Ryan Dieringer

Owner, engineer, producer, mixer

I’ve been producing music and audio under the roof of Welterweight Sound for nearly a decade. The studio began as a self-designed “garden studio” in New Paltz in 2017. One room, in the round. The vision was to operate a small studio that “punched above its weight”. There, I honed my craft and slowly assembled a collection of rare and vintage production gear. During that time, I built a growing list of credits working with artists from both New York City and the Hudson Valley.

As the work expanded, so did that vision. By 2024, I was ready for my second plunge into studio design & construction. In October 2025, Welterweight Sound opened the doors to a new and improved recording facility in Marlboro—designed to support deeper collaboration, longer stays, and a wider range of creative projects.

For more info on that process, explore Studio A.

Whether I’m producing, engineering, mixing, or mastering, I believe that every project that passes through my studio should carry a tailored sonic identity. That stems not only from an understanding of the curated tools at hand, but a close attention to each artist’s voice, intent, and creative instincts. I see the studio as a space for exploration, collaboration, and alchemy— it’s my job to create the conditions for all that to happen, within the context of whatever budget we’re working with.

My work has been positively reviewed across the critical landscape, including Pitchfork, Stereogum, Paste, The Wire, and CMG. I’ve worked across a range of genres, including experimental, Americana, and indie rock, and I specialize in imaginative, carefully engineered productions with emotional weight and clarity.

In recent years, the studio has also become a destination for narrative and voice-driven projects. I serve as chief engineer for the Don’t Listen To Us podcast with Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody, and regularly host authors from around the world who come to Marlboro to record high-quality audiobooks for Ayin Press, Penguin Random House, and other publishers.

Have a project in mind? The best place to start is a conversation. Get in touch to set up a meeting or phone call @ welterweightsound@gmail.com

FAQ 

Can I bring my own engineer?

Yes! I love accommodating outside engineers. I endeavor to keep the patchbay legible and up to date and gear well-maintained so anyone can plug and play. I ask that any engineer working for the first time be assisted by me for their first day (makes for a great setup day!). From then on, you’re free to do what you want (except break things). I will probably be around in the B room during your session if you have any questions. 

How many people can stay there?

The studio consists of two structures (Studio A, the barn; and Studio B, the cottage), both of which contain accommodations. Between the two buildings, there are 5 separate sleeping areas: (1) a bedroom with a queen sized bed in a bedroom above the control room in the studio; (2) a daybed in the green room adjacent to the bathroom in the studio; (3) a loft bedroom with a queen sized bed in the cottage, (4) a pullout couch in the cottage & (5)a twin bed in the cottage. There is a full bathroom with shower in each structure and a fully stocked kitchen in the cottage with a full-sized fridge. 

We’re a largely acoustic / jazz ensemble. How much isolation do you have?

Take a look at our floor plan. Adjacent to the main live room is a large “booth” with a big window into the live room. That can accommodate multiple instruments gobo’d off, a drum kit, or a solo instrumentalist. The green room adjacent to the live room is separated by thick curtains for semi-isolation if you’d like to use it for that. The hallway (Iso1) is wired with tie lines and has an undivided glass door peering into the live room for an additional point of isolation. Either the hallway or the echo chamber upstairs can be used as isolation for amps. In the main live room, we have 6x 4’x3’ gobos that can carve out additional zones of isolation. 

Can I bring my own gear? (amps, drums, etc)

Yes! Let me know if you want to use something of mine so I can have it set up for you. Otherwise, if you plan on bringing your own stuff, I’ll make room for you to load in. 

Is your gear list current? 

Yes, my gear list is obsessively current. Inevitably, working with 50-100 year old items, there are some pieces that are on deck for repair, so if there’s something specific you’re looking to use, may as well inquire. But it’s probably available. 

Will most of the first day be set-up? 

Yes and no. If you’re working with me (Ryan), I’m pretty old school about setup. I like to have as much information as possible from artists prior to the session, so that I can have things line checked (or better) before an ensemble arrives. This way, once we’re loaded in, we can dive right into the fun stuff - fine tuning sounds and playing music. 

How far are you from civilization?

Not that far! While we’re up on the ridge, in the vineyard/orchard part of Marlboro, we’re 5 min from downtown amenities. There’s a great coffee shop, a great deli, good Mexican. And if you need a night off the compound, Newburgh is 15 min away, and New Paltz + Beacon are both 20 minutes away. 

Do you have a coffee maker?

Indeed we do. We have a drip coffee machine (w/ filters), a hot water kettle + Chemex (+ chemex filters) for the discerning, and an espresso machine with burr grinder. 

Do you have a bidet?

What do you take me for? Of course we have a bidet. We have a Toto washlet+ with washing, warming, and drying in the cottage bathroom.

Do I need a car?

Yes, you probably do. For short term sessions, arrangements can be made for pickup at the Beacon train station, but for longer bookings it’s likely that you’ll need wheels over the duration of the session for provisions and such. Reach out with your specific circumstance and we’ll see what we can do. 

How do I get there?

If driving, simply put “Welterweight Sound Studio” into your GPS. The address at 434 Lattintown Road should show up. The studio is the red barn at the end of the back road through the gates on the southern end of the driveway. You can park down by the studio/cottage. 

More questions? Email welterweightsound@gmail.com