“Professional music and audio production, personalized in Cincinnati, Ohio.”

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Recording

From first demos to fourth albums, let’s capture your music’s good side. Let me take care of the technical stuff so you can concentrate on performing.

Editing+New+10-31-19.jpg — Editing

Editing is a super important factor in making recordings that are compelling and competitive in today’s music culture. Done right, it will be totally invisible, leaving nothing in the way of your music really connecting with listeners.

Mixing

Balance and polish to bring out the best in your music, special effects to create interest, dynamics to draw the listener in, and impact to grab them and not let go. Great mixing can mean the difference between a new fan and a skip.

Mastering

Ensure your song translates right on every playback platform and speaker system with balanced tone, loudness, and formatting for streaming and CD.

Other Projects

Audiobooks, podcasts, sound for video, and consulting. I’m here to help; call or email for a consult.

My Portfolio

Music recording, mixing, and mastering.

Audiobook, Sound Design, Podcast, etc.

Hi! I'm Justin,

an audio engineer in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Amazing results happen when we refuse to settle for “good enough”.

I started playing with audio recording almost by accident when I was 14, making demos of bands through a PA mixer straight to cassette tape. As time passed and I collected better gear and gained experience, I started to get paid for recording and live sound gigs. It became a clear career path. I graduated from the Art Institute of New England in 2003, one of the best audio production schools in the United States, then spent a couple of years assisting at New Alliance Audio before moving away from Boston and going out on my own. I built my studio to provide top quality audio production, personalized for every client’s goals.

Clients from around the world have been trusting me with their sound for more than a decade. It means a lot when you put your project—your art—in my hands.

Request a Quote

“Justin is not only a sound engineer; he’s also an artist. He has the ear to bring out the best of a song and make the performance shine through.”

— Alfonso

Clients

• LNZNDRF (members of The National and Beirut) • Mahalia

• Tim Shelton • Ric Hordinski • The Happy Maladies • Afroman

• Resonate Pictures (video) • Bottom Dollars (Rooted in Rights Films) • The Mitchels • New Moons • Ruthless • R3D • Riesenwolf • Rock Bottom Resolve • Lennon Cano • Housewives • Matt Bates • Underground Aces • Finished Falling • Avengeance • Angel's Method • Holly DeFazio • Darkness and Light (film) • The Diamond Underground • The Folks Around Town • Two Cheers • Sarah Mac Band • Wild Turkey Distillery (video) • Northside Garage • Cincinnati Heart Ball (video) • The Almighty Get Down • Procter & Gamble (video) • Alfonso • Global Asylum • Coda • The Caught Flies • Mark of the Dog Rose (AstroPiano Films) • Rebecca Ruben • Small Brain Curds • Mark and Randy • Forging Reverie • Ricky Reilly • Sunblocked (AstroPiano Films) • Bellasonic • Gentlemen and Scholars (Torque Records) • Cavender • The Speed of Film • and many more...

“Justin Newton’s production is absolutely stellar. He perfectly captures that quiet/LOUD dynamic…This thing sounds like it was recorded at NASA…”

— Ben King, music critic

For general questions,
email Justin@JaySongStudio.com or call +1 513 512-5628

FAQ

I want to book studio time, what are your rates?

I don’t post my rates on my web site not because it’s a secret (or a trick) but because I don’t simply sell “time”. Sure, I could take a call for 1 or 2 hours of studio time from a client who thought that would be sufficient, but if that’s not enough time to get the project done and sounding really great, the clock will run out, and they’ll leave disappointed and needing to come back to spend more time (and money) to finish it. My philosophy is to make sure every project I work on sounds as great as it possibly can. This is definitely what’s best for you as a client and what’s best for my business, since this will represent us both once it gets out into the world. In order to ensure top quality production, I can’t leave things to chance. I insist that we take time to get it right, no matter how long that is! To schedule a session, fill out my quote request form to tell me about your project and what your goals are. I’ll give you a quote for your project that will include everything it takes to make it world-class quality, from recording time, right through editing, mixing, and revisions.

Production/recording:

Where is your studio located?

My studio is on the north side of Cincinnati, Ohio, in the village of Woodlawn. The address isn’t posted publicly because it’s not open to walk-ins. Click here to see my google business page, which includes a map of the general area so you can see how far away I am. Don’t worry, you’ll be informed of my exact address when you book a session.

Can you come to my location?

Yes! My studio equipment is specifically designed so I can take it on the road to do recordings at any suitable location, and I use this option regularly when my own studio isn’t the best option for a project.

When am I ready to record, and how should I prepare?

Before recording your song needs to be finished. This means tempo should be finalized, lyrics finished and vocals fleshed out, and all instrumental parts worked out and understood. If any of this isn’t done yet you are in the demo stage. Pre-production demos can be a very helpful part of making a great recording. Recording a demo first will often reveal things about the arrangement that you couldn’t quite hear while simply practicing the song, and we have an opportunity to make changes to parts and arrangement that will enhance the final recording, so I highly encourage you to do pre-production demos. When all that is done, what’s left is practice, practice, practice. You can’t be over-rehearsed for the studio. The hours you put in practicing before you record are worth double or triple the hours you’ll take in the actual studio. Don’t underestimate that!

What is the difference between recording and “producing” music?

The meaning of these words has drifted over time. Originally a producer was a manager for the entire project including scheduling, budgeting, hiring performers, and making creative choices for the actual songs. Nowadays many recording engineers call themselves producers, but I tend to use it only when I’m recording, mixing, and offering creative input on a project.

Mixing/Mastering:

What is mastering?

Mastering is the process of preparing the stereo mix file the music distribution format. In mastering, the song is balanced so it will sound “right” when played next to other commercially released music, as well as formatted so it meets the technical requirements for distribution in various digital formats and CD.

Why do I need to get my music mastered?

Besides making sure the file you send to manufacturing and online distribution meets the technical requirements, mastering provides a final check on the overall sound balance of your mix, and (in almost all cases) increases the loudness of the mix to an appropriate listening level. When mastering an album or EP, mastering also includes balancing each song on the album with each other, so the flow is good when listening to the whole album, as well as just single songs.

What do we need to get ready for mixing/mastering and what should we send?

What files to send and how to prepare them is outlined in a PDF I send to all my clients, just ask and I’ll send it right over.

Releasing your music:

How can I distribute my music?

A good option for manufacturing physical CDs is Discmakers. They offer multiple options and price points and they’ve been doing it abut as long as anybody. For digital distribution (both stores and streaming) two good options are: DistroKid offers a low annual fee with unlimited releases and no commission. However, they don’t have as many features as other distributors do. A great option for simple, no frills digital distribution. CDBaby takes a one time fee for each release up upload, without an annual fee, but takes a 9% cut of digital sales. For that fee, you get additional features reports and anylitics. CDBaby also does manufacturing of phyisical CDs, so they could be your one stop for all of this.

How do I get people to listen to my music?

If you post it, they might not come. To make sure people hear your music and engage with you, you’ll need to engage with them! By previewing and hyping up your release in advance, you create excitement and get your followers to follow you more closely. If you want to take it to the next level and try for coverage on blogs, YouTube channels, or Spotify playlists, I’d recommend submitting your music to tastemakers using SubmitHub. This is also where I’ll suggest that smaller, more frequent releases can be advantageous to building and maintaining engagement. Even if you record and mix your songs as an EP or album, releasing them one at a time spaced over weeks or months will allow you to announce more releases, get on more new release playlists multiple times, and keep that excitement and engagement going, rather than releasing once and nobody hearing a new song from you for the next 2 years.

Still have questions?

Ask here and be sure to include your email so I can reply.

What can I do for you?

Request a Quote

I always want to hear from great artists and bands or anyone interested in better audio.
Fill this out if you'd like a quote for your project.

Artist Name

Email Address

Your Name

Artist website where can I hear your music? (URL)

Project Needs (Check All That Apply)

Recording

Editing

Mixing

Mastering

Other

How many songs?

Desired Project Starting Date

Budget

Project details or other important information

“Justin made us feel comfortable and relaxed. We did not have to worry about…how things needed to be set up, so we could focus on performing…I could not recommend him highly enough.”

— Jason, The Caught Flies

Jay Song Studio

Located on the north side of Cincinnati, my home base is perfect for when a larger space isn't needed. Less costly than larger studios but with no compromise in acoustics and equipment quality, it features a comfortable, home atmosphere that fosters creativity, and even comes with a friendly dog!

Welcome to Jay Song Studio video tour

Associated Studios and Remote Recording

For recording sessions that need a bigger space, I designed my equipment so I can take it to wherever you are!
I’ve recorded choirs in beautiful churches and tracked drums right in a band’s practice space.
I also have relationships with great Cincinnati studios.
Contact me today to inquire about a tour and book your session at my special rates!

Monastery Studio

A repurposed church in Walnut Hills, a neighborhood in Cincinnati, which is now a studio featuring a large, viby room with an impressive collection of recording gear and guitar amps.

Refraze Recording Studios

A beautiful multi-room studio in Dayton, worthy of orchestras and solo artists alike.

“I tried several other mixing engineers—some of which were much more expensive—and none of them could touch Justin’s mixes…his attitude, musical intuition, and communication style surpassed those of the others as well.”

— Bryan A.

Other Projects

Audiobooks, podcasts, sound for video, and consulting. I’m here to help; call or email for a consult.

My Portfolio

Music recording, mixing, and mastering.

Audiobook, Sound Design, Podcast, etc.

Amazing results happen when we refuse to settle for “good enough”.

Clients from around the world have been trusting me with their sound for more than a decade. It means a lot when you put your project—your art—in my hands.

Clients

• LNZNDRF (members of The National and Beirut) • Mahalia

• Tim Shelton • Ric Hordinski • The Happy Maladies • Afroman

For general questions,email Justin@JaySongStudio.com or call +1 513 512-5628

Request a Quote

Jay Song Studio

Associated Studios and Remote Recording

Monastery Studio

Refraze Recording Studios

For general questions,
email Justin@JaySongStudio.com or call +1 513 512-5628