Music is On Cue at Falls Church Studio

Jeff Jeffrey can hear it. It's the intangible sound of a well recorded song. Every facet of the piece, the guitars, drums, keyboard, vocals, blended together to form that ultimate goal, a hit record. Jeffrey has done it time and time again. With years of experience and thousands of dollars worth of equipment, Jeffrey, and the artists and engineers of Cue Recording Studios put together top-quality music for some of the best recording artists in the music industry.

Jeffrey is the owner of Cue, which for 16 years, has been flying under the radar of most Falls Church residents. Driving by the studio on a calm summer day one would never guess the talent and art that has come in and out of the doors of the small building on Park Ave.

Amidst the trees and quiet streets of Falls Church, Jeffrey has built one of the top music studios in the region, garnering national attention and success.

While powerful personal computers and music editing software, have made it possible for the average person to set up their own studios in garages or basements, it is a far cry from the facilities and experience that make Cue a place where professional musicians go to record their music.

Jeffrey said, at Cue a recording goes through $150,000 worth of equipment to create the ideal sound. The sound engineers have been working with the equipment for years and know how to get the perfect sound out of a recording. "It's an art," said Jeffrey. "You get an ear for it."

Jeffrey emphasized the difference in sound quality that a studio creates. At Cue, studio engineers sit in on every session. Closely monitoring the recording, the engineer balances the sound with the skill of a surgeon operating on a patient.

Jeffrey noted the difference between a producer and an engineer. A studio engineer focuses on perfecting the technical sound of the music. Using the latest in technology the sound is mixed in multiple planes. They create a panorama of sound that seems to come from all angles around the listener. They can place the sound in the back, the drums on the side and the lead vocals coming from the center. Jeffrey described it as a three dimensional picture painted with music.

The producer, on the other hand, tries to motivate the musicians into producing an emotional and artistic performance. He makes suggestions about artistic choices and sound styles.

Together the producer and the studio attempt to create the ideal vibe for the performer. Scattered around the various studios are overstuffed couches lit in relaxing mood lighting. Interns get tea or water for the musicians as they work to forget that they're singing in front of a microphone. Jeffrey said the comfortable atmosphere helps even the most nervous performer, "get their mind and vibe set, the next thing you know they sing it like it's real," he said.

The list of artists that have recorded or had their music mixed at Cue is an impressive compilation of some of music's biggest names. With artists like Toni Braxton, a long time client, and Amerie, who produced her debut CD with Cue, it isn't unusual for music icons to spend days or even months recording and finishing albums in the unpretentious building in Falls Church.

Needless to say, Jeffrey enjoys his job. "My favorite part is really making music, watching art being created out of nothing," Jeffrey said. "All this stuff goes together like a cake."

Creating that cake, though, is not just about finding what sounds good. The process of creating a studio is an exact science. In order to build the ideal space in which to record Jeffrey hired an acoustician, an engineer specifically trained in creating desired acoustics for spaces. Unlike normal architectural design which seeks to create visually impressive spaces, acoustic design shapes the floor, the ceiling and everything in-between in order to shape the proper sound.

Standing in studio A the unusual design is apparent. None of the walls are perpendicular to each other. Jeffrey said that this keeps sound from bouncing back and forth between the walls and creating standing sound waves. The floor is held up on rubber rings separated from the other rooms, making the room completely silent when the door is closed. Everything about the studios has been arranged with music in mind.

While the attention to detail and the experience of the staff has made Cue popular among pop stars, evidenced by the platinum records and CD covers lining the walls, the studio is not meant only for the rich and famous. With multiple studios, Cue caters to a wide range of performers, from recording giants to garage bands. Many of Cue's clients are small groups recording CD's for the first time.

To Jeffrey, being privy to the inception of a new song has its advantages. He is able to hear a wide variety of music being recorded and with the chances that small bands will make it big being small, Jeffrey has heard a lot of music that was never played on any radio stations. "Half of my favorite albums are CDs you'll never hear," said Jeffrey.

In response to the variety of performers, Cue Recording tailors its services to the needs and budget of each client. Studio A, the flagship studio costs around $700 for 10 hours, while Studio D, a smaller studio will only set a musician back $400 dollars for the same amount of time.

Jeffrey said, to achieve top-quality sound, artists should expect to spend around 10 hours producing three tracks, although he acknowledged some groups will often try to record at a faster pace to save on recording time.

While the past has been bright for Jeffrey, he's worried about the future of the studio, which has nothing to do with how well his records sell. Jeffrey said that the small shopping center that is home to Cue is being targeted by plans for redevelopment. He said that Cue Recording might be forced to leave as the area is renovated as part of the Falls Church City Center.

While the recording equipment can be moved, the quality of the studio is imbued in the walls and the floors of the building. "I can't move this," said Jeffrey "It's magical."

Standing outside, the building doesn't seem like much. There aren't any bright lights or limousines lined up out front, but inside the platinum on the walls still glimmers and the music still sounds like gold.