Lessons from Tom Newman

Tom at the Podium

Perhaps the most valuable part of a gig like this is what one can learn and absorb simply by being at the stage. What makes Tom Newman such a revered and unique voice in the film music world is his ability to create music that complements drama so effectively, yet at the same time is so completely and incomprehensibly unobtrusive, it is as if the music was birthed by the picture itself. My prolonged fascination with how Tom does this always leads me back to one word: simplicity. A quick glance through the scores from the session reveals a straightforward harmonic palette that is realized through pedal tones and simply executed chord progressions. Throughout all 60 minutes of recorded string music, there was only one cue that used eighth-notes - all the rest were whole-note chords brilliantly voiced with the occasional quarter-note for melodic reference. What this means is that Tom's music, much like the man himself, is devoid of ego. He has such a complete understanding of his role as a film composer that he is able to write exactly what is needed, nothing more, nothing less. That is what makes him A-list. For young film composers like myself, this is a very important lesson in humility.

Observing how Tom approaches each cue from the podium offers even further insight into his craft. A young, foolish composer like myself might get up to conduct one of Tom's cues and think "they're just whole notes," and then just push it through and get it done. But regardless of how simple the music looked to me from sitting at the copy desk, Tom took the time to rehearse each cue before recording while constantly consulting with his orchestrator. No nuance was left undiscussed - every phrase was carefully shaped, dynamics adjusted, string techniques considered. Often times they would get a recording, Tom would go into the booth to listen and discuss, then he would return to the podium with something different. For a while this baffled me, but then I realized that all of these considerations were not being made for the sake of the music, but for how it sits with the drama of the picture. Hence, there is no musical gesture that is insignificant when writing to picture. Yet another invaluable lesson.

Rest assured that though I have discussed the simplicity in Tom's approach, I do not at all imply that it lacks effectiveness or emotional depth. In fact, the sound coming from that stage was often times astonishing, which is only exacerbated by the fact that it often comes from just an eerily well-voiced chord progression spoken perfectly by the strings. Mind-blowing genius. For any composers reading who are wondering how this happens, I can offer this: 30 violins, 12 violas, 8 cellos, and 6 basses. The lesson here? Save your money for live strings. :)