Professional recording, mixing, and mastering serving Pilsen musicians.
Join over 1,000 Chicago artists who trust Untold Stories Recordings for personalized recording that resonates. Located at 1007 West 19th Street, we serve Pilsen’s vibrant music community with state-of-the-art equipment and expert engineering.
“In my free 15-minute call, I learned more about making a song than I had in years of recording”
-Alyssa Serena
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 Pilsen 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.
Enjoy tailored sessions designed to reflect your unique artistic vision, ensuring your music is a true representation of your creativity.
Work alongside experienced audio engineers who are passionate about music and dedicated to helping you refine your sound and bring your ideas to life.
Immerse yourself in a supportive and inspiring environment that encourages artistic exploration and collaboration, making your recording sessions enjoyable and productive.
Access a full suite of services, including recording, mixing, and mastering, all under one roof for a seamless and efficient creative process.
Reviews From Untold Stories' Artists
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 Pilsen Musicians Trust Us
Pilsen has always been a neighborhood where creativity and authenticity matter more than polish and pretension. As the home of Untold Stories Recordings at 1007 West 19th Street, we’re not just located here—we’re part of this community. Musicians from Pilsen bring raw energy, genuine artistic vision, and a refusal to compromise their sound to fit commercial expectations. Whether you’re a punk band tracking guitars, bass, and drums with aggressive urgency, a Latin rock or cumbia project blending traditional and contemporary sounds, or an experimental artist building productions that defy categorization, you’ll find a studio that’s embedded in the same creative culture you’re part of. Artists from Pilsen understand that great recordings capture authenticity, not manufactured perfection, and they’re looking for an engineer who gets that. As Chicago’s #1 rated recording studio on Google, Untold Stories has earned that recognition by serving artists who value substance, honesty, and creative fearlessness. Pilsen musicians choose us because we’re neighbors—we understand the culture, we respect the hustle, and we’re committed to delivering recordings that represent your sound without compromising what makes it yours.
Why Recording Local Matters
When you record in your own neighborhood, something changes. There’s no commute to shift your mindset, no transition from suburban routine into “creative mode”—you walk in already connected to the energy and culture that shapes your music. For Pilsen artists, recording at 1007 West 19th Street means working with someone who understands the neighborhood’s artistic character, who’s seen the murals go up on 16th Street, who knows the venues where you’ve played and the community that’s supported your work. You’re not explaining Pilsen’s culture to an outsider—we’re part of it. The studio sits in the middle of the creative energy that defines this neighborhood, surrounded by artists, musicians, and people building something real. When you finish a session and walk out onto 19th Street, you’re still home. You can grab food at a local spot, connect with other artists, or just head back to your place a few blocks away. Recording local means supporting local—keeping your money in the community, building relationships with other Pilsen creatives, and contributing to the neighborhood’s artistic ecosystem rather than sending your resources to a downtown studio that doesn’t know or care about Pilsen’s culture.
What Makes Pilsen Artists Unique
Musicians and voice actors from Pilsen approach recording with authenticity and creative courage. This neighborhood has always been a place where artists create on their own terms—blending influences, pushing boundaries, and refusing to sand down the edges that make their work distinctive. Pilsen artists show up with material that reflects genuine vision: punk bands recording with raw intensity, Latin rock and cumbia projects incorporating traditional instruments and rhythms, indie and alternative bands developing sounds that don’t fit neat categories, experimental and electronic artists building atmospheric productions, metal and heavier genres, and voice actors pursuing narration and commercial work. Many are artists deeply embedded in Chicago’s DIY music community—they’ve played local venues, collaborated across genres, built followings through relentless performance and authentic connection rather than social media algorithms. What sets Pilsen artists apart is their refusal to compromise—they’re creating music that matters to them personally, that reflects their community and culture, and that pushes back against commercial expectations. They choose Untold Stories not just because we’re located in Pilsen, but because we share that same commitment to authenticity. When you walk into our studio from down the block or across the neighborhood, you’re working with an engineer who’s part of your community, who respects your artistic vision, and who’s dedicated to capturing your sound with honesty and technical excellence.
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.
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.