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11 Best Recording Studios In Chicago 2023 (Without Question)

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Written by Ramsey Brown.

Chicago is home to one of the most vibrant music scenes all across the U.S. The Windy City has positioned itself as a heavy force in the industry, producing names such as Kanye West, Don Hathaway, Chance the Rapper, Quincy Jones, and many more.

As a city so deeply rooted in musical heritage, Chicago has become a large influence on the music culture we know and love today. From jazz, to house music, to indie rap, there is no denying the incredible talent the city has to offer.

Artists that come out of Chicago are known for their individualism, raw sound, and non-conformist views on typical industry standards. If you are someone who calls Chicago home, chances are you are already one step closer to your music career goals.

When recognizing such a notorious hub for music, it’s necessary to credit the studios that helped make space for such creativity to flourish. The city is home to some of the best recording studios around the world and has provided us with some of the biggest hits and music icons we all listen to today. 

If you’ve ever been interested in recording at one of Chicago’s most pristine studios, then you’ve landed on the right page. As a musician, it’s important to ensure that a studio meets all of your production and recording needs before spending your hard earned money with them. That is why we’ve compiled a list of the 11 Best Recording Studios in Chicago, as of 2022.

Top 11 Best Recording Studios in Chicago

Here's a list of the top 11 best recording studios in Chicago in terms of music services, support, creativity, acoustics, prices, and recording equipment. Whether you’re a Chi-town native or just traveling to the Midwest looking for a recording space, you’re sure to find the perfect spot to record or produce out of these eleven spots:

Studio 11 is one of the best music recording studios that the city of Chicago has to offer. Since founded 20 years ago by popular producer/engineer Alex Gross and Dan Scalpone, it has become one of the leading recording studios in the area.

It is incredibly well-decorated and contains the best of the best consoles, recording equipment, and musical instruments to match. There are 2 rooms in Studio 11, which are both developed to cater to the production needs of beginners and professionals of all different budgets.

Alex Gross has worked with countless celebrities, labels, and production studios, which goes to show his engineering prowess and creativity that you'll be able to take advantage of. The hourly rate for musicians starts at $65/hour with a skilled engineer included. If you find yourself in downtown Chicago looking for a state of the art recording studio, we highly recommend checking out Studio 11.

Gravity Studios is arguably one of the oldest yet most popular recording studios in Chicago, as of 2021. It was started off by Doug McBride in the early 90’s and has since earned quite the reputation from artists all around the world.

This studio comes packed with incredible recording equipment, high-quality musical instruments, and a knack for developing rock music. They offer not only mixing and mastering tools but songwriting cooperation and live concert arrangements as well.

Whether you're an individual artist or a multi-artist band, Gravity Studios has a lot to offer any musician. The budget requirements are high, but paying a visit to them will surely be worth your while.

Sound Vault has made a huge impact in the music scene of Chicago. The multi-room, full service production and recording space is located in the North Side of the city and equipped with the best equipment that money can buy. From recording demos to major label quality albums, they are among the top-rated music recording, mixing, and mastering studios in Chicago.

The environment of the Sound Vault studios is incredibly laid back, which naturally gives rise to creativity. The producers and engineers are very talented and will help you write and create amazing quality music. The technology and instruments used at Sound Vault Studios are all state of the art and can take any song, album, or project to the next level.

When it comes to price, Sound Vault Studios manages everything according to the needs and budget of the musician. They have extremely competitive prices and firmly believe artists should spend their time in the studio creating and not watching the clock. 

This is why they land #3 on our list and why we highly recommend you giving them a visit next time you are in Chicago.

Founded in 1996, Soundscape Studios has been guiding local to national touring musicians to excellence ever since opening. What started as a home-based studio has now become one of the most popular and well-loved music recording studios in Chicago.

From high-quality musical instruments to amazing analog gear, superb consoles, recording equipment, and creative producers and directors, Soundscape has everything you're going to need to produce amazing music.

Soundscape Studios has been graced by the likes of many Chicago natives like Chance the Rapper, to Atlanta legends like Ludacris and 2 Chainz. If you choose to book a session at Soundscape Studios, you will not be disappointed with your experience.

Located just one block away from Irving Park, Transient Sound Studios is the creation of Steven Gills, Vijay Nayak, and Jim Siwek. With over 40 years combined experience, they are able to provide music knowledge to artists no matter the genre.  

Transient Sound has everything a musician could need, from high-quality recording equipment, to amazing instruments, to contacts with epic instrumentalists, and even session musicians if you are looking to add that extra flair for your music production.

Whether you're a rapper, hip-hop artist, R&B singer, or belong to any other genre, Transient Sound has the ability to help you create the amazing music you want.

Found in 2006 by Chris Inumerable, Classick Studios was established with one goal in mind, to give struggling musicians a platform to rise up and become noticed. This is exactly what the studio achieved and what makes Classick Studios one of the best in the business.

With the help of incredible musical equipment, high-quality recording tools, amazing software, great producers, and mixing engineers, Classick Studios is definitely one of the best studios in Chicago.

From Chance the Rapper to Taylor Bennet, Classick Studios has hosted a lot of famed celebrities along the way. They'll be one of the best choices for recording your music in Chicago. 

The story of Bassmnt Entertainment Inc. started with a struggling yet passionate engineer who wanted to help others achieve their musical dreams. Now studio founder, Saul Diaz has done exactly that; paving the way for multiple artists of all levels and spectrums fullfil their dreams of making it in the music industry.

From incredible producers who will force the creativity out of you, to amazing musician support and high-quality instruments/equipment for recording, you're going to find everything in Bassmnt Entertainment Inc. that you would ever want from a studio.

There aren't as many famous names that have recorded music here compared to the other spots we’ve listed, but the low-key vibe is what helps make this spot so special. When talking about notorious Chicago recording studios, Bassmnt may not be on the forefront of the chart, but without a doubt, Bassmnt offers a unique energy and high-quality space that is distinct from anywhere else in the city.

When it comes to indie music production and affordable rates, ByrneOut Production is a great place to be in Chicago for your music production needs in 2022.

Owned by Jimmy Byrne, who is an audio engineer, songwriting coach, audio restoration worker, and producer, ByrneOut Productions has a lot in store when it comes to equipment, tools, and the variety of music that can be recorded here.

The price per hour is pretty affordable in comparison to bigger studios in Chicago. If you're a beginner, ByrneOut Productions will be a great place for you to start due to their support and affordability. 

Mystery Street Recording Company is one of the trendiest, most popular recording studios in Chicago that you can find in 2022 for your music production needs.

They have amazing decor, high-quality equipment, a relaxed environment, epic tools and consoles, musical instruments, qualified producers, and even offer rehearsal rooms and audio restoration/preservation services.

The mixing, mastering, and music recording services of Mystery Street Recording Company are incomparable, but the prices are also quite expensive. If you’re a recording artist or producer with a handsome production budget, give them a visit next time in Chicago and you're sure to love the experience they offer.

When it comes to the original classic music recording studios of Chicago, Uptown Studios has its name right on top of the list, located right in the entertainment district of the city.

Uptown Studios is situated close to Uptown Theatre, opening its doors in 1995. The quality of music production plus tools, techniques, equipment, and the skills of the producers is top-notch. There's a lot of potential for music creativity and production here.

Many famed celebrities have been through Uptown Studios and they will welcome you to be one of them. Take a tour of the old but gold music studio in the heart of the city and you’ll quickly see how they can help you succeed in your music goals.

When we talk about one of the best of the best recording studios in Chicago, we cannot leave out the name Pressure Point Recording Studios. If you want a state-of-the-art sound and acoustic experience, then look no further than this amazing studio.

They have incredible acoustics along with 5 different studio rooms for different musical requirements having isolation booths and rehearsal areas. They also have the SSL 9000K series console which is a rarity these days.

The environment is extremely lush and the overall creative ability is fantastic. Pressure Point Recording Studios is a comparatively expensive space in Chicago, but they offer amazing services that proves to be well worth it.  If you choose to do business with Pressure Point, you're going to need a hefty budget. Though, there is no price tag you can put on the quality of music you are going to leave with.

Wrapping Up

Finding the perfect recording studio in Chicago according to your budget and creative needs can be difficult. If you decide to pay any of the spots mentioned above a visit, I can assure you that you won’t be let down.

Chicago offers a unique vibe that simply cannot be found anywhere else in the country. The city is a legendary hub for making music and the high-quality studios found there are largely credited to this. 

Whether you are a recording artist or a producer, on the come-up or a veteran, you’re sure to have an incredible studio experience with any of these eleven spots mentioned above.


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