The Afterdark Studio - Cartersville, Georgia

Valerie Q.

My experience at the Afterdark Studio was awesome! Donny was professional and showed his talent with producing my song. I’m new to the music world and writing songs but he made me feel relaxed and didn’t try to take over or change my original yet offered helpful suggestions. I’m very pleased with the outcome and plan to go back!

Isabel L.

I cannot give enough praise to Donny Hammond, owner of the Afterdark Studio. I have been writing songs since I was 14 and had dreamed of making an album with my original songs. I had a few negative experiences at a recording studio when I was 20 and naive. Life happened and I take a hiatus from music until 2024. One of my friends recommended that I record my songs. When I asked for a recommendation on who to use who won’t charge a kidney or overstep his boundaries in my music, he gave me a glowing recommendation for Donny Hammonds and the Afterdark. A second friend had highly recommended him. When I called Donny, he asked if I had checked any of quotes and I told him that two recommendations from friends of mine were enough for me to make up my mind.

Donny absolutely lived up to the hype. He was thorough but timely as a producer and musician. He shared ideas when asked without overstepping my boundaries as a songwriter, that were awesome ideas. He went out of his way to make sure I was happy with the recordings. He was kind. Courteous, helpful, on top of being a brilliant musician himself. The recording sessions were affordable, and made it possible for me to see my dream of finally making an album of my original music. I look forward to working on future projects with him as I write more songs.

Caleb G.

Got recommended by a fellow band.An amazing studio! Very professional but also laid back enough to keep you relaxed and have a great time! Donny is a great guy and will work with you in anyway he can to make your dream a reality! We look forward to recording and working here for a long time to come

Donna R.

I highly recommend the After Dark Studio. Whether you are an old pro, looking to record songs you wrote years ago, or a young, new artist, Donny Hammonds can help you get your project done professionally and at a lower cost than you'd expect from a high quality studio.

Chris T.

Donny is a great guy to work with, takes everything very seriously and is very knowledgeable in his craft. You’re not gonna beat his pricing either, trust me. I definitely recommend Donny to anybody that needs some music recorded, he’s your guy for sure!

Mike D.

Donny Hammonds, The Afterdark Studio.

I am a voiceover artist with a small home recording studio not far from The Afterdark Studio, so I really wanted to meet Donny and hang out with him for an hour or so to learn more about him and his business. I'm glad I did, and here's why...

I visited Donny Hammonds at The Afterdark Studio, which he has owned and operated near Cartersville, Georgia since 1994. He is a gifted musician, singer, songwriter, and recording engineer. Donny is also a very friendly and kind-hearted person who is always cheerful and happy to help out. He often plays 3-4 gigs a day all across the north Atlanta area from Rome to Athens and Woodstock to Jasper–mostly driving himself and video streaming as he piles up the miles. Of special note are the senior centers he plays the piano, guitar, and sings at several times a week, bringing joy to forgotten senior citizens.

Well, back to the studio visit: when I arrived around 11am, Donny was finishing up post production on a song with the singer there. It was amazing how he would come up with guitar riffs, licks, and bridges to add to the song while he was sitting at the mixing console with a guitar on his lap. And he took the time to make sure the singer was happy with each one “what do you think of that?” he would ask with a gleam in his eye, and then make adjustments if needed. It was like watching a master chef creating culinary art right in front of you “here, taste this!” And each bit of seasoning and spice would make the sauce even more delicious with each addition. And speaking of art, Donny has gone to great lengths at making his studio not only functional, but visually appealing as well with special woodwork, guitars all over the walls, and lighting that is relaxing, so that musicians can be comfortable and concentrate on their craft.

The studio is aptly named, as he is busy recording (between gigs) at all hours of the day and night – often into the wee hours since many artists and bands have day jobs and need to travel a long way to get there. It’s worth the trip for the expert audio work Donny does, but also because he offers great suggestions for adjusting lyrics, melodies, and other important details that these young bands wouldn’t get anywhere else.

Did I mention Donny absolutely LOVES what he does? How else could he run full tilt from playing gigs to recording sessions 18 hours a day? But the magic doesn’t stop there. Wait! There's more. Every year for Halloween, he and his wife open their home (called “The Afterdark Bar & Lounge”) and host a big party for all the musicians they’ve worked with, and anyone else who wants to come—it’s basically a public invite on his FB page. I mean, who does that anymore? Talk about generous!
If you’d like to see Donny performing live at area restaurants and other venues, visit his FB page or search for The Donny Hammonds Band. If you visit his studio, be sure to bring his favorite snack – Reese’s and a Coke!

Sheena O.

The After Dark Studio is an awesome place to record your original music! Great quality at an affordable price. The owner Donnie is super knowledgeable and an incredible musician himself. Annetta can’t wait to record their next 5 songs here!

TheGman4691

Was recommended by a guy I met on an online cattle forum (of all things). Got in touch with Donny and worked with The Afterdark Studio long distance (I'm in Texas and they are in Georgia). The Afterdark Studio was easy to work with and did some great work with a couple of songs for me. I would highly recommend them for your recording/mixing needs. They took a couple of songs I wrote and put some of their musicians to work on them and everything turned out great. Should the need arise again (here's hoping), I will definitely give them a shout. Donny runs an awesome crew...the guy knows what he is doing and makes the whole process seamless. I wish there were more than 5 stars...I would give them 10 if I could.