Mountainside Recording Studio, nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, is just minutes from downtown Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. The studio was designed by renowned acoustic architect John H Brandt. The tracking and control rooms were custom built to his exacting, world class acoustic studio design specifications. I know this because I built the place with my own two hands, with lots of help from my friends.

The result is a highly creative, relaxed, inspiring, and sonically impeccable space for audio and video recording and production here in Central Virginia. This is a recording studio of the finest quality, embedded in a unique mountain forest, untouched in over a century. Surrounded by over 50 species of trees, some reaching 150 feet tall, this recording studio provides equal parts solitude and professionalism for a wide variety of recording needs.

"I'm proud to offer a quality content creation space for solo artists and bands, producers and mix engineers, voice actors, podcasters, and other creatives.

If you are still reading, know that I'm especially grateful for the unique generosity of spirit and diversity that reside within the music and arts community here in Central Virginia. I've been here for over two decades, and couldn't imagine a better place to have grown and developed as a musician, and to build my dream studio. Also, and in the clearest terms possible: Fuck Nazis. 

Even more reading about me? Sure! When I was 23, I moved to Charlottesville, having completed my degree and learned music production in London, England under noted producer Tim Laws. He had an amazing SSL room (4000E with the giant 9" floppys) in a well appointed multi-studio recording complex called Stanley House in the late 90's and early 2000's. There was a SSL 9000J upstairs, and many amazing people doing amazing things seemingly all the time. It was there that I learned so much about not only where to put microphones in front of instruments and how to comp and tune a vocal, but far more importantly, I learned how to be in a room with an artist or band as the creative process unfolds. I learned how to support and work for and with musicians, and how to provide good vibes no matter what the situation or session. 

These concepts and the development of my craft are things I continue to work on, now for more than 25 years in various roles: from drummer and percussionist, to band leader, live sound engineer, recording and mixing engineer, producer and mastering engineer for a wide variety of recordings.

In addition to over a thousand live performances, my studio work and credits span over 70 albums, several NY Times Bestselling audiobooks, podcasts, voiceovers and soundtracks for major film, TV, radio, and national internet ad campaigns, and in some instances, even more interesting work that you probably will never hear. It is an absolute gift to do this for a "job", and I am so grateful for this life in music and recording."
- James McLaughlin