Professional recording, mixing, and mastering serving Arlington Heights 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 Arlington Height’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 Arlington Heights 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.
Why Arlington Heights Musicians Trust Us
Arlington Heights has built a reputation for supporting the arts, from the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre to the Sounds of Summer Concerts series and the Arlington Heights Art Guild’s commitment to fostering local creativity. This northwest suburb has cultivated a community of dedicated musicians who take their craft seriously, and those artists consistently choose Untold Stories because they’re looking for more than just a recording space—they want a partner who understands the difference between capturing sound and capturing emotion. Whether you’re an indie rock band refining your debut EP, a singer-songwriter finally ready to record the songs you’ve been performing at local venues for years, or a voice actor building your audiobook portfolio, you’ll find an environment here that treats your project with the focus and professionalism it deserves. No assembly-line approach, no cutting corners—just personalized attention from an engineer who cares about getting it right. As Chicago’s #1 rated recording studio on Google, artists from Arlington Heights know they’re working with a proven partner who’s delivered professional results across thousands of sessions. Every session is built around your vision, your timeline, and your artistic goals—not a factory schedule designed to maximize turnover.
Getting Here from Arlington Heights
From Arlington Heights, the drive to our Pilsen studio at 1007 West 19th Street takes about 35-40 minutes via I-90 E (Kennedy Expressway) and I-290 W. Head southeast on I-90 toward Chicago, merge onto I-290 W, exit at Damen Avenue, and continue south into Pilsen. The route is straightforward and avoids the congestion of downtown Chicago entirely. Street parking is plentiful and free throughout the neighborhood—most clients park within a block of the studio without any hassle. Unlike downtown studios where parking can cost $20-30 or require circling for 20 minutes, Pilsen offers the convenience of a neighborhood setting with easy access. If you prefer public transit, the Metra UP-NW line runs directly from Arlington Heights Station to Ogilvie Transportation Center downtown, where you can catch a quick rideshare (typically $12-15) southwest to the studio in about 10-12 minutes. Many artists from the northwest suburbs appreciate that they can focus on their session rather than stressing about downtown traffic, expensive parking garages, or navigating congested streets. Plan to arrive right on time for your session, and you’ll find the Pilsen neighborhood welcoming, creative, and easy to navigate.
What Makes Arlington Heights Artists Unique
Musicians and voice actors from Arlington Heights tend to share a common thread: they’ve done their homework. They’ve researched studios, listened to demos, read reviews, and they know what professional audio should sound like. Growing up in a community that values cultural programming like the Sounds of Summer series and supports organizations like the Arlington Heights Art Guild creates artists who understand the importance of quality presentation and professional execution. With a strong middle-to-upper-middle-class economic foundation, Arlington Heights artists typically arrive with their material ready—songs arranged, lyrics finalized, performance rehearsed. They’re not shopping for the cheapest option in Chicago; they’re looking for the studio that will deliver the results they’ve envisioned and justify the investment they’re making in their music or voice work. We see a healthy mix of indie rock bands, acoustic singer-songwriters, folk artists, and increasingly voice actors pursuing audiobook and commercial narration work from the Arlington Heights area. These creators understand that great recordings require both time and expertise, which is why they value a studio built around quality over volume. They’re not rushing through a session just to say they recorded something—they’re investing in a finished product they’ll be proud to release, share with industry contacts, or pitch to labels and publishers. That mindset is exactly what Untold Stories was designed to serve. When you walk into our studio from Arlington Heights, you’re joining a community of artists who refuse to settle for “good enough” when “exceptional” is within reach.
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!
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 $300.00 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.