Mainstay Studio

Session Guitarist and Engineer

Mainstay Studio on SoundBetter

I'm ready to play guitars, mix or master your next project! I've worked with quite a number of upcoming independent artists, taking their projects to the next level in my home studio. The artists I've worked with and bands I've played with have opened for acts like Wanderwild, COIN, Darius Rucker and etc.

Mainstay Studio is a home studio in the upstate of SC run by Graham Peeples, a session guitarist, producer and engineer. Graham got started in the professional music world with his indie/rock band Estuarie and has since then worked on many projects ranging from ambient/folk to hardcore. He spent 4 years studying jazz guitar, music theory and audio engineering under teachers who have worked for the Rolling Stones, Dolly Parton and many other major names.

Currently, Mainstay Studio operates as a network of musicians/producers and artists that all work together to complete your project. If Graham is not available to do the work you have hired him for, or if he feels that he knows somebody who can do it better then he will outsource that work out of his own pocket to ensure your project is completed with top quality work in a reasonable time frame and within your budget!

Send me an email through 'Contact' button above and I'll get back to you asap.

Interview with Mainstay Studio

  1. Q: Tell us about a project you worked on you are especially proud of and why. What was your role?

  2. A: I'm especially proud of the debut EP from Hannah Peeples - I had the pleasure of cowriting it, recording guitars, keys and bass and producing it. It was totally outside of my normal line of work and it pushed me a lot!

  3. Q: What are you working on at the moment?

  4. A: My new band's debut LP! We are currently in the tracking/producing phase.

  5. Q: Analog or digital and why?

  6. A: Hybrid is always the way to go! Analog gear can provide so much authenticity and warmth, but the digital world has come so far and it's important to keep up with the times.

  7. Q: What's your 'promise' to your clients?

  8. A: I promise to provide clients with quality work within their budget. If I can't do it, I will find someone who will!

  9. Q: What questions do you ask prospective clients?

  10. A: Who are some of your biggest inspirations? What is your target audience with your music? What is the best sounding song you've ever heard and what do you love about it?

  11. Q: What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

  12. A: Be sure to get second, third and fourth opinions on your work from people who make music that is nothing like your own. Constructive criticism from unbiased people is the best way to continue growing your craft.

  13. Q: If you were on a desert island and could take just 5 pieces of gear, what would they be?

  14. A: My 72' RI Thinline Telecaster (heavily modded to my own specs), a vintage Princeton Reverb, and a few pedals from Walrus Audio!

  15. Q: How would you describe your style?

  16. A: Simple, efficient and effective.

  17. Q: Which artist would you like to work with and why?

  18. A: My biggest dream would be to work with Manchester Orchestra, but a close second would be to work with Jack Antonoff (Bleachers, Fun, Taylor Swift, etc).

  19. Q: Can you share one music production tip?

  20. A: If it sounds good, it is good. Don't overthink it.

  21. Q: What type of music do you usually work on?

  22. A: I mainly work on indie/alt/rock music but I am more than willing to tackle any genre you throw at me.

  23. Q: What's your strongest skill?

  24. A: My strongest skill is definitely writing guitar parts - I've been doing it for years and have a plethora of creativity left in me to serve whatever the song needs.

  25. Q: What do you bring to a song?

  26. A: I specialize in massive guitar sounds, ambient textures and huge stereo split mixes.

  27. Q: Tell us about your studio setup.

  28. A: I work mainly in the box, but have a variety of outboard gear, pedals and amps available when needed. My studio is based around my Universal Audio interface and is optimized for guitar and vocal tracking allowing me to work efficiently and maintain fast turn around times. I mainly work out of Logic Pro X and have a variety of plugin bundles available such as Soundtoys 5, Waves Gold, Slate Digital All Access and etc.

  29. Q: What other musicians or music production professionals inspire you?

  30. A: I'm constantly inspired by musicians in the alt/rock world like Jim Adkins (Jimmy Eat World), Andy Hull (Bad Books, Manchester Orchestra) and Benjamin Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie).

  31. Q: Describe the most common type of work you do for your clients.

  32. A: Most of the work I do is session guitar work, though I do a solid amount of mixing, mastering and production as well.

Terms Of Service

I will happily do up to 4 revisions at no extra cost, beyond that each round of revisions will cost another $15.

Turn around time varies and can be negotiated depending on your deadlines.

GenresSounds Like
  • Jimmy Eat World
  • Valleyheart
  • Manchester Orchestra
Gear Highlights
  • Universal Audio interface
  • Soundtoys Bundle
  • Waves Gold
  • Slate Digital All Access Pass with Modeling Microphones
  • 1967 all original Fender Princeton
  • Plenty of guitars
  • mic options and etc.
More Photos