tom eaton - Production

MUSIC PRODUCTION: SHAPING IDEAS INTO FINISHED MUSIC SINCE 1993

“There’s a certain kind of artistry that rarely announces itself, yet quietly shapes the records we return to again and again. Tom Eaton has built a career in that space—behind the glass, in the margins between performance and permanence—where instinct, patience, and a deep understanding of emotional nuance guide the process as much as any piece of gear. His work, particularly through his long association with Will Ackerman and the legacy of the Windham Hill sound, has helped define a modern evolution of acoustic and ambient music that values intimacy as much as it does sonic scale.” - Ambient Visions

Since 1993 I've been producing albums for artists from a wide range of genres. Initially the bulk of my work was in collaboration with artists from the burgeoning folk scene in greater Boston. I became adept at assembling the right group of session players to make studio bands for various singer-songwriter albums (Boston continues to have some of the best players anywhere), and I was featured in various periodicals like Performing Songwriter Magazine and Sweetwater's Sweetnotes. As an engineer I got good at tracking acoustic ensembles and as a producer I learned to hear where a piece of music could go and find the right ways to get it there.

In 2009 I began a long collaboration with Will Ackerman, the founder of Windham Hill Records. Together, we produced more than 100 records in the decade that followed. Mostly we were producing acoustic ensemble albums centered around a pianist or a guitarist. Now I'm happily settled in my Sounds & Substance studio in rural New Hampshire, where I continue to produce projects for clients far and wide with a focus on helping emotions make the journey through technology to the listener.

I do track guitar projects I'm producing (like this) here, and will still head to Vermont to record Will's magic Steinway B that's been the heart of so many great albums.

From working on song structures to creating textural details, from helping with harmonic choices to finding the perfect overdub player, I'm committed to serving the song and helping the artist make the best art possible. The goal is always to produce music that will stand up to a lifetime of listening.

No matter where you're at in the process of making music, I can help you get your work across the finish line and safely into the ears of the world. Drop me a note if I can help!

GET in touch via the contact form

Will Ackerman

Positano Songs

"Never in my entire career as a guitarist have I relinquished the role of producer in the recording of my own music to anyone else. Until now. It was a joy to know that I could trust Tom's heart and mind and allow myself to turn over the role of producer to him. Positano Songs could not have happened without his ears and heart."

Positano Songs was nominated for the “Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant” Grammy Award.

RANDAL L MEEK

DREAMING UNDER THE BANYAN TREE

"Dreaming Under The Banyan Tree" is my follow-up album to "Longings" and undoubtedly my finest work to date, but the album is really all Tom Eaton as a result of his production skills that shine as brightly as his musical talent and his engineering skills.

Tom took my raw guitar tracks, recorded at Imaginary Road Studios, as well as Will Ackermanʻs guitar and Eugene Friesenʻs cello tracks, and then ran with it at Tomʻs state of the art "Sounds and Substance" studios, and there he created something truly special nuancing the music into a final product where the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts".

The final blend of 11 musicians and 19 distinct instruments shows Tom's incredible depth and discernment both as a producer and musician. That only happens with a true master of production and Tom proved that mastery again with this album. In todayʻs crowded field of producers and sound engineers, I cannot imagine entrusting my music to anyone other than Tom!"

Vin downes

city lights hide the stars

"Tom’s incomparable skills as a composer, instrumentalist, sound engineer, and deep listener all play a part in his role as producer. He has an innate ability to understand an artist’s vision and get the best performances out of that artist in the studio. Tom’s firm grasp on the power of subtlety, nuance, arrangement, form, and instrumentation within a musical composition is incredible. He is able to ensure that every note has weight and meaning, and gets artists to connect emotionally to every note they play.

An artist needs to have absolute trust in the producer they are working with in order to make sure their music is written, arranged, performed, captured, and presented in a way that is not only true to their original vision, but even better. With Tom, you get a person who can do all of that and more. I know that I can always trust Tom’s advice and guidance. I wouldn’t trust my music with any other producer."

RYAN judd

"Tom has been invaluable in bringing my music to new heights. His expertise with mixing and mastering, combined with his ability to add stunning instrumental accompaniment, has transformed the sound of my tracks from good to great. I highly recommend him to any musician looking to take their music to the next level."

kristen miller

“When I record with Tom, I know that I am entering a special creative space, one where my project will be held with the utmost care and expertise. It is a place where I can relax completely into my creativity and trust that I will love the outcome every time.”

masako

"Tom Eaton is one of the most sought-after producers, engineers, and incredible multi-instrumentalists. I've been working with Tom for over a decade and during this long period, I've been just amazed by his passionate and sincere approach. Without Tom's outstanding ability to concentrate, his well-balanced decisions on music, his patience and kindness, I wouldn't be where I am now. He brings out the best in you."