The Honeytone production team of Patrick Boland, Marty Brueggemann and Jeff Patlingrao — The **Honeytone** team of Patrick Boland, Marty Brueggemann and Jeff Patlingrao

Honeytone is a state of the art recording studio built into a beautiful victorian mansion. Our collection of instruments, microphones and recording equipment is extensive and reflects our deep commitment to quality. Our space is warm, unique and inspiring - Honeytone is a home away from home with comfortable lodging on location. Quiet or loud, we are excited to capture your sonic vision.

Our goal is to bring together the very best in vintage and modern production philosophy to create recordings of the highest possible quality, no matter the style or sound. Our engineers are friendly and patient, emphasizing thoughtfulness over expediency in capturing a custom recording. From pre-production to finished mix, we look forward to assisting in bringing any part of your next project to life.

The Honeytone team (Patrick Boland, Marty Brueggemann & Jeff Patlingrao) bring decades of composing, arranging & engineering expertise to each project and are devoted to showcasing the full potential of every song.

TESTIMONIALS (click arrow for more)

Testimonials

“Honeytone is one of my favorite recording studios in the world. The expanse of equipment, and the intimate knowledge of said equipment, is a thing of care and beauty. Patrick, Jeff, and Marty care deeply about what is important in music.
Honeytone is an absolute treasure. Being there has changed the way I want to work.”

- Brian Joseph (Bon Iver, Sufjan Stevens, S. Carey)

"Honeytone Studios, I think, is held in such high esteem by everyone who gets the opportunity to be creative there not only because it's owned and operated by three of the most kind, knowledgable, and passionate studio engineers I've ever encountered, or that it's got such a large inventory of world-class equipment, but also (and perhaps most important to myself) because it's very purely an escape from the sterility of the garage, the basement, the bedroom, or any other place where music is typically painstakingly conceived. It's a small world in and of itself; an old house in a quaint Midwestern neighborhood where you leave your troubles at the door and realize your dreams once inside."

-Amos Pitsch (Tenement, Dusk)

“I have had the pleasure of working with Honeytone on several occasions. The level of attention to detail and care by these guys really helps the material to bloom in an amazing way. They always know what gear will make the part sound perfect, and are always down for wild experimentation. The wide array of vintage and boutique gear to use is astounding and a true privilege to work with. I recommend any artist to have the experience to take their songs to an unimaginable next level by working here. I know I will work with Honeytone again and again on various future projects. My favorite studio I have ever worked with.”

-Eric Julio Carranza (Excessive, Batteryboy, Experiments (In)Finite)

“The first time I came to Honeytone for a project, I was completely floored that a place like that existed in my community. You enter a beautiful old house to rooms full of truly inspiring recording equipment where you meet a group of mild-mannered, extremely sweet guys who know all the ins and outs of the equipment in that space. Their collaborative style of engineering is so refreshing in a world overwrought with difficult egos. They trust each other, each fill a different niche and have incredible ears. That comfort level puts you at ease during your session and brings out great performances. They’re genuinely eager to make your ideas come to life and will gently contribute their own ideas if you’d like them to. I can’t recommend Honeytone enough for anyone looking to record a project that they’ll be proud of in full hi-fi.”

-Julia Blair (Crutch of Memory, Dusk)

"On first glance, Honeytone's incredible Victorian architecture seems like the most special thing about it. But it's actually Patrick and team's niceness and warmth that make Honeytone so special. They make you feel like you can get anything done there, and the gorgeous walls are a bonus."

-Spencer Tweedy (Norah Jones, Mavis Staples, Jeff Tweedy)

“The massive inventory of pristine and rare outboard gear, amps, microphones and instruments is what everyone freaks out about, but honestly that's not why I consider Honeytone for projects. I go there because it's a beautifully restored house that feels like home. The bedrooms, kitchen, dining room and even the hallways and bathrooms foster a sense of comfort and communion notably absent from commercial studios with comparable gear lists (of which there are few). It's why we make records - to connect with each other and ourselves. That happens at Honeytone.”

-Shane Leonard (Mipso, Field Report, Humbird)

"Honeytone is without a doubt one of the Midwest's hidden musical treasures. As someone with a capable home recording setup, the reason I repeatedly go back to Honeytone has everything to do with their philosophy, expertise, and contagious enthusiasm for every project they take on. Patrick, Jeff, and Marty have so much respect, patience, and genuine care for every artist that comes through the door it is truly a magical experience getting to play and record my music with them. At Honeytone, you are family. You are never rushed, and your ideas are treated with the same care and respect as if they had been tracking Dylan himself."

-Shawn Wiederhöft (Recreation Station)

“Honeytone Studio contains multitudes. It serves as both a recording studio and a home for the band. This dynamic gives the songs and the humans creating them the space to breathe and coexist, settling into the kind of metamorphosis that you dream of when you invest in crafting a record. Patrick, Marty and Jeff have struck a beautiful balance: a high quality production studio with loads of mint condition vintage gear tucked into the peculiar warmth of a quintessential Victorian-era Wisconsin home. We arrived with sketches of songs and very quickly became astonished at the vast potential within this unique space. The vintage gear and classic decor brought out a timeless sound captured so vividly on a record that will go down as one of the most formative and fun pieces of art I’ve ever had the pleasure of creating.”

-Hannah Hebl (Hemma)

“One thing I've learned from years of working on music on both sides of the glass, (or in this case large old wooden doors), is that creating a comfortable space is key to creativity and good workflow. From the sunny coffee in the maple floored dining room to the painted ceilings you stare at from bed, the old mansion of Honeytone is exactly what clears the way to make use of the amazing gear and the Neve at the heart of the studio. Last year I took an average sounding project recorded with 57s and basic mics into a rickety pc through an AH Qu32, and it came out of there sounding 100% fantastic. Every minute of the sessions was easy and comfortable and capable help was always at my elbow. It is always a total pleasure to walk through those old doors.”

-Patrick Stolley (Daytrotter, futureappletree studio 2)

“As soon as we arrived, we felt a stillness. Like we'd been given access to a hidden garden. We can't wait to be back (and back and back). Honeytone is a grounding retreat and a dreamlike expanse.”

-Amanda and Allen Rigell (Count This Penny)

“Just 3 hours north of Chicago is a recording studio called “Honeytone Music”. Its the perfect space to get away and just focus on your music. If you’re reading this you already know the amazing gear they have but just as important is the vibe Patrick, Jeff, Marty and Zappa the cat bring to the studio. They all have great ears and knew the right times to give their input. Getting sounds and a great cue mix was fast and easy. We were off and tracking in no time. I highly recommend you book some time and experience this hidden gem for yourself.”

- Tim Bennett (Gone Valley)

"The collaborators who run Honeytone Studios... they've built this smorgasbord with everything at your fingertips to make great sounds, and are incredibly meticulous and thoughtful. They put all their energy and focus in facilitating this music - I can't even express how valuable that is"

- J.E. Sunde

Honey in your chamomile as you drift into dreams. An echo reverberates into the silence and reappears as you awake in a bright room built around you. Luminescent wallpaper unfolds in flowers. Dark-wood crown molding borders the morning. What has life taken away that it will not return? Every sound you imagine is within reach—a combination of strings and silver and flashing light. In a hallway littered with coiled cables, there is a microphone waiting . . . confront it.

-poem by Erik Neave

“I like home recordings. There is a special overtone left on a track when it has been captured in the comfort and creative freedom that occurs at home. But there is also a less enviable sonic residue on home recordings—like the dirty dishes and pile of clothes in the corner somehow find their way onto the aural landscape. Honeytone provides the comfort of home (it is a beautiful home!) with the expansiveness and precision of a pro studio environment. Better yet, their able engineers understand how to travel between those two spaces with a rare professional empathy that translates an artist's aspirations into final products that accentuate nuance and realize potential. Their formidable arsenal of gear unlocks the sounds that songs are made of. "Home" hovers over Honeytone and infuses each recording with analog warmth and real love. After recording at this studio, with these engineers, I doubt if a home recording could offer any overtone that they could not. I want my songs to settle in for the long sleep in Neenah, WI—with the Honeytone family. -Erik Neave (Cedarwell)

“Patrick, Marty and Jeff are a dream team of production and sound.
Honeytone studio has an inviting, and cozy atmosphere and is a place you’ll feel you already know. They have invested interest in using their skills, intuition and knowledge to create thoughtful pairings that complement and highlight the artist’s style and vision. Their work takes the original purity of a song to a new level of beauty and clarity.”

-Jacquelyn Beaupre (Voulouse)

"Recording at Honeytone was a sweet treat. Warm and cozy atmosphere as soon as you arrive and working with Patrick and the boyz was easy. The time and energy they put into every detail along with the crazy nice equipment there is heard in every tune they work on."

- Samuel Carothers (Sister Wife)

“We have worked with Honeytone to mix and record 3 of our singles and loved the experience each time. They are professional, creative, knowledgeable and friendly. The studio itself is a delight to work in and has a warm, homey vibe. The finished tracks sounded fantastic. I look forward to working with Marty, Patrick and Jeff at Honeytone again.”

-Lauryl Sulfate (Lauryl Sulfate and her Ladies of Leisure)

"Go for the unique and expansive gear, but certainly you'll discover that it's the team effort at Honeytone that makes this place so special. Patrick, Marty, and Mark have an endless enthusiasm for the entire process. Such a rare find, a combination of people that are a joy to work with, have great technical prowess, and the patience to experiment. For me, it's the perfect destination studio to focus on my music because they absolutely make it about the music. I was looking for something different, something with vibe, an encouraging space to bounce ideas, and I found it all in Neenah, Wisconsin."

-Darren Garvey (Elephant Revival)

"5 years ago, I came to Honeytone to record an EP knowing very little about the studio. They have been involved in every recording I’ve made since then. The studio is an impressive work of art itself, but the reason I kept returning was the owners’ passion for the music they were creating and for music in general. Patrick, Mark, and Marty put as much energy and thought into the songs as I did. It felt truly collaborative, and the albums came out better because of it."

- Ben Radecki (Francis Scanner)

MEET THE HONEYTONE TEAM

Patrick Boland

My passion for music can be traced back to listening to 78 and 33 1/3 records with my Grandpa, Roland. My brother and I would visit my Grandparents often. In the back room of the house was a turntable hooked up to a quad receiver. We would put on different records, my Grandpa’s favorite artist was Benny Goodman. As we listened, he would point out solos and instruments. “listen”, he would say. “Can you hear that clarinet, listen to what he is playing there, isn’t that neat?” We would often listen to Willie Nelson and I can still hear my Grandpa’s laughter and see his smile when Willie started singing. That planted a seed for critical listening in me. I became fascinated with sound, just as much as music.

As a teenager, I would go to concerts as often as possible. As much as I enjoyed the music, I also wanted to know how different sounds were made. I’d study the guitar player, watch their hands, look at their signal chain. Concerts became a place to study and learn from so many great musicians I saw. I started playing guitar just after high school and shortly after began experimenting with creating field recordings mixed with guitar playing. I knew from that point on that music production had to be part of my life in some way, in order to feel fulfilled.

At the University of Eau Clarie , I worked at the radio station and took an interest in signal flow and the broadcast studio’s set up. In college I also met my lifelong friend and studio partner, Marty Brueggemann. We would work on recording Marty’s songs in a makeshift studio we put together in the dorms. Marty would often share his 4 track demos he was working on.

After college, I interned at a few studios, toured with the Rentals, teching, selling merch, assisting and learning about tour managing and played acoustic guitar with Goldenboy, who opened for the Rentals. After that tour, I figured out pretty quickly that I didn’t want to be on the road. I focused more on recording friends bands and projects in a home studio for a few years. We called those the Hewitt St sessions.

In 2012, the same year my oldest daughter was born, I decided I wanted to open a proper studio with the help of Marty Brueggemann and Mark Zbikowski and support of my music loving wife, Katie. It took me about a year to find the right space. I was looking for a warm, inviting space with a lot of character and I believe I found that. I’m obsessed with sounds. I love taking someone’s description of a sound they hear in their head and trying to help bring it into the world. Every time I step into this studio I feel fortunate to be part of this special place and help curate an environment that unlocks creativity and inspires.

Jeff Patlingrao

My name is Jeff. I’m originally from Brooklyn, NY. I dedicated my life to music after seeing Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and Terminator 2: Judgement Day in the summer of 1991. My love for TV and Film of my childhood is intertwined with my approach to music.

I love how an entire story can be encoded within the smallest of musical gestures and how a series of individual moments cascade into the overall arc of a song. Whether it is narrative or abstract, complex or minimalist, I find I am heavily moved by sincere emotional creative expression.

I’ve been playing guitar for 30 years - once I picked it up I never put it down. Slash’s guitar solos were the immediate obsession, followed by Jimmy Page. I got into songs and songwriting through Juliana Hatfield, Blake Babies and The Lemonheads. Started recording when I got a Tascam 4-track in 1994. That led me to borrowing a drum kit and a bass; teaching myself so I could play everything on my recordings. Sonic Youth and Gram Parsons were the next big eye openers. Neil Young and Elliott Smith would follow after that. Les Miserables was pretty huge too, but that came before all of this and now we’re jumping through time, which is also my kind of thing.

FAST FORWARD to 2015, my first visit to Honeytone. I had been a visitor to WI for many years, having been a member of Cedarwell, out of Sheboygan since 2008. We were playing the Mile of Music Festival in Appleton and our friend, Matt, was recording at Honeytone and invited us over to check out the studio.

I was immediately blown away by the beauty of the old house, the expansive collection of amazing gear, and the warmth and vibe of the people working there. I was super fast friends with Patrick, with whom I was already texting about pedals and gear before I got back in the car to go back to the festival.

Over the next few years, we developed a solid friendship and long distance creative collaboration. I would occasionally fly out for sessions or do remote recording in NY for artists they were working with. It soon became relatively clear where I needed to be and when circumstances allowed, I left NYC for Honeytone in late 2018.

In addition to being part of the production team here, I am the onsite guitar tech as well as a session guitar player and drummer. It’s a pleasure and a thrill to collaborate with artists who come to Honeytone and to help bring their musical visions to reality and beyond. It’s a very special place with endless sonic possibilities. I’m grateful to be a part of it and love to share in the Honeytone experience with other artists.

Marty Brueggemann

Hello. My name is Marty and I feel so lucky to be in love with music. Being a part of the Honeytone Team is an unstoppable thrill. What we get to hear, touch, support, and experience continues to enlighten my life and I can’t wait for the honor to work with you.

It’s funny, but my only childhood memories all collide with music. Playing a toy piano in the living room trying to pluck out tunes one key at a time… Sitting on my mother’s lap reading through a Rodgers & Hammerstein songbook while she sang a cappella… Re-lifting the needle on my little record player to go back to the opening Bb blast of STAR WARS… Above all my life has been an obsession with melody. Somehow these pitches in rhythm express something transcendent and true - I can’t stop fascinating over the ones I adore or striving to carve new ones of my own.

In this crazy & joyful journey, I’ve gotten to grapple with as many musical instruments as I could get my hands on and as many branches of music I could wrap my mind around. I’ve studied composition, orchestration, arranging and play guitars, keyboards, drums, and various wind & brass instruments. Luckily, studio life ends up pulling from every part of me, all the while pushing me to be a wiser musician and better person.

When not living the vibrant life at Honeytone, I compose for music libraries/independent film/videogames; produce podcasts; give talks at conventions; direct choirs; write musicals and keep trying to pluck out tunes on toy pianos.

Patrick, Mark and I started Honeytone with a vision to bring out beautiful music into the world. Every artist we work with shows us more about the universe of sound and about each of our places in that universe. Working alongside Patrick & Jeff & Mark is the great musical privilege of my life and I cannot wait for what surprises lie ahead.