3 spots left for week ending Saturday Jun 27
Recording Studio Streeterville | Musical Legacy & History

Recording Studio Streeterville | Musical Legacy & History

Recording Studio Streeterville | Musical Legacy & History

Start Your Free 15-Minute Call

5.0
Read our 190 Reviews

Professional recording, mixing, and mastering serving Streeterville musicians.

Join over 1,000 Chicago artists who trust Untold Stories Recordings for personalized recording that resonates. Located nearby at 1007 West 19th Street, we serve Streeterville’s vibrant music community with state-of-the-art equipment and expert engineering.

3 spots left for week ending Saturday Jun 27
Start Your Free 15-Minute Call

“In my free 15-minute call, I learned more about making a song than I had in years of recording”

-Alyssa Serena

Chicago Guitar Player In Recording Studio

At Untold Stories Recordings, we believe every great project starts with clarity. That’s why we offer a free 15-minute phone consultation—no pressure, no cost—just expert advice on your music, your goals, and how to bring your vision to life in the studio.

Whether you’re booking your first session or your fiftieth, this quick call will give you insight into the recording, mixing and mastering process, help you plan your project, and answer any questions you have.

Why Streeterville Artists Choose Untold Stories Recordings

🎙️ Professional Sound Quality – Top-tier gear for polished audio.

Utilize top-tier equipment and industry-leading technology to achieve a polished and captivating sound that resonates with your audience.

🎼 Tailored Sessions – Your unique sound brought to life.

Enjoy tailored sessions designed to reflect your unique artistic vision, ensuring your music is a true representation of your creativity.

🎧 Expert Engineers – Decades of combined music experience.

Work alongside experienced audio engineers who are passionate about music and dedicated to helping you refine your sound and bring your ideas to life.

🎹 Creative Atmosphere – Inspiring, collaborative environment.

Immerse yourself in a supportive and inspiring environment that encourages artistic exploration and collaboration, making your recording sessions enjoyable and productive.

🎚️ Full Service – Recording, mixing, mastering, all in one place.

Access a full suite of services, including recording, mixing, and mastering, all under one roof for a seamless and efficient creative process.

Start Your Free 15-Minute Call
Rates & Packages
Recording: $50/hr | 4-Hour Minimum
Mixing + Mastering – Starting at $300 per song

Reviews From Untold Stories' Artists

Join 1,000+ Chicago artists who trust Untold Stories Recordings.

An incredibly professional studio. Ian worked hand in hand with my band from recording to producing to mixing and mastering, and flawlessly understood our artistic vision. He was able to perfectly balance the delicate act of providing insights from his decades of experience, while simultaneously allowing us to take the reins and record our project how we envisioned it. An absolute privilege to work with him, highly recommend to anyone from veterans of the industry to brand new beginners.

There’s something truly special about seeing your songs come to life, especially at a studio such as this one where I feel truly at home and comfortable to be myself and express myself through music. Working with Ian, gave me so much motivation and reignited my passion towards making music. Many, many thanks to Untold Stories for being the safe space I needed to bring my vision to fruition.

A truly 10/10 studio that I'd strongly recommend to anyone needing studio time. Before even discussing the product, I want to highlight how awesome of a guy Ian (the owner and sound engineer) is...He's honest, kind, patient, and a joy to be around. When I initially reached out to him, I was nervous about visiting a professional studio, but he walked me through the process and gave me the knowledge and confidence to book a session and record some really great music. The studio itself is in a nice area that's easily accessible. Inside, the place is stocked with high-end equipment and great soundproofing/isolation. The gear - in tandem with Ian's creativity and expert musical sense (mixing/mastering) will have you making music that you're truly proud of. It's hard to put into words how awesome (and affordable) of an experience working with Ian is. My advice would be to book a session and see for yourself!

Untold Stories is the best. Everything you read in the reviews is true— trust your gut and book with Ian. He made arrangements for me on a tight timeline, he was professional and incredibly smart, super friendly, and a pleasure to work with!!

I had a game changing experience at Untold Stories (...great name btw!). I've been messing around with recording my own stuff from home for a few years, at an amateur level, but I came into the session with the mindset of trying to learn as much as possible about how to record properly. And I learned a bunch about what kind of equipment to invest in personally, how to produce tracks, tips on EQ settings and just generally how to work efficiently in a studio environment. As well as just having a blast the whole day, this genuinely upped my game for recording vocals, guitar and harmonica. I'd say Ian was the real star of the show though, as he created a very relaxed but professional vibe throughout the whole day, he really know's his stuff and even though I'm just starting out in the studio world, I guarantee he could record, mix or master for musicians at all levels. I felt like no time was wasted throughout the session and the cherry on top was that I finished the 8hr session with a completed track that I love! Highly recommend for any musical minstrels out there who are looking to lay down some quality tracks! 👌

I came all the way from Germany to record my album with Ian! Ive been to music studios all over the world and the customer service and quality from Untold Stories Recordings is the best i have ever experienced!

Working with Ian on Heaven in a Wildflower, my first audiobook, was a wonderful experience. His technical expertise was top-notch, but he also had the ability to be encouraging and patient as the narrator and I learned the process. This was a 60+ chapter book so a huge undertaking but everything went flawlessly. Highly recommend!

Why Streeterville Musicians Trust Us

Streeterville’s musical heritage stretches back decades—from Navy Pier’s big band revues boosting morale during World War II in the 1940s to WLS Radio giving The Beatles their first U.S. airplay in 1963, from Streeterville Studios capturing Koko Taylor’s blues and Revolting Cocks’ industrial sound from 1969 to 1999 to ChicagoFest bringing Muddy Waters and thousands of fans to Navy Pier every summer in the late 1970s and early 80s. Today, Streeterville represents downtown Chicago at its most polished—lakefront high-rises, Navy Pier’s ongoing cultural programming, and a population that expects professional quality in everything they engage with. Musicians from Streeterville bring that same expectation to their recording projects: they’ve invested in their craft, they understand what professional work requires, and they’re looking for an engineer who can deliver results efficiently. Whether you’re a pop artist building sophisticated vocal productions, a singer-songwriter recording acoustic and electric arrangements, or a voice actor capturing audiobook chapters and commercial narration, you’ll find a studio environment that continues Streeterville’s recording tradition. Artists from this community value clear communication, technical precision, and results that justify their investment. As Chicago’s #1 rated recording studio on Google, Untold Stories has earned that recognition by consistently delivering work that meets the standards of artists who demand both quality and professionalism. Streeterville musicians choose us because we deliver professional recordings without the downtown premium rates and parking complications.

Getting Here from Streeterville

From Streeterville, getting to our Pilsen studio at 1007 West 19th Street is remarkably quick—just 10-15 minutes by car or about 20 minutes by transit. By car, take Michigan Avenue or State Street south through the Loop, or briefly access Lake Shore Drive south to Roosevelt Road and head west into Pilsen. The routes are straightforward and fast. Street parking in Pilsen is completely free and abundant—a significant advantage when you’re coming from a neighborhood where parking meters run continuously or garages charge $35+. If you prefer transit, the CTA Red Line from Grand or Chicago stations runs south to Roosevelt, where you can transfer west via bus or rideshare into Pilsen in just a few minutes. Many Streeterville artists appreciate the convenience—you’re close enough to schedule sessions during work breaks or after hours, and the commute is shorter than traveling to many north side studios. By the time you arrive, you’ve left the lakefront towers and tourist energy behind and you’re in a focused creative space. Plan to arrive right on time for your session, and you’ll find parking effortless, access simple, and the entire experience more cost-effective than recording at downtown studio rates.

What Makes Streeterville Artists Unique

Musicians and voice actors from Streeterville tend to approach recording with polished professionalism and clear expectations. These are often artists balancing creative work with demanding careers—they’ve carved out dedicated time for their music, and they maximize sessions by arriving prepared and focused. Streeterville artists value efficiency, quality, and straightforward communication from an engineer who understands their timeline and creative vision. They expect results that reflect their investment of both time and resources. We see pop artists building layered vocal productions with electronic elements, indie and alternative bands recording sophisticated arrangements, singer-songwriters tracking polished acoustic and electric performances, adult contemporary projects, electronic producers developing tracks with synthesizers and programmed elements, and voice actors recording audiobook chapters and commercial narration from Streeterville. Many are artists who’ve achieved professional success in other fields and now have the resources to pursue their creative work seriously—they’ve studied music, invested in vocal coaching or instrumental training, and they approach recording with the same discipline they bring to their careers. What sets Streeterville artists apart is their expectation of professional execution without drama or complications—they’ve researched their options, they know what quality sounds like, and they choose Untold Stories because we deliver that quality without charging downtown premiums. When you walk into our studio from Streeterville, you’re working with an engineer who respects your time, understands your professional standards, and is committed to capturing recordings that meet your expectations and represent your sound at its best.

Musicians recording at professional Chicago recording studio

Location & Hours

1007 West 19th Street Chicago IL 60608

M-F 8am-8pm, Weekends 10am-7pm

Rates

-Recording is $50 per hour (Please Read Studio Usage Minimums).

-Mixing with Mastering starts at $300 per song. Please call for an estimate.

Studio Usage Minimums:

-Monday to Friday: If you are solely focused on recording and do not require mixing with mastering, the minimum booking duration for your recording session is four hours.

-Monday to Friday: If you are purchasing mixing with mastering at the end of your recording session, the minimum recording session is one hour.

-Saturday: Always a minimum four hour recording session, regardless of purchases of mixing with mastering.

Schedule Your Time Today

Deposits And Booking

-Monday to Friday: $50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure/book time, covering the first hour of your session.

-Saturdays: $200 non-refundable deposit is required to secure/book time, covering the first four hours of your session.

-Deposits must be paid within 15 minutes of scheduling to secure your session. No exceptions.

-Failure to show results in deposit loss. No exceptions.

Timing and Payments:

-Sessions start at the confirmed arrival time. No exceptions.

-Please arrive no more than 5 minutes early. If unable to accommodate, you’ll need to wait outside.

-If purchasing, mixing with mastering is paid in full before it is started.

-Final master will be delivered in 5-15 business days.

-One free revision session is included after receiving the final master.

-Additional revisions are billed hourly and must be done at the studio.

-Payment methods: Cash, Paypal, Venmo, Cash App, and all major credit cards except Amex.

Streeterville’s Musical Legacy

Streeterville has been a vital part of Chicago’s music scene for decades. In the 1940s, Navy Pier’s 2,500-seat theater hosted big band revues and musical shows to boost morale for Navy servicemen during World War II. In 1960, WLS radio switched to a Top 40 format and made history in 1963 when DJ Dick Biondi gave The Beatles their first U.S. airplay with “Please Please Me”—a full year before Beatlemania swept the country. Streeterville Studios opened in 1969 at 161 East Grand Avenue, where blues legend Koko Taylor recorded many albums and industrial group Revolting Cocks mixed tracks from their debut album Big Sexy Land. From 1978 to 1983, Navy Pier hosted ChicagoFest, a massive two-week music festival featuring Muddy Waters, John Prine, and countless other artists across 16 stages. Streeterville’s musical legacy continues today with Navy Pier events and the neighborhood’s vibrant entertainment scene.

Want to learn more about Streeterville’s rich music history?

Read our deep dive into Streeterville’s musical legacy →

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