about us 

Hey there, we’re CJ and Jenna. We moved to Virginia a few years ago after stumbling upon a cabin for sale nestled in the rolling mountains of the Shenandoah Valley. CJ has been a songwriter and musician for 20 years, playing guitar in, fronting, and managing his indie rock band The Milestones. He began audio engineering in 2018 after a trip to Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tennessee to record the band's first full-length record.  
Shortly after moving, CJ hosted his band for a writing retreat at the cabin and was blown away with the sound of the room. We were smitten with the look, sound, and feel of the place and knew we had to open it up to others to share the magic . One thing led to another and we founded Sill & Glade as a recording studio in 2022.
We believe in the importance of setting in the creative process, and try to build a space where artists feel both comfortable and inspired. When you book here, the cabin is your home and we hope it feels that way as soon as you walk through the door. 

frequently asked questions

What type of projects do you host?

We’re here to meet you exactly where you are. If you have an idea, we’re here for it! We’ve hosted everything from folk artists to rock bands, studio veterans to first-timers. Sill & Glade is perfect for bands looking to get away and record an album, folks looking to track live drums in a great sounding room, songwriters looking for a cozy, vibey space to record, or for video projects with pro audio. CJ particularly enjoys recording and mixing drums and electric guitar with effects, but is all in on any project in front of him.

Do you have recommended videographers, photographers, etc? 

Yes, we have a list of talented folks we love to work with. We leave it to you to coordinate details with the videographer/photographer. 

I need a few folks to fill in for my session, can you help with that? 

Absolutely. The valley is filled with amazingly talented musicians, and we would love to connect you with the right session musician for your project. We leave it to you to coordinate details. 

Where are you located? 

We’re in Mount Solon, Virginia. 
We are 30 minutes from Harrisonburg, 1 hour from Charlottesville, and 2 hours from both Richmond and Washington, DC. 
We’re 5 minutes from the George Washington National Forest North River Gorge entrance with endless hiking, fishing, and swimming spots. We have a detailed neighborhood guide we send out to all clients with our favorite places nearby. 

Is there lodging available? What about food? 

The cabin sleeps 4  comfortably and on-site camping is available. Lodging is included with booking of back to back studio days. 
Stokesville Lodge and Meadowlark Ridge Bed & Breakfast are additional lodging options nearby (10 minute drive). 
Hotels in Harrisonburg and Staunton (30 minute drive). 
The kitchen is available to use . Other food options are 15-30 minute drive.

Is there a discount if I book multiple days? 

We have discounted rates for longer projects spanning multiple consecutive days.

Can I bring my own engineer? 

Absolutely! If you are looking to get away to work with your team in a new setting - that’s right up our alley! We’ll be on-site to get you oriented to the space and gear, and then leave so you can create. 

What does “in-house producer/engineer” mean? 

If needed for your project, co-owner CJ Metz is available to engineer/produce projects. This could look like: 
  • Tracking/Recording: The artist comes with completed songs. We step in and engineer all things behind the scenes for the project with great care. Choosing and placing microphones, setting up the room and instruments, managing the DAW throughout the session, and critically listening to the performance throughout the project. 
  • Production: The artist has a song idea and a vision. We assist with building, editing, organizing, and even performing parts of the project as needed. Creating tones, effects, parts, etc.

What do I leave with at the end of a session?

We'll send you home with a rough static mix (adjusted levels and panning) mp3 file of all of the songs recorded during your session. We transfer all raw recorded tracks to your external hard drive.

do you offer mixing services? 

Mixing is a separate service that we offer.  Mixing brings the song to life by adjusting levels, creating a stereo field with panning, and using dynamics processing, additional effects (i.e., reverb, delay, etc.), and automation to bring your vision to life. Mixing is an iterative process with the artist and includes revisions to hone in on a final product you love. We typically mix projects that were tracked at Sill & Glade Cabin, but are happy to mix other projects as well.