Jonathan G. Shaw



STUDIO

Shaw Music Studios, our fully-equipped recording studio, is located in Fontainebleau, Randburg, Johannesburg, South Africa. Our facilities include a control room and studio area. The control room (also known as "the crib") houses the super computer, musical instruments, keyboard, studio monitors, and pre-amps. It is the heart of technical operations.

Built for comfort, the studio area or booth (also known as "the boom box") is spacious as well as very functional and houses the headphones and amp. In contrast to the control room it has a funkier look and provides an ideal acoustical space to accurately record.

Due to the nature of our business, and to mange workload, we work on a referral system with our existing clientele in order to provide premium and outstanding service. We encourage you to follow us on social media for networking events and current clientele.

REFERRALS

"If you require a producer with brilliant artistic ideas, and who captures the artist's vision and an abundance of patience, then Jonathan G Shaw is your man." - The Flat Shandys, no. 1 chart hit band

"You deserve all [the mastering work] and everyone in the DRC loves you for what you are doing, because when we compare to others in Canada and Paris, and I say this without a doubt, you are the best [mastering engineer]." - Herve Nzambe, Congolese super-producer

"You're a bloody creative genius! Thanks for all the hard work, it shows. You have the ability to interpret really well which comes through in the arrangements." - Craig Green, frontman of the band Bad Scooter

"Thanks for your excellent work as usual. Listening to them files. U da best!" - Lord Lombo, Congolese gospel artist

"It'™s always an honour working with you, especially your professionalism that really surpasses other producers and sound engineers that I have came across!" - Egidson Ndu, Christian contemporary singer/songwriter

"A national treasure" - N'DEN, Jazz band

"If this [South Africa] was the States, I really believe you'd be as big as one of the best music producers!" - John Gerritsen, artist and guitar tutor

"Your work is totally out of this world Jono, your mastering... everything is perfect, thanks again" - Sim Mgijma

"Thanks a million Jonathan G. Shaw, and to Ibilion, always great service." - Donald Kassanda, artist

"I'm speechless right now. The tone fits perfectly. You literally interpreted what I had envisioned or, better yet, wished how the song should sound. And kept all the emotion in it. Wow... this is exactly what I tell all my fellow musicians: that level of understanding can only be reached by people of your calibre and not even a 3 year course of sound engineering reaches such heights, because you're a GOD." - Offenive Genius, rapper

"Thanks for the work on the 2 songs! They REALLY rock!! The BEST so far :D" - Nicol Botha of INVADER

"Mr J. I can't stop listening to the Bravo's album. ...the magic of your hands are sounding wonders to my ears. Bug ups!" - Charly, Bravo Rhythmic Voices, choir leader

"I just want to say I really had a dope session with you today, appreciate your time! Remember to take as much time you need with the mix, always no pressure! See you soon!" - Lungsta, rapper

"Jono, you are the BEST!!! Always willing to help and very professional! Thank you for years of excellent service!!" - Jack in a Box Drama Studio

"You are a star Jon. It's been such a pleasure to work with you on this project. I'm honestly looking forward to a very long and warm working relationship between us in future. I'm so motivated to work even harder in finding and uplifting more artists for my stable, record them with you and launch their careers. God bless you in abundance my buddy." - Menziani Yende, manager of jazz band Mekwano

"I want to thank you again for that really inspiring mix on the track. At the end of the month I want to gun for the charts and see if I make any waves. But thanks to you that will be possible now." - Tshidiso Mashiani a.k.a. Samurai Cyclops, rapper

"Jon... I have to say that you're my best investment ever! What a pleasure to NOT have to worry about all the technical drama involved [recording my songs]. It frees me up to concentrate on what I enjoy most... making music! No worries, no hassles, no grief..." Moss

"Everyone is saying this tune [Hallelujah] is the best I have done, thanks to you" - Michelle Morrissey, singer / songwriter

"I have been impressed by how sophisticated your studio is, and the good way you handle your clients. I would like to work with you for a very long time." Moeketsi "Serpent" Mothebe, rapper
Sishen da Gama Referral - 12 February 2019

"I finally proved to myself that I can sing and record, I'll definitely be back for more!" - Wiida Hamman

"What a nice place to not only record, but Jonathan has such an immense knowledge of the law and music industry. Highly recommend him." - John Howell & Joslyn Greenwood, musicians

"Everybody loves the song 'When She Sings' and... it sounds excellent over an outdoor line array system. Well done on your mixing and mastering efforts. It's appreciated by a lot of people." - Pieter Albert Jordaan, singer/songwriter

"Those who have listened to your work [live recording of "Worship In Africa" mix and master] already are crazy, everybody is praising it! You did great work indeed! " - Pastor Phumzile Phago

"Thank you, you really do good work, the mix/master sounds great!" - Nakedi Mabusela

"King Shaw, thanks for the awesome mix/master, sounds amazing! Made my Day!" - Sherwin Khojane

"We're into more WOW territory here!! What an absolute classic [my song Hollow is] from Shaw Music Studios!!!" - Duncan Foley

"Jonathan, I wanted to thank you again for the really inspiring mix on my track 'Follow You'. At the end of the month I want to gun for the charts and see if I make any waves. But thanks to you that will be possible now." - Tshidiso Mashinini, rapper

"Wow!!!! It's amazing genius, that's all I can say. The world, the universe got to hear this stuff, don't you think? I'm going to start calling you 'GE', which stands for 'genius engineer'." - Stone Bachaka Stone Bachaka On Soundcloud

"You're a genius! 'I'm Drunk' [the track] is a mix I still can't get over. It's just insane. I don't know what it is, how you did it or what you did but that song just works perfectly all round" - Jay STZ

"I truly appreciated working with you. Your efficiency, care and dedication to your work plus the commitment in communicating with your client. That makes you a successful person in this world." - Tony N'Guxi

"I needed to work with someone who would express my feelings, directions and understand my vision for my songs while remaining objective and independently creative and Shaw Music Studios gave me that and more!! Jon was the producer but he let me be part of the process. I have worked in other studios before but at Shaw Music Studios I was treated as an artist with a brain - not just a voice that said something that no-one can remember, now back to business!!" - Amiel - Singer / Songwriter / Performer

"Shaw Music Studios is a hidden gem, a recording artist's dream. Not only is the intimate studio enhanced by the best equipment, the owner, Jonathan Shaw, is a talented and knowledgeable producer who has worked with many styles of music and seems to know the best ways to get the most out of a singer. He also is a composer who can add a deft touch to music if need be and his mastering is comparable to US and UK quality. I have experienced this myself - I am a singer songwriter and have worked with Shaw Music studios for both my albums. I intend to do my third album there as well. The rates per song are more than reasonable. For all these reasons, I would recommend Shaw Music Studios to any artist or band." - mist tree www.misttree.co.za

Photographer: Tyrone Gillies

STUDIO SERVICES

Shaw Music Studios, a division of Ibilion, is run by Jonathan G. Shaw, a professional music producer, sound engineer and music businessperson. For an idea of cost, take a look at our rates list at ibilion.com/rates/.

Services provided by the business are:

  • Composition and suggesting music material to record
  • Music arranging and sequencing
  • Scoring and music notation
  • Suggesting and hiring session musicians to perform
  • Supervision of rehearsals
  • Performing both control room and studio work at recording sessions
  • Guiding the artist's performance, including band, a capella and small choir recordings
  • Post-production work including editing, mixing and masterings
  • Radio, commercial and advertisement work such as podcasts, jingles, audio branding, corporate videos, sound design and voice-overs
  • Audio restoration and forensics
  • Digital marketing services for music, audiobooks and other creative output

GENERAL STUDIO INFO

The following information will help you make the most of using our music studio services:

  • Office hours: We strive to operate at any time of the day, within reason - this means employing wellbeing to provide excellent service. You can call us by phone Tuesdays to Saturdays between 09:00 and 18:00 CAT usually. The studio can be booked in advance for any time. On Mondays, I lecture in the afternoons and is often an admin-only day.
  • Please allow time to finish your production. Rushing means crushing! Creativity has no deadline! Let us be our best for you and don't pressure us. To avoid disappointment, make sure you plan your production in advance. We are constantly receiving enquiries and bookings and for us to get you the time you need, we'll need to get your 50% booking fee timely and be able to schedule your production accordingly within our studio diary. I encourage you confirm with us once the booking fee is paid.
  • Referencing: I believe in giving you uniform quality that meets our and your expectations. To do this, we will often ask you to supply a final master recording (if you haven't worked with us before) that you believe meets this expectation and we will do our best to match your audio to this. Ultimately this allows us to demonstrate we can deliver on your sound, and meet industry, release and media requirements.
  • Production packages: These packages are convenient to independent artists and labels that are looking for high value music productions.
  • Mixing package: Deliver separate instrument / vocal tracks, unclipped, in .wav format (or equivalent) all starting from the "0" position. Record them in 24 bit with -10dBFS headroom. A sample rate of 96 kHz is recommended, although not lower than 44.1 kHz. Audio tracks that do not conform to this standard will not be mixed. The more detail and quality of tracked audio you supply, the better your mix. If you can supply full audio in a Pro Tools session, even better. One revision of the mix is included in the fee. We deliver 24 bit 96 kHz audio files of the final song, radio edit, backtrack and instrumental.
  • Mastering package: Mix files must be delivered in 24 bit, stereo interleaved or LR WAV format (or equivalent), with between -10dBFS to -6dBFS headroom (no clipping) and an RMS of between -20dBFS to -18dBFS. Do not apply fades to your final mix output and leave sufficient silence before and after the music. Buss compress to taste but if in doubt supply a mix with and without buss compression. Do not convert: supply in the original format and resolution. A sample rate of 96 kHz is recommended, although not lower than 44.1 kHz. Audio mixes that do not conform to this standard will not be mastered. Supply applicable music references. One revision of the master is included in the fee. We deliver the data (WAV) master in 16 bit, 44.1 kHz optimised for streaming services and other resolutions for different formats (CD, vinyl) on request. CD authoring, MP3 tagging and music retail aggregation is charged at additional rates, please complete our metadata form accurately if you require these and supply high resolution artwork.
  • Billing: Please fill out our client information sheets to facilitate bookings, billing and tagging. Please note that prices in various currencies include foreign exchange handling fees.
  • Increases: rates customarily increase annually on 1 August but are subject to change. Our latest rates list is on the Ibilion website.

MIXING AND MASTERING SAMPLES

Jonathan G. Shaw is a platinum-level engineer, having worked on tracks that, collectively, have garnered more than 40-million views on YouTube alone.

Below are samples of mixing and mastering work:

Mixing and mastering samples:



Mastering samples:


CORPORATE AND MEDIA WORK

Our established recording studio, Shaw Music Studios, records and provides voiceovers and sound designs for many corporate clients. We have worked with many media houses including HDI Youth Marketeers, Okuhle, Nonzero Agency, Arctic Media, Wia Media, Main Market, Tomfoolery, Tongue Twisters, Autumn DVD, BigSky Productions, Community Media Trust, HWB Communications, VerBatim, Motsepe Advertising, Peach Tree Productions, Just Like That Productions and others for brands such as:

  1. African Bank,
  2. Always,
  3. Aspen,
  4. BBC Lifestyle,
  5. Bidvest,
  6. Bonitas,
  7. Calpol,
  8. Cell C,
  9. Ceramic Industries
  10. City of Joburg,
  11. Dettol,
  12. Dove,
  13. DSTV,
  14. Eastwave Radio (station ID pack),
  15. Enterprise (Tiger Brands),
  16. Fine Music Radio,
  17. FNB,
  18. Game SA,
  19. Hygene Disposables,
  20. Illovo,
  21. Indgro,
  22. Kuehne Nagel,
  23. KFC,
  24. Merck,
  25. Mike's Kitchen
  26. Milo,
  27. Mix FM,
  28. MTN,
  29. Nutriday,
  30. Nedbank,
  31. Nestle,
  32. Old Mutual,
  33. Pampers,
  34. Pick 'n Pay,
  35. Radio Today,
  36. Rand Water,
  37. RMA,
  38. Roots Butcheries
  39. SAB,
  40. SAGEA,
  41. SAICA,
  42. Saint-Gobain,
  43. Sasol,
  44. Serengeti Estates,
  45. SBS,
  46. SGS,
  47. Sha'p (Radio Drama),
  48. Suitsupply,
  49. Tiger Brands,
  50. Tree Tops Estates,
  51. Twinsaver,
  52. UNISA,
  53. Virgin Mobile,
  54. Woolworths

Check out this ad from SBS:


The voice over for the below corporate video was recorded by us with VO artist Sigrid as well as edited into the video for Land and Sea Shipping:


The voice over for the below corporate video was recorded by us with VO artist Sigrid for Just Like That Productions for African Bank:

STUDIO EQUIPMENT


    Equipment used in Studio A includes:
  • A Universal Audio Apollo interface running on a M1 Macbook Pro computer;
  • Yamaha NS10M and HS80M studio monitors;
  • Universal Audio LA-610 pre-amplifier;
  • Rupert Neve Portico 5012 Duo Mix Preamp;
  • Avalon U5 Direct Box;
  • M-Audio Keystation Pro 88 and Korg microKey MIDI controllers;
  • Behringer Power-Play Pro 8 headphone distributor;
  • Roland V-Drum TD-4K electronic drum kit;
  • Neumann U87ai microphone;
  • Neumann KM184 matched pair microphones;
  • Shure SM57 instrument mic;
  • AKG D112 bass mic;
  • and Behringer C-2 acoustic mics.
  • Instruments used include a Cort G300 Pro electric guitar;
  • Fender USA 5-string Jazz Bass;
  • Seagul 6-string steel string guitar;
  • Djembe drum and various percussion;
  • and Yamaha nylon 6-string guitar.
  • The rooms are acoustically treated with top-of-the-range Auralex Studio Foam which provide an incredible look and sound as well as out-of-this-world Modular Muse 400DIA MuseTube bass traps.
  • Aircon
  • WIFI
  • Backup generator for power outages
  • Tea/coffee/water service

    Software and plug-ins utilised is:
  • Pro Tools;
  • Antares: Auto-Tune and AVOX;
  • Native Instruments: Komplete;
  • Spitfire Audio: Albion ONE;
  • Waves: Horizon, SSL, Restoration;
  • Universal Audio UAD;
  • And others.

INTERNSHIPS

Ibilion offers internships to Music Technology and Music Management students.

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