Professional recording, mixing, and mastering serving Skokie 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 Skokie’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 Skokie 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 Skokie Musicians Trust Us
Skokie sits just north of Chicago with easy access to the city and a diverse community that brings together people from countless backgrounds and traditions. Musicians from Skokie reflect that diversity—they’re creating music that draws from different cultural influences, genres, and artistic traditions, and they’re looking for an engineer who can work across styles without imposing a single sound. Whether you’re a rock band tracking guitars, bass, and drums, an acoustic artist recording guitar and vocal arrangements, or a voice actor recording audiobook chapters and commercial narration, you’ll find a studio environment that adapts to your specific needs. Artists from this community value flexibility, technical skill, and an engineer who listens to what you’re trying to achieve and helps you get there. As Chicago’s #1 rated recording studio on Google, Untold Stories has earned that recognition by working with artists across every genre and approach. Skokie musicians choose us because we deliver professional recordings that serve your vision rather than forcing you into someone else’s template.
Getting Here from Skokie
From Skokie, getting to our Pilsen studio at 1007 West 19th Street takes approximately 25-30 minutes by car or transit. By car, take I-94 S (Edens Expressway) and I-90/94 S (Kennedy Expressway), exit at California Avenue, and head south into Pilsen. Alternatively, take city streets like McCormick Boulevard south and access the Kennedy from various points. Street parking in Pilsen is completely free and abundant, typically within half a block of the studio. No meters, no permits, no downtown parking complications. If you prefer public transit, the CTA Yellow Line (Skokie Swift) runs from Dempster-Skokie station to Howard, where you can transfer to the Red Line south and then connect west to Pilsen via the Pink Line at Clark/Lake. Total transit time is roughly 45-50 minutes, making driving the more practical option for most sessions. Many Skokie artists appreciate the reasonable commute—close enough to make scheduling multiple sessions practical, and the drive provides time to warm up vocally, review material, or mentally transition into recording mode. By the time you arrive at the studio, you’re focused and ready to work. Plan to arrive right on time for your session, and you’ll find parking effortless, access simple, and the entire experience focused on capturing quality recordings.
What Makes Skokie Artists Unique
Musicians and voice actors from Skokie tend to approach recording with open-minded creativity and solid preparation. Living in one of the Chicago area’s most diverse communities creates artists who’ve been exposed to music from around the world and often blend those influences into their own work. Skokie artists arrive with material that reflects their unique perspectives—they’re not trying to fit into predetermined categories or replicate commercial formulas, they’re creating music that’s authentic to their backgrounds and artistic visions. They value an engineer who can adapt to different styles, instruments, and production approaches rather than applying the same process to every project. We see rock bands recording full instrumentation, indie and alternative artists developing their sound, singer-songwriters tracking acoustic and electric arrangements, folk artists recording with traditional and contemporary elements, electronic artists building layered productions, and voice actors recording audiobook chapters and commercial narration from Skokie. Many are artists who’ve been part of Chicago’s music community for years—performing regularly, collaborating across genres, and steadily developing their craft through experience and dedication. What sets Skokie artists apart is their creative openness—they’re willing to experiment with sounds, blend influences from different traditions, and push their music in directions that feel authentic even when they don’t fit easy categories. They choose Untold Stories because we meet them where they are creatively and deliver recordings that capture their sound honestly. When you walk into our studio from Skokie, you’re working with an engineer who respects your cultural and artistic background, adapts to your specific needs, and is committed to capturing recordings that authentically represent your music.
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.