Full-Service Recording Studio and Production Boutique
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Helio Sound is a full-service recording and production boutique owned and operated by Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel of The Helio Sequence

 
 
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Our Story

Brandon Summers and Benjamin Weikel are the Portland, OR based band/production duo The Helio Sequence. They've been recording and performing professionally for over 20 years, working with legendary label Sub Pop, releasing six full-length albums, touring internationally as a headlining act, and supporting bands including Modest Mouse, The Pixies, Blonde Redhead, Kings of Leon, Keane, and Death Cab For Cutie. Their music has been used in ad campaigns by Google, Apple, Nike, Starbucks, Coach, Levi's, Target, Microsoft and many more.

Summers and Weikel own and operate Helio Sound, a full-service studio working with both music industry and commercial clients. Helio Sound is a versatile audio workshop tailored for a wide range of projects, equally as adept at recording and producing bands as working on commercial custom composition, sound design, and experiential projects. 

 

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our vision

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We don't believe in Stock Music

Our goal is to work closely with clients to craft a unique audio experience that deepens visceral and emotional connections. Whether we're working on an album production or specialized commercial composition, every piece is a hands-on process geared toward the most effective fit for the given project.

We Don't Believe in Boundaries

We utilize our decades of musical experience to produce and compose across genres and styles. Acoustic, electronic, beat-oriented, ambient, string/orchestral arranging, sound design for brand and industrial, and more...we do it all.

WE believe in next level quality

We're working with topnotch Burl Mothership conversion and bus mixing, Dutch & Dutch monitoring, racks of handmade analog preamps and FX, an exotic array of vintage synths, guitars and amps, and a huge library of state-of-the-art digital plugins and instruments. Exceptional tools give you distinctive, hi-fidelity, impactful audio.

We believe story comes first

Music and sound ultimately serve storytelling. As album producers, we look forward to getting inside the song and bringing out the best. For video and experiential synch projects we strive for an elevated union of audio and visual experience where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

WE're Translators

We listen, we absorb, we plan, we communicate. Every project begins with a simple conversation: What inspires you? What do you want to feel? What do you want to hear? We look forward to taking ideas, concepts and references and rendering them in brilliant sound.

WE're Collaborators

Let’s bring ideas to life. Let’s create an experience. Let’s make something remarkable. Let’s make something meaningful. Together.

 

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services

 

Custom Composition

Experiential

Sound Design

Brand Mnemonics

Licensing

Audio Magic

Recording

Production

Mixing

Remixes

Post Production

MASTERING

 
 

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COLLABORATIONS

 
 
 

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Custom COmposition/Mixing/Mastering

 
 
 

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SOUND DESIGN

 
 
 
 

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BRAND MNEMONICS

 
 
 
 

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STUDIO

 
 
 
 
 

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Licensing

 
 
 
 
 

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Gear

 

Computer Hardware

Custom Intel i9-7940x
RME HDSPe MADI FX Interface
3x Universal Audio UAD-2 Quad Processing Cards

Software

Pro Tools Native
Cubase
Reaper
Ableton Live Suite
Cakewalk Sonar Platinum
Sonoris DDP Creator
Universal Audio UAD-2 Effects
Tons of FX/Tools from Acustica, DMG, Slate, Soundtoys, iZotope, FabFilter, Lexicon, Eventide, Plugin Alliance, Softube, Celemony, Zynaptiq, Sonnox and lots more.

Conversion

Burl B80 Mothership (12 in, 16 0ut)
Dangerous Convert AD+
Universal Audio 2192 (2in, 2 out)
Lavry AD10
Benchmark DAC-1 and DAC-2
RME Fireface UCX 

Monitoring

Dutch & Dutch 8C
Custom Speakers by Raymond Weikel
Quad 12L
Audeze LCD-1
3x Sennheiser HD650
Furman Headphone Distribution System

 
 
 
 

MiCROPHONES

Soundelux ELUX-251
Bees Neez Arabella
Blue Blueberry
Rode NT1
2x Microtech Gefell
M300
Oktava MK-012
Royer R-121
2x Beyerdynamic M260DX
(modded by Stephen Sank)
Beyerdynamic M88 TG
Beyerdynamic M201 TG
Beyerdynamic M69
Altec 682a
AKG 200e, D19C
AKG D12E, D112
Astatic DN-50
EV 630, 631
EV 635, 664
EV RE-15, RE-16
EV RE-20
EV PL-9, DO-54
EV RE-55
EV N/D-468
ElV N/D-868
EV N/D-767a
Geffel RFT DM622
Shure 545, 545D
Shure SM7, SM7a
Shure Beta52, Beta58
Shure SM59
2x Shure SM57
2x Shure SM7B
Sennheiser 441
2x Sennheiser 421-Mk II
Sennheiser MD-2
Sennheiser MD-4
Sennheiser E602, E835
Vintage Pillow Speaker
Wasaphone MKII
Audix D6, i5
Heil PR40
2x Telefunken M80
Telefunken M82
Philips EL 6033/00

MICrophone preamps

Chandler Redd.47
Manley Dual Mono
Universal Audio M610
2x Telefunken V672
Chandler LTD-1
2x Chandler Germanium Pre
Rupert Neve Designs Portico 5012
A-Designs Pacifica
A-Designs EM-Blue
API 312
2x OSA MP1-A
OSA MP1-C
OSA MP1-L
OSA MP1-L3
Radial J-4

ANALOG FX

2x Multivox MX-312 Multi Echo
2x Dynacord VRS-23
Dynacord SRS-56
Ibanez AD-202
Rockman Stereo Echo
Boss RX-100
Demeter RV-1 Real Reverb
DOD Custom Spring Reverb
Orban 111B
2x Custom Synapse/UREI 562 Multi-band Filter Distortion

Digital FX

Lexicon PCM96
Sony R-7
Digitech Valve FX
Roland DEP-5
Delta Labs AMD-1024
Effectron II
Korg SDD-2000
Roland SDE-2500
Yamaha SPX50D
Dynacord DRP-16

Analog Processing

Burl B32 Analog Summing Mixer
Knif Vari Mu II
Speck X.Sum Line Mixer (modded 16 channel mixer)
Chandler LTD-1
Little Labs IBP (phase)

Guitar FX

Lovetone Ringstinger
Roland AF-100 Bee Baa Fuzz
Barber LTD Silver
EarthQuaker White Light
Plum Crazy Fuzzy Lady
Wampler Ego
Big Tone Brewery Music Maggie
Fulltone Supa-Trem
Studio Electronics ModMax Filter
Vox 847-A Wah
Dunlop 535Q Wah
Strymon Timeline
Strymon Blue Sky
Strymon Flint
SIB Mr. Echo
3x George Dennis Stereo Delay GD-130
George Dennis Stereo Phaser GD-95
Digitech Valve FX
Boss DD6
Electro Harmonix Bad Stone
MXR Univibe
Behringer VP1 Vintage Phaser
Ross Phaser
Sonuus Voluum
Radial Tonebone JX-2
Lots More

Electric Guitars

1971 Gibson SG Special
2008 Gibson ES-335 Dot
1997 Guild S-100 (prototype model)
1998 Fender Telecaster Special
2001 Danelectro Hodad Baritone
Fender P-Bass
Fender Stratocaster (“Partscaster”)

ACoustic guitars

1920's Gibson L-1 (parlor style ala Robert Johnson)
1955 Martin 00-28G (rare classical)
1950's Handmade German Archtop
1978 Guild F-40 (mini jumbo)
1996 Martin D-1 (dreadnaught)
2005 Epiphone Masterbilt AJ500M (dreadnaught)
2009 Guild GAD-30R (orchestra)

Guitar Amps

1964 Fender Bassman w/Original 2x12 Cab
1972 Ampeg VT-40
Soursound Custom 50 watt Head
Soursound Custom 75 watt Head
Crate G60
Avatar open back 2x12" Cab
Avatar convertible 2x12" Cab
Leslie 60 

 
 
 
 

ANalog Synths

Moog Minimoog
Oberheim OB-Xa
Oberheim Xpander
Oberheim Matrix 6r
Yamaha CS-50
Yamaha CS-60
Roland MKS-50
Studio Electronics ATC-Xi
Korg MS-20 Mini
Korg Minilogue

Hybrid Synths

2x Ensoniq ESQ-M*
Korg EX-8000
Kawai K3m

digital synths

Waldorf Q Rack
Waldorf XT Rack
Nord Modular Key
Roland D-550
Roland JD-990
Roland JV-2080
Roland XP-50
2x Yamaha FB-01
Yamaha TX-802
Yamaha TG-33
Korg Wavestation SR
Casio CZ-1
Casio VZ-8M
Ensoniq SQ-R+
Kawai K1m
Kawai K5m
Suzuki OM-300 Omnichord

Software Synths

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2
Spectrasonics Keyscape
Spectrasonics Trilian
U-He Repro-1/5
U-He Hive 2
U-He Diva
U-He Bazille
U-He Ace
Synapse Audio The Legend
UVI Falcon
Xfer Records Serum
Softube Modular
Native Instruments Kontakt
Native Instruments Monark
Native Instruments Razor
Native Instruments Reaktor 6
Native Instruments Battery 4
Madrona Labs Aalto
Madrona Labs Kaivo
Xils Lab PolyKB 3
XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2
XLN Audio XO

Sample Libraries

Spitfire Audio
Sonokinetic
Cinematic Studio Series
Native Instruments
Soniccotoure
Sound Dust
Soundiron
Cinesamples
Output
Orchestral Tools
Wave Alchemy
That Sound
Heavyocity

samplers

E-Mu EMAX HD SE*
E-Mu E-5000
2x Ensoniq Mirage Rack
2x Akai S-612
Casio SK-1

MIDI CONtrollers

Komplete Kontrol S61 MKII
Roli Seaboard Rise 25
Suzuki Q-Chord
Oberheim Cyclone
Yamaha DTX562K Electronic Kit
Fishman Triple Play Guitar MIDI Pickup
Ableton Push 2
Alyseum U3-88C
2x Edirol UM-880

wiring

Mic/Line - Mogami 2549
Instrument - Mogami 2524, Analysis Plus (Bass, Flexi), Carver (Bass), Gotham GAC-1
Digital - Mogami (AES), Canare (Wordclock), Alva (MADI)

other

1942 Upright Piano (made by Wurlitzer)

drums

1967 Ludwig Super Classic (maple) 3 pc. set
1980's Slinglerland Spirit Plus (mahogany) 5 pc. set
1970's Slingerland 24" Bass Drum
1970's Slingerland 20" Floor Tom
1960's Gretch Round Badge 5" Snare
1967 Ludwig Acrolite 5" Snare
1960's Ludwig Supraphonic 6.5" Snare
1970's Ludwig Supraphonic 5" Snare
1990's Pearl Masters Custom Maple 6.5" Snare
1990's Pearl Brass Piccolo 3.5" Snare
2008 Greg Keplinger Custom Steel 6.5" Snare

cymbals

50’s Zildjian A 15” Hi-Hats
Istanbul Cindy Blackman “Ohm” 15” Hi-Hats
Paiste 2002 Me 14”/15” Hi-Hats
Paiste 2002 Sound-Edge 14”/15” Hi-Hats
Paiste Giant Beat 15” Hi-Hats
Istanbul Xist 20” Crash Istanbul
Xist 22” Crash
Paiste 2002 20” Crash
Paiste Signature Full 22” Crash
Sabian HHXtreme 19” Crash
Sabian HHXtreme 20” Custom Crash
Zildjian K Custom Dark 22” Ride
Zildjian K Custom Light 24” Ride
Lots of percussion!

 
 

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CONTACT

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We’d love to hear from you!
info@heliosound.co