May 21, 2018)

Weehawken ferry is one of my favorite pieces by newman, really impressed by this mockup was not expecting that.,..


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## cug (May 21, 2018)

Aleela said:


> Which VSTs Libraries for Thomas Newman sound?


Check out Sonic Couture’s Xtended Piano. You have to fiddle with it but there is a nice whirring drone similar to a sound used on American Beauty in the bag scene.


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## Lee Blaske (May 21, 2018)

You will definitely want the SonicCouture marimba, if you want to get the American Beauty sound. The SonicCouture marimba is fantastic.


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## robgb (May 21, 2018)

Any decent library with sordinos. Really, it comes down to your skill as an orchestrator.


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## Aleela (May 22, 2018)

Wow! Thank you all!


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## cug (May 22, 2018)

Maybe this is obvious but whatever piano you use, play as softly as possible. Edit the MIDI if necessary.


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## Mike Marino (May 22, 2018)

You might also take a look/listen to 8Dio's 8dioboe and Fluffy Audio's Simple Violin. They both offer some unique qualities IMO that can lend themselves to that style, especially with some delay and reverb. They're also fairly inexpensive.

https://8dio.com/instrument/8dioboe-vst-au-aax-kontakt-instruments-samples/

https://fluffyaudio.com/shop/simple-violin/


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## nathantboler (May 23, 2018)

This is my go-to: https://soundiron.com/collections/kontakt-player-edition-collection/products/emotional-piano
I darken the Tone Knob, and use the Velocity Limiter to only play the quieter velocities.


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## Aleela (Dec 28, 2018)

BenG said:


> There really isn't a library that will get you there, but studying his music in-depth would be really helpful! A lot of his sound with Newman's unique voicings, counterpoint, harmony, etc.



Thomas Newman should write a treatise on his harmony


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## Vin (Dec 28, 2018)

Aleela said:


> Thomas Newman should write a treatise on his harmony



Here's an interesting read.


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## Aleela (Dec 28, 2018)

Vin said:


> Here's an interesting read.


Thank you!


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## Aleela (Dec 29, 2018)

Since there are discounts, which Spitfire Audio libraries are good for a Thomas Newman sound?


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## ag75 (Dec 29, 2018)

Aleela said:


> Since there are discounts, which Spitfire Audio libraries are good for a Thomas Newman sound?


I think Tundra would be a great start.


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## Aleela (Dec 29, 2018)

ag75 said:


> I think Tundra would be a great start.


I already own it  It's great!


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## amadeus1 (Dec 30, 2018)

Jacob Cadmus said:


> The best way to get the Tom Newman sound is to remake one of his cues, using whatever you got, and dissect the ingredients that make it tick. Here's a mockup I did a while back of "Weehawken Ferry," from Cinderella Man. I find that it has less to do with the libraries, and more with the composition itself as well as the mixing.



Were you able to find the orchestral score for your midi mockup?


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## amadeus1 (Dec 30, 2018)

Will Blackburn said:


> I like the Imperfect samples Fazioli for Newman'esque stuff.



Nice playing and nice sounding piano.


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## amadeus1 (Dec 30, 2018)

Will Blackburn said:


> I like the Imperfect samples Fazioli for Newman'esque stuff.



Is that your own composition or a Newman piece?


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## yperochiakera (Sep 22, 2020)

Jacob Cadmus said:


> The best way to get the Tom Newman sound is to remake one of his cues, using whatever you got, and dissect the ingredients that make it tick. Here's a mockup I did a while back of "Weehawken Ferry," from Cinderella Man. I find that it has less to do with the libraries, and more with the composition itself as well as the mixing.



Great mockup!


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## mushanga (Sep 22, 2020)

I love this demo by @paulthomson which has a very Thomas Newman vibe..




Would love to know how you achieved this piano sound @paulthomson ? It's a gorgeous piece!


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## Sarah Mancuso (Sep 22, 2020)

Adagio includes sordino legatos styled specifically after Newman's _Road to Perdition_ score. If you go this route, I'd strongly recommend asking 8Dio support about the unadvertised $8 crossgrade from Anthology to get the legacy Adagio 1.6 libraries, which contain vastly more content and more versatile legato patches that offer a lot more than just the standard dynamic-layer-crossfade method. Good secret weapon, IMO.


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## mojamusic (Oct 22, 2020)

The Newman sound frequently has some high pitched (thin) melodic sound like a percussive slapping on a guitar string or synth bell. I haven't found anything to replicate it yet. I thought it was a harpsichord or dulcimer, but that wasn't it


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## dylanmixer (Oct 22, 2020)

Yup, the Newman sound I feel doesn't come from the sounds he uses, with the exception of some of his signature ambient pads. The guy is just a mastermind at harmony and orchestration. I'd like to think he could make a beautiful score out of melodically pitched garbage cans if he wanted to.


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## Kruger (Oct 22, 2020)

I think the works of Bill Brown are very interesting for this.


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## Mike Marino (Oct 22, 2020)

dylanmixer said:


> Yup, the Newman sound I feel doesn't come from the sounds he uses, with the exception of some of his signature ambient pads. The guy is just a mastermind at harmony and orchestration.


Agreed. But I do think it's a combination. It's the composition....it's the sordino (or split muted sections) in the strings married with dynamic swells....it's the clarinet/oboe/ethnic woodwind in the washy reverb/delay....it's the pitched percussion and layering of all of the aforementioned elements.

Any one or two of those things combined just doesn't quite get you there ("there" being the 'Newman-esque quality). But all of them in combination and it really does become magic!!!


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## dylanmixer (Feb 18, 2021)

Bringing back this thread. Does anybody own 1928 Steinway Scoring Piano by 8DIO? I've heard that this can give you a very Newman-esque sound. I already own Piano in Blue, any thoughts on one vs. the other?


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