Mastering

As a mastering engineer, I strive to bring your project to its full potential. The final step in production before distribution, mastering involves balancing and optimizing the tone, dynamics and stereo imaging of each song - and in the case of an album, bringing them together into a unified whole with proper sequencing and transitions between songs.  I deliver master files that can be used for digital distribution or submission to CD or vinyl manufacturers.

In working on each project, I draw upon a diverse musical and engineering background, including: 
- an ongoing career as a touring, gigging and recording electric and acoustic bassist
- 4 years as a full-time architectural acoustics consultant for an international consulting firm.
- live sound engineering & studio recording at clubs and studios throughout San Francisco
- a BA in Music with a minor in Physics from Duke University, where I studied bass with John Brown and acoustics with Dewey Lawson.

I'm based in San Francisco, where I work out of a purpose-built, acoustically treated mastering studio in my home. Having my own space allows me the flexibility to charge a low flat rate per song that is affordable for the working musician.  I take great pride in my work and I believe in working with each artist until they are fully satisfied with their finished product.

2021 Rates
Digital Mastering (revisions and alternate file formats included) - $100/song
Alternate Mixes (radio edits, clean versions, vinyl masters, instrumental versions etc) - $10/file

My Work

Testimonials

"I bring my most important mixes to Jonathan, and consider him an invaluable part of my process"
-Scott McDowell, Hyde Street Studios

"My experience with Jonathan was great. He got everything done in a timely manner and did a beautiful job mastering the music. He was professional, attentive and it was a pleasure to work with him."
-Kelly Finnigan, Monophonics

"Jonathan was fantastic to work with.  He stepped in on a project that was experiencing some setbacks and put the whole thing back on track.  He gave our record a sound we love and he did it faster than we could have even hoped for."
-Chris Tye, Vandella

"Jonathan was able to take an eclectic array of song styles and meld them together with pristine clarity. He was great to work with, calm and content, like a yoda behind the control board."
-Justin Ancheta

"Jonathan is professional and will work with you until you are satisfied with the final product.  The fact that I continue to go to him for mastering speaks for itself!"
-Miriam Speyer

"As a producer/arranger who works with a variety of acoustic instruments, the dynamic range and "air" in a mix is always a big concern for me and Jonathan has been specially careful with it... he was very detail oriented and made sure we had enough recalls until we were all satisfied with the final product. "
-Nahuel Bronzini, Producer/Arranger/Musician, Camille Mai Trio, Magik Magik Orchestra

"Jonathan is one of those guys with bionic ears."
-Kyle Lesley, Recording Engineer

"He will make your recordings sound excellent."
-John Elliott

"He hears the most minute details within a track and will tweak and polish every piece to perfection."
-Brodie Jenkins, Ghost & Gale, Cathedrals

"I'm recommending him to all my clients"
-Peter Labberton, 25th Street Recording

"Jonathan is extremely professional, patient, quick, and easy to work with. He works with artists to make sure that the finished product reaches its full potential, and puts a lot of care into his work. I definitely plan on working with him in the future."
-M. Lockwood Porter

"Bonerific."
-Avi Vinocur, Goodnight, Texas

"We were blown away by the final master. Unlike some commercial mastering options, working with Jonathan was personable, flexible and detailed... he's a phenomenal musician and engineer with the ears of an owl and the pace of a hummingbird."
-Chris Lynch, Marty O'Reilly & The Old Soul Orchestra

"I've worked with mastering engineers in the past who just made my recording louder... he left me with a rich, warm, timeless record which was precisely what I was going for."
-Angelica Rockne

Artists

Partial list of artists whose work I've mastered:
8 Bit Weapon
Aaron Priskorn
Adam Balbo
Adrien Soleiman
Alycia Lang
AJ Lee
Anastasia Van Wingerden
Andrew Blair
Andrew Montana
Andrew St. James
Angelica Rockne
Angelo Moore of Fishbone
Anna Wengren
Animal Party
Avi Vinocur
Badnight, Texas
Baird & Beluga
Becky Stark
Ben Morrison
Blurred Out
Blooms
Bowerbirds
Brand New Trash
Brian Belknap
Brian Swaaley
Brothers Comatose
Calen Perkins
Camille Mai
Cardboard People
Cello Joe
Chelsea Coleman
China
Chris Lynch
Chris Tye
Christofferson
Claudia Carty
Cloudsurfing
Christian Castro
Cradle Duende
Dagmar
Dan Dectis
Danielle Ate The Sandwich
David Whitaker
Dead Country Gentlemen
Devin Farney
Diego Becerra
Dirty Mops
District 8
Doncat
Dot Vom
Down and Outlaws
Echoes & Artifacts
Edomites
Eileen Torrez
Emily Anne Band
Endangered Species
Erich Ippen
Far Out Corners
Farhead
Fast Times
Fell Swoop
Feral Fauna
Field Report
Fossil Fool
FRENCHGIRLS
Fruit Bats
Future Shapes
Ghost & Gale
Godwin Onyeike
Gold Minor
Gone Zero
Goodnight, Texas
Graham Patzner
Gregors
Grief Thief
Heather Normandale
Horse Feathers
Hot Laundry
Ismay
Jane The Message
Jaunting Martyrs
Jeff Moller and the Marigolds
Jenny & Jimbob
Jesse Cobb
Jessie Marks
JJGoodvibes
John Elliott
John Haesemeyer
Julian Muller
Justin Ancheta
Katie Day
Kelly McFarling
Kelp Monkey
Kevin Rivers
Key Losers
Killing Cartisano
Letting Up Despite Great Faults
Lewis Patzner
Lisa Azzolino
Little Brother Rye
Locura
Locus Pocus
Love Gangsters
Luke Sweeney
LVEO
Lydia Violet
M. Lockwood Porter
Marissa Nadler
Mad Noise
Madame Z
Madeline Tasquin
Magic In The Other
MAJK
Mangobus
Maps & Atlases
Marble Sounds
Mark Kozelek
Mark Montgomery French
Mark Nelsen
Marty O'Reilly & The Old Soul Orchestra
Matthew Hable
Megan Keely
Miriam Speyer
MJ’s Brass Boppers
Monophonics
Moshe V
Mr. Kind
Nate Budroe
Neckbeard Boys
Nell Maynard
Nels Andrews
Odessa Chan
Oona Ruin
Orcas Are Dolphins
Overland
Parklets
Parlor Tricks
Planes On Paper
Quiet Domino
Rainbow Girls
Rachel Rolleri
Real Lives
Redwood Skyline
Saalt
SAFE
Sanjay K
Saturday Looks Good To Me
Schlee
Secret Secret
Shake Your Peace!
Shannon Koehler
She Owl
Sierra Alyse
Six Steps North
Small Calamities
Smokeshow
Socorra
Sonya Cotton
Spence & The Dust-Ups
Stone Foxes
Strange Pilgrim
Summer Peaks
Surf Bored
Survivors
Suzanimal
T Sisters
Television Spies
Thank You Come Again
The Blank Tapes
The Campbell Apartment
The Cloud Room
The Finches
The Genie
The Lady Crooners
The Love Dimension
The Old Grey Whistle Test
The Plastic Arts
The So Ons
The Spinto Band
The Uplifters
Tolula
Tom Rhodes
Tortie
Trans Van Santos
Tumbleweed Wanderers
Vandella
Vinyl Spectrum
We Arsons
We Became Owls
Will Fourt
Will Magid Trio
Wish You Were Whateverglades
Yestrogen
You Be My Heart
You're Going To Die
Youth of the Beast

Contact

If you think I would be a good fit for your project, or have any questions, drop me a line:

jonathan.kirchner at gmail.com