# Thomas Newman Rhythm Guitar and Percussion



## YoungComposer (Sep 14, 2012)

Hi,

I was wondering what was Thomas Newman doing to get that rhythm part to his film scores. Not the quiet piano stuff. Usually it's some ostinato of guitar, bongos, tambourine and other percussion.

Any ideas how to replicate this style. Instrumentation? Rhythm? Progression? Etc.


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## Kralc (Sep 14, 2012)

Have you tried Albion's Brunel Loops?
The guitar octet patch always reminds me of certain parts of Road to Perdition.

I think you've got the instrumentation all worked out, rhythm wise, I think if its sort of 8ths with a few 16ths for ornamentation. Just what I'm hearing in ROP. If you've got those Brunel's though, it's simplified quite a bit. Just hit a key and go!


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## Jack Weaver (Sep 14, 2012)

You might want to take a look at Fractured Guitar by Big Fish/Vir2. It's all about this sort of thing.

http://www.vir2.com/instruments/fractured-prepared-acoustic-guitar

.


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## Patrick de Caumette (Sep 14, 2012)

TN is getting very talented musicians in the studio with him and he is directing them to create organic parts for his scores. Long term relationships...


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## Gabriel Oliveira (Sep 14, 2012)

sound examples, please


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## Ed (Sep 16, 2012)

The guitar strums is definitely something lacking in sample libs. We need either loads of phrases like this, or we need really good sample libs that we can play strumming rhythms that sound this good.

Also, its a cop out to say its the players, as if to say you cant do it unless you have good instrumentalists. The players enhance it, but you can, if you have the right sounds, get the sound you're after. As with anything like this you really need to have that attention to detail and try and break it down in your head what is actually going on, and either find the exact instrument/sounds he is using, or find something that sounds almost like it that has the same kind of effect.

tbh Im not sure this is the best section of the forum for this question


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## Mike Marino (Sep 16, 2012)

> You might want to take a look at Fractured Guitar by Big Fish/Vir2. It's all about this sort of thing.
> 
> http://www.vir2.com/instruments/fractured-prepared-acoustic-guitar (http://www.vir2.com/instruments/fractur ... tic-guitar)



Jack: Sounds pretty cool. Are all of the sounds in the demos from Fractured?

- Mike


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## Mike Marino (Sep 16, 2012)

> Hi,
> 
> I was wondering what was Thomas Newman doing to get that rhythm part to his film scores. Not the quiet piano stuff. Usually it's some ostinato of guitar, bongos, tambourine and other percussion.
> 
> Any ideas how to replicate this style. Instrumentation? Rhythm? Progression? Etc.



Thomas Newman (in an interview I recently watched) said that he likes to use ostinato rhythms because it allows the ears to hear other colors and sounds as they're introduced. I've also noticed that, in some instances, the ostinato might have the feel of being in 3/4 while the music is another time signature. This would allow you to hold some simplicity with the layering of the ostinato instruments but have the feel of something far more sophisticated.

Just my thoughts...

- Mike


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## devastat (Sep 17, 2012)

Check the audio demos for the Sample Logic Cinematic Guitars 2, maybe there is something you are looking for.
http://soundcloud.com/sample-logic/ligh ... bill-brown


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