Benjamin Jay Thomas on SoundBetter

Drawing on 15+ years of experience w/ songwriters, producers and agencies, as well as running a recording studio in partnership with Nike and Jordan Brand, I can take YOUR song from sketchy demo to fully produced track, drawing inspiration from artists like Bon Iver, The National, Sufjan Stevens, Noah Kahan, Phoebe Bridgers and others.

There's SO MUCH music out there. How do you stand out? How do you create something truly special? How do you make music that makes people FEEL something?

Over the course of my career I've come to an awareness of what makes a song really special: AUTHENTICITY.

You can't manufacture authenticity. It comes from within. But, through years of writing and recording I've developed tools and practices that help me tap into my own authenticity, and bring it out in others. It's THAT authenticity that makes the difference between a song that is technically perfect and uniquely meaningful. It’s THAT authenticity that the artists I referenced above have learned to connect with and fuse into their music. My goal is to do the same with you.

Here's the deal: I want to offer you something so much more human and meaningful than a copy/paste "session" -- Something truly inspired. In order to do that I'll only take on your project if it feels like a fit. If we do work together, I'll treat your song with the exact same care I treat my own. Take a minute to read through my reviews and you'll hear my previous clients attest to that.
Also take a minute to listen to the "before and after" example at benjaminjaythomas.com/example ...That song went from demo to complete song in less than 48 hours!

Feel free to shoot me a message if any of this is resonating with you and we can chat!

Contact me through the green button above and let's get to work.

Credits

Languages

English

17 Reviews - 3 Repeat Clients

Endorse Benjamin Jay Thomas

by Brett B.
Verified
Benjamin was great. He was very helpful/accommodating with revisions and gave a great vocal performance.
by JERMMEL
Verified
Working with Benjamin was a surreal experience. His contributions, arrangements, and ideas were just what my song needed to truly lift its' wings and fly. Not only was he ultra communicative during the entire process, but he is just a warm, peaceful, soul. Working with him is truly a meditative experience and the elements he brings to the table will have you smiling from ear to ear, and if you're like me, constantly tearful while observing your dream come to life.
by Filip G.
Verified
From the first minute, Ben has been extremely professional and, at the same time, very kind, friendly and approachable. His knowledge, skills and talent (on all levels) is nothing short of SUPERB. Ben always found the time to respond to all the requests along the way with extreme patience, motivation, flexibility and dedication. Ben, mate, I sincerely wish to thank you for everything and hope we can work again in the near future. Amazing experience and the final result! Strongly recommended!
by Hank T.
Verified
Ben helped me out with a small revision to a project we worked on together before and the end results were exactly what I was looking for! Great communication and very professional!
by Hank T.
Verified
I had a wonderful experience working together with Ben, I was still fudging around with the lyrics but Ben didn't mind and was super flexible and easy to work with and this flexible approach let to a wonderful song that I'm super happy with! I highly recommend working together with Ben Thomas!
by Lazer Boomerang
Verified
Ben has a wonderful voice! He is very efficient and delivered so much more than i expected. It was a pleasure to work with him and I sure will work with him in the future! Thanks Ben!
by Traci W.
Verified
Ben delivered incredibly beautiful vocals!!! He was very friendly and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I hope to work with him again soon! Thank you!!!
by Michael A.
Verified
We had an exceptional experience working with Ben to create a song for our grand daughters birthday. He was very professional, and kept us in the loop during the entire creation process. Ben took the time to understand her backstory, and weaved unique sound bites into the final song. His lyric writing is very impressive, and the we could not be happier of the final product produced. Would recommend Ben highly on any concept to final song product project, or anything in between. Thanks Ben!!
by Brice K.
Verified
Ben is by far the greatest producer I have ever worked with. He is professional, hard working and talented. He puts his heart and soul into the production, vision and songs. He even has song guides on how to sing it as effective as possible. Be prepared to smile; not only for the music he makes with you but also because of him. It was truly a pleasure and a gift to work with him and I will continue to work with him! Thank you Ben!
by Maxime J.
Verified
Nothing to say everything went quickly and well. It was really perfect! :)
by PUNCH A.
Verified
Nice guy to work with! Great voice!
by park y.
Verified
He was so professional and kind. I want to work with him again next time.
by john
Verified
I had the pleasure of working with Ben again this week and he is very professional with his work making sure the song ends up as planned.He remained patient with me till we got the right outcome.Of course his beautiful vocals are always a delight to hear.Get on board
by Hansi
Verified
5/5, Ben was amazing to work with!! Incredible vocal talent. Professional communicator. Can’t wait to work together again!
by john
Verified
I have been waiting for a while to find a certain vocalist for an alternative type of indie song I wrote.. I was delighted when I came across Ben and he didnt let me down putting a lot of great effort into the song.Ben is just not a session singer but an Artist in his own right who can bring your song to life. Totally recommended
by Zach Goforth
I have worked with Ben on many recordings over the past 15 years, and he remains one of my favorite producers, songwriters, and trusted confidants. Whether through his approach to guitar harmony, sonic landscape, or just being able to take a “helicopter view” of a musical idea, Ben is able to draw out the best in a song or artist. And even though I’m now based in Nashville, TN (which is not bereft of the world’s best producers) I still choose to work with Ben and pass like-minded artists his way. I cannot speak highly enough!
by Alicia Claire
I love working with Ben. Recording is always a vulnerable process but Ben makes it easy by creating a safe environment, offering really valuable suggestions for improvement in a way that feels encouraging and respectful. From this elevated environment comes a more authentic performance. Then he works his magic and turns a loose idea into a fully polished work of art, I’m super pleased how our songs have turned out!

Interview with Benjamin Jay Thomas

Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?
A: Obvious influences... Simon and Garfunkel, Brian Wilson, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine, etc. Also a big fan of groovy indie-electro stuff like Washed Out, Purity Ring, Phantogram, Tycho, etc. Really love the indie-pop production aesthetic Aaron Dessner brings to all The National music and the records he made with Taylor Swift.
Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.
A: The most common work I get asked to do is production and vocals. I've been producing music in the indie/pop/folk/rock world for 15+ years, including 4 of my own records. As a composer and multi-instrumentalist I've gotten really good at nailing sounds on my own in that world. I've also work with a handful of incredible players I sometimes lean on to play on tracks. As for vocals, my voice carries that alt/indie vibe pretty strong and works well across a variety of genres. I typically end up stacking a bunch, doing harmonies, etc. My clients really respond well to that stuff.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
A: I get to help others tap into their unique creativity and bring it to life. What's not to LOVE about that?!?!?
Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A: Treat this process like you're looking for a creative partner rather than a one-off session player. Find someone who's style and ideas really vibe with what you're up to.
Q: What was your career path? How long have you been doing this?
A: I've been writing, producing and releasing records of my own since the early 2000's. I just released my 5th album in the fall 2019. A couple years ago I started taking on more collaborative projects, co-writes and work for hire projects, and also started doing one-on-one and group coaching and mentoring with songwriters and other creatives. All of this collaborating and contributing to the creative lives of others has been SO good for me. I feel more "tuned in" to the creative energy all around us than ever before.
Q: How would you describe your style?
A: Indie-folk with a splash of electro love.
Q: What do you bring to a song?
A: I usually hear words like "authentic" and "inspired" around my performances - whether vocal or instrumental. I like to treat every song like it's my own, and that translates into an authenticity you won't find in a lot of "session players".
Q: What's your typical work process?
A: For vocals, I'll often get a guide track and an instrumental track from a songwriter. Sometimes there's no guide... just a blank canvas to write melodies on. I love that challenge too. From there, I'll usually toss a couple rough scratch tracks to my client to make sure we're headed in the right direction before I get too deep into tracking and editing. I always err on the side of over-communication.