Today we’d like to introduce you to Joel Valera.
Joel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
All started back in Venezuela, with a very humble beginning when my mother “forced” my brother and I to study music since we were little ( I say “forced” because what we really wanted to do was to play baseball, but music). My mother believed music was very important for our education.
Years passed and I am in NYC in 2003 doing music work for a local TV production company in which I was able to learn great skills that later will help me for what I do today. In 2007 I was invited by a church in Ontario CA to come to the west coast and help them to develop their music program. Few years later, in 2013, I was able to open my first recording studio in West Covina Ca, a 10×14 office that A great friend of mine helped me to convert into a recording studio.
Now, we grow to a mid-size (1200 soft) recording studio in Rancho Cucamonga, in which we have been able to expand our dreams and believe that it is possible to do more. When I say we have grown, I am talking about my beautiful wife, who is my greatest support and without her nothing that I do would be possible, and my two little babies, who inspire me every day to challenge myself to do more.
I recognize I have a long way ahead business-wise, regardless of having had the privilege to work with well re-known artist like Krayzie Bones, Korrupt, Grammy Award engineers like Tom Malkiewicz, among others, I know that every day is a new day and I have to put all my trust in God knowing that He is the One who is blessing my path, opening doors, even in those days where it feels nothing is working out. There is not pretentious greatness or fame here, just a genuine desire to make great music, make clients happy with my work and service, provide quality and leave a legacy that could make my family proud.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, we have had obstacles, from financial to suffer a break-in and get everything stolen and having to start from zero. Being in a very competitive industry in which every day there is a new home studio open in town, and a new “producer” offers their services for cheaper than the next, we had to get creative and compete no with price but with quality and service. Our clients find our service to be a great value.
About the hardest moment so far was when the local police called me at 12:30 am to inform me that someone broke in, it was a not fun experience. Once I made it to the studio it was very disappointing, frustrating and simply sad to see our computers, microphones, table, hard drives with customers work in it, Etc., gone. It was a super a happy moment because we will need to start from zero again.
We were blessed enough to see the support from our clients giving us enough time to get their work done, or re-record It (of course for free), our local church, family, friends, everyone added an extra motivation or help to get back on the road. From this experience we learned a lot, the greatest lesson was to keep my cool in the middle of the Storm because God and my family is by my side. We came stronger, we charged, with a faithful clientele, local upcoming artists that keep working with us, from HipHop to Gospel, podcast, audiobooks to Mexican music. I think obstacle is meant to make you growth
Please tell us more about your work. What do you guys do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
One Music Studios is a recording studio specialized in music, audio, video productions. We make every client feel special and important, Regardless they have a Grammy or not if they are great performance or they need a lot of editing work.
We believe if our customers shine because of the work we did for them, they will tell someone about us, and that keeps the business moving. We are a family own, Christian based business, it doesn’t mean we do not do non-christian work, but we treat our clients with respect, honesty, integrity, Etc..
What sets us apart? Little by little, we are becoming the go-to studio in the Inland Empire for professional musicians, artists and producers, no only because of our studio space, equipment (SSL console, Neumann Mics, Neve Preamps, live room, drums room, vocal, podcast rooms, Etc.) but our personal service, quality and prices.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love Rancho Cucamonga, just 40 minutes from LA (without traffic), 20 from the Orange County, in the heart of the Inland Empire. I place where a lot can get done.
Contact Info:
- Address: 10700 Jersey Blvd Suite 650
Rancho Cucamonga CA 91730 - Website: www.onemusicstudios.com
- Phone: 9099694106
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: 1musicstudios
- Facebook: One Music Studios
Image Credit:
Trevor Jackson
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