BIO
JAMES BYRON SCHOEN
James has decades of experience on both sides of the glass and has been recognized widely for both his audio production skills and his musicianship and composition, drawing both critical praise and the admiration of his musical mentors, such as Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull. He formed FireCat (formerly JBS Recording) in 2007, where he has developed a long and varied portfolio, recording voice with Kris Kristofferson, working on shows with the BBC, American Public Media and TLC, corporate projects with Pepsi, and a slew of musical projects with pioneering NYC musicians in genres ranging from classical, to progressive rock, to acoustic folk to heavy metal, to Latin Jazz and hip hop. He’s also recorded nearly one hundred a cappella albums with collegiate groups throughout the northeast. When he’s not recording, mixing, mastering and producing work for others, he’s working on his own albums and touring domestically/internationally with his band Edensong.
James graduated with degrees in music and computer science from Wesleyan University, where his thesis was awarded honors by musical luminaries Anthony Braxton and Neely Bruce among others. This thesis went on to become “The Fruit Fallen,” the debut album from Edensong and paved the way for a performance career with the band. Also at Wesleyan, he was a member of co-ed a cappella group Quasimodal, which sparked his interest in the style and career of recording it!
Upon moving to Westchester County after graduation, James established JBS Recording out of his home in White Plains, where he honed his audio skills and worked with a wide range of talent for almost a decade before moving to NYC to expand his business.
In 2014, James relocated to NYC, first in DUMBO (Brooklyn), and now it’s current location in SOHO (Lower Manhattan). While the studio facility is massive upgrade, James retains his client-focused drive, flexibility, innovative energy and approachable demeanor that he developed almost 15 years ago working out of his attic. Contact James about your next audio project.
EQUIPMENT
JBS Recording (at its new home in DUMBO, Brooklyn) provides top of the line equipment in a comfortable and creative working environment. The studio’s spacious live room has a 15′ ceiling offers a variety of sonic possibilities, and can be used to capture anything from an intimate vocal performance, to a classical string quartet, to an energetic rock band. The room provides the option of wooden or carpeted flooring, and a series of custom-designed acoustic partitions enable the sonic character of the room to be transformed in mere seconds. An adjoining whisper quiet vocal booth is available to capture any source without a trace of unwanted ambience. The acoustically tuned control room is adjacent to the vocal booth and houses a wide array of quality gear.
- 2 Universal Audio 6176 Preamp/Compressors
- Great River MP-2NV Stereo Preamp
- Apogee Rosetta 800 8 Channel D/A A/D converter
- 2 BAE 312A Preamps
- 2 Grace m501 Preamps
- BAE 6 space 500 Series Rack
- Avalon U5 Direct Box
- Dangerous D-Box Monitoring and Analog Summing
- MOTU 828mk3 FW/USB Audio Interface
- MOTU 896HD Firewire Audio Interface
- MOTU Traveler Firewire Audio Interface
- Apogee Duet Dual Channel Audio Interface
- Presonus Central Station with Remote Control
- Lexicon MX 400 Multi Effects Processor
- Samson S-Phone Headphone Preamp
- Furman PL-8 Series 2 Power Conditioner
- Livewire Power Distributor
- BLUE Blueberry Microphone
- 2 AKG C414B-XLS Microphone
- 2 BLUE Dragonfly Microphone
- 2 Neumann KM 184 Microphones (matched pair)
- Earthworks SR-30 Microphone
- Shure SM 81 Microphone
- 3 Sennheiser 421 Microphones
- AKG C-1000S Microphone
- 3 Rode NT3 Microphone
- 2 Audix D6 Microphones
- Countryman Isomax Condenser Mic
- 6 Sennheiser E604 Microphones
- 2 Shure SM-57 Microphones
- 4 Shure SM-58 Microphones
- 2 Dynaudio BM6A Studio Monitors
- Hearback Personal Monitoring System
- Redco Litte Red Cuebox
- 3 KRK V8 Studio Monitors
- Ultrasone PROline 2500 Headphones
- Shure SRH840 Headphones
- Sennheiser HD280 Pro Headphones
- 2 Sony MDR 7506 Headphones
- Audio Tecnica ATH-M40fs Headphones
- 3 AKG K220M Headphones
- 8 Samson CH700 Headphones
- 3 Samson HP10 Headphones
- 10 misc Sennheiser headphones
- MOTU Digital Performer 8 Software
- Apple Logic Pro 9 Software
- Waves Diamond Bundle and assorted other Software
- Waves GTR 3 Software
- 2 Universal Audio UAD-1 Cards (Ultra-Pak plus extra)
- 1 Universal Audio UAD-2 Quad Card
- 1 Universal Audio UAD-2 Quad FW Satellite
- Antares Auto-tune 7 Software
- Modartt Pianoteq Pro Software
- Eastwest Pianos Software
- Eastwest Symphonic Orchestra
- Lexicon PCM Native Reverb
- Spectrasonics Omnisphere
- GForce Minimonsta
- GForce m-tron
- MOTU MX4 Synthesizer Software
- MOTU Symphonic Instrument Software
- MOTU Ethno Instrument Software
- Melodyne Studio 3 Software
- Ableton Live 5 Software
- iZotope Ozone 3 Mastering Software
- iZotope Spectron Software
- iZotope Trash Software
- iZotope Vinyl Software
- Bias Peak Pro 6
- ’93 PRS Custom 24 Electric Guitar
- ’01 James Goodall Concert Jumbo Acoustic Guitar
- Martin DC-15E Acoustic/Electric Guitar
- Ramirez R2 Classical Guitar
- 2 Godin xtSA Electric Guitars
- Godin Freeway 5 String Active Bass
- Roland VK8M Organ Module
- DW 4-piece Maple Drumset
- Sonor Phil Rudd Signature Snare
- Sabian AAX Stage Hats
- Misc Vintage Zildjian Cymbals
- Studiologic SL-880 Pro Weighted Controller
- Rivera Knucklehead Reverb 100 Watt
- Line 6 Flextone HD Guitar Amp
- Fender Princeton Chorus Guitar Amp
- Soldano 4×10 Cabinet
- SWR Strawberry Blonde Acoustic Guitar Amp
- Fishman Aura Acoustic Guitar Pedal
- Fishman AFX Reverb Pedal
- Boss DD-3 Digital Delay Pedal
- Electro-Harmonix Micro Pog Octave Pedal
- Vox Wah Pedal
- 2 Ernie Ball Jr. Volume Pedals
- Boss Loopstation Looping Pedal
- SKB PS-45 Pedal Board
- Apple 6-core 3.33GHz MacPro Tower (24 GB RAM)
- Apple 2.6 GHz Intel Core i7 15″ Macbook Pro (16 GB RAM)
- Apple G5 Dual 1.8GHz Computer (7 GB RAM)
- Viewsonic VG2428wm 24″ monitor
- HP 20″ monitor
- 2 additional Western Digital Caviar Internal Harddrives 1TB
- 120 GB Internal Solid State Drive
- Glyph PortaGig External Harddrive 500GB
- Glyph GT050Q External Harddrive 250GB
- Western Digital GoFlex External Harddrive 2TB
- Seagate External Harddrive (250GB)
- LaCie External Harddrive (500GB)
- MOTU Fastlane USB MIDI interface
- Omnirax Presto Studio Desk
- Presonus Faderport Controller
- SKB 10U ATA Effects Rack
- Road Runner 8U Rack
- SKB 3U Rack
- Groove Pack 3U Rack
- SKB Attache Case
- 3 Radial Passive DIs
- 12 Auralex 2’x4’x4″ Studio Foam
- 14 Auralex Q’Fusor Diffusors
- 8 Auralex LENRD Basstraps
- 2 Auralex GRAMMA Amp Isolation Pads
- 2 Auralex MOPAD Monitor Isolation Pads
- Auralex Aural Xpanders Iso Kit
- AudioSeal Sound Barrier
- Iso-Step Floor Underlayment
- 4 Custom-Built Modular Acoustic Partitions
- Assorted Acoustical Treatment
- Livewire 16×4 50′ Snake
- Proco 8×4 25′ Snake
- Assorted Proco Ameriquad Cabling
- Assorted Mogami Cabling
- Assorted other Cables (BLUE, Monster, etc)
- 5 Raxxess Pop Filters
- 4 Sterling Audio Pop Filters
- 2 AKG Pop Filters
- 2 Samson Pop Filters
- SE Electronics Pop Filter
- 18 Tripod Mic Stands
- 2 Short Mic Stands
- 2 Heavy Monitor Stands
- 2 Round Base Mic Stands
- 2 Samson SAmp Headphone Preamps
- 2 Keyboard Stands
- Keyboard Case
- Situations Studio Desk
- Pearl Roadster Drum Throne
- Tama Iron Cobra Hi-hat Stand
- DW Drum and Cymbal Hardware
- DW 5000 Series Double Pedal
- Casio CW100 CD Label Printer
- Fatar Sustain Pedal
CLIENTS
The Colgate College Resolutions
Columbia University’s Pizmon
The Bensonians of Fairfield University
The Shwiffs of Connecticut College
Columbia University’s S’madar
Franklin and Marshall’s Sweet Ophelia
The Vassar College Devils
The Middlebury College Paradiddles
Edensong
Rachel Walker
New Beard
CKAY
Wesleyan University’s Notably Sharp
The Boston College Heightsmen
The Wellesley Widows
Hamilton College’s Tumbling After
The Wellesley Tupelos
The Cornell University Callbaxx
The Poor Richards of Franklin and Marshall
Keene State’s Chock Full ‘O Notes
Elizabethtown College’s Melica
The Trinity College Trinitones
The Williams College Octet
The Williams College Springstreeters
The Columbia Kingsmen
The Skidmore Accents
The Boston College Sharps
Boston College’s Shaan
The Smith College Smiffenpoofs
The Dartmouth College Rockapellas
Columbia University’s Notes and Keys
Shadow Circus
Daniel Emond
Gerry Gartenberg
EmZ Music
Authentic Entertainment (“Toddlers & Tiaras”)
KHJ Brand Activation
Greg Barris
ME Grant
Divine Records
Hands Down Productions
Xavier Simmons
Noah Baerman
Oneironaught
Ryan Berthod
Paul Anthony Rivers – Sources for Students
Strange!
Ian Carleton
Akeino Jr
Los Gringos Locos
Lou Fortunate
EMC Corporation
Barry Seroff
The Wandering Cellist
Vassar College’s Measure 4 Measure
The Vassar College Accidentals
The Middlebury College Mountain Ayres
New York University’s Ani V’Ata
The Middlebury College Bobolinks
The Middlebury College Mamajamas
The George Washington University Sirens
The The Muhlenberg College Dynamics
Astronaut Down
The Bowdoin College Longfellows
The Vassar College Night Owls
Brandeis University’s Proscenium
Skidmore College’s Drastic Measures
Brown University/RISD’s Harmonic Motion
The Wesleyan University New Group
Wesleyan University’s Quasimodal
The Skidmore College Sonneteers
Parcero
Babijoker
White Kids N Reverse
Lapis
Wesleyan University’s Onomatopoeia
The Lehigh University Echoes
The Yale University Shades
The Amherst College Sabrinas
Muhlenberg College’s InAcchord
Bowdoin College’s Boka
The Station Myth
Kid Nixon
Alex Feigin
Kelly McIntyre
Ricardo Rios
Smooth Operations
The Jazz Groove
Grok
Fenix Intl
Gildan Media
Mark Stevens
Eric Meyers
Chris Daven / AU
Matt Greene
Hanalea
Shwinn Ricci
Big Wayde
John Federico
Max Yanker
Ben Gartenberg
Marcus Carr
Phor
TESTIMONIALS
“Working with James on our album was the best decision we ever could have made. From day one, James was supportive and responsive with any questions or worries we had about the album process. During our recording sessions, James was patient and enjoyable to be around, but also demonstrated extreme knowledge about music and offered great advice on how to make our album the best it could possibly be. The album turned out better than we ever could’ve imagined and it really would not have been possible without his consistent support, attentiveness, and professionalism.”
–Jessie, The Shwiffs
The Shwiffs of Connecticut College“Working with James on our past 2 CDs has been so much fun! His ear was always spot on during recording sessions, and he was more than accommodating with his schedule to give us just the sounds we wanted. James is awesome!!!”
–The Resos
The Colgate College Resolutions“We just recorded our first album and we were so glad we chose James and JBS Recording to record and mix our album. Not everyone is so flexible and helpful, especially with groups that have questions regarding the process. James knows exactly what he’s doing and he even helped us through our physical and digital release processes. We couldn’t be happier with our choice! Thanks so much and we look forward to using you again! “
–Ben, The Bensonians
The Bensonians of Fairfield University“Recording our album with James was an all-around wonderful experience. Not only is he an expert at the technical aspects of the process, but he also respected our group’s style and direction, while providing helpful commentary and suggestions to aid us in creating the sound we strive for.”
–Naomi, The Vassar Devils
The Vassar College Devils“James was a pleasure to work with. We got things done quickly and thoroughly, and he really knows his stuff! He took us all the way from recording to mastering, and he did an amazing job across the board.”
–Ben, Pizmon
Columbia University's Pizmon” …these are UNREAL!!!! They sound better than I ever imagined they would. You addressed my notes so well! We are so happy. Thank you SO much!”
–Sweet Ophelia
Franklin and Marshall's Sweet Ophelia“Thank you so much for all of the work you put into producing our CD. It is our first, and we are all extremely excited about listening to it and sharing it!”
–The Paradiddles
The Middlebury College Paradiddles“Working with James has been a pleasure and privilege. His efficiency and timeliness is topped only by the thoughtfulness and level of care he puts into each project, and the quality of his work. “
–Lauren, S’madar
Columbia University's S'madar