Back in the day when I lived in Logan Square I was in a band and we practiced at a space in…read moreHumboldt Park. The space was pretty convenient and you always knew when the Chicago Puerto Rico parade is taking place. I actually had someone tag my backpack while I was waiting for the bus...while the backpack was still on my back. And I really didn't think I was that buzzed at the time but I completely didn't notice the handiwork. I have moved from Logan Square to Lincoln Square and have started practicing once again with the drummer from my previous band. The most convenient space is the Music Lab. I had seen their ads forever in the Chicago Reader and had passed by the space thousands of times but never really noticed the place. It really doesn't stand out, mainly because the first floor houses a doggie daycare. Evidently that ain't too rock and roll. The spaces are fairly small but that seemed to work out just fine. The sound bounced off the walls and worked out pretty well. The spaces also smelled of dog urine but overall it isn't a bad practice space. The location, the price and the acoustics all fall in the positive column, while the doggie daycare is a minor distraction. So in short the Music Lab is a hidden, urine scented gem.

This place is great for the sole purpose that it allows me to play music (especially drums!!) at…read morewhatever volume without anyone leaving me nasty anonymous notes on my door. So that's a plus. Additionally, the neighborhood is great. Super, super close to the brown line, plenty of street parking in the evenings and on weekends. And it's within walking distance to great bars and restaurants on Lincoln Ave. The guy who runs it is also a very nice guy. However, for what it is, the price is a bit much. The rooms are small and not nearly soundproofed enough. If the guys next door are playing, their bass causes me to have to play louder than I'd like. Additionally, since it's above a doggy day care place, every now and then the hallway reeks of dog urine. Oh, and you can't flush toilet paper down the toilet, not that you'd want to risk sitting on it anyway. Also unfortunate is the complete lack of temperature control--my space easily breaks 100 degrees in the summer months. It's not pleasant to have three sweaty dudes with a bunch of equipment in a 100+ degree glorified closet. Unfortunately this place seems to have a monopoly on music practice space in my neighborhood. It could definitely use some work, but for what it is it definitely gets the job done. My irritable neighbors and I greatly appreciate the service!

I'm a new voice over artist, but I've been a singer, actor, performer and teacher for 20 years…read more I've been working virtually with Edge Studio's training program out of New York, and needed to find a local studio when it came time to record my narration and commercial demos. CRC has been amazing every step of the way. Rose Razal is very responsive when it comes to setting and rescheduling studio time. As a matter of fact, she had to wait more for me and Edge to get back to her to confirm my sessions than I ever had to wait for her, and she was always patient and non-judgmental, even when I caught a cold and had to postpone a few weeks. The reception area is clean, modern and inviting. A friendly front desk staff greets you upon check-in, and there's a cozy waiting area with a big comfy couch and TV for you to relax before your session. Coffee and treats are always available (not that we voice actors can really partake before performing, but hey, other musicians and artists might be able to). CRC has 10 or 12 studios, and they are state-of-the-art. My hubby tagged along, and there was a comfy area in the studio where he could camp out and kibbutz with the engineer. They have wifi access as well, so he worked on his laptop while he watched my session. The booths themselves are awesome, too. The best mics for VO- I think I recorded on a Neumann U87. Clean, spacious, equipped with pretty much everything a VO actor could want- pencils, highlighters, water, apple juice. And now we come to my engineer. Zac Schmidt is amazing. He treated me like a professional, even though he knew these were my first sessions ever. I had some trouble with mouth noise the first session, and he gave me suggestions and tips during the session in real time to help minimize the noise, but he was also very reassuring that it happens to everyone, and that I'd figure it out. Zac also communicated expertly with my coaches, who patched in via phone to coach me during the demo recordings. I learned so much listening to him cut tracks, suggest fixes and generally just make the process speedy and fun. Zac has a lot of experience at the professional level, and is full of stories and feedback about the business and tips for success. I felt so comfortable with him that I booked an extra hour after my session was over for him to give me some quick tech tutorials- how to add background music to a voice over track, how he gets rid of noise, etc. and just generally talk about the biz. I left the studio much wiser than when I walked in, and Zac was a great tutor. I plan on requesting him for my character demo when I'm ready to cut it. I had a great experience at CRC. They are advanced professionals and truly state-of-the-art, but they always treat you with respect, no matter where you are in your career. Highly recommended!!

i'm no recording artist by any means but the staff there treated my group like royalty!!! they…read morewere great!! coffee, tea, and water was given to us upon our arrival. they made our group's day truly memorable and comfortable. we went a little over our allotted time but they didn't shoo us out. its a work of art, and they made our recording sound like the real deal.

I've rented spaces all over the West Town area and Sound Space is by far the highest ranking option…read morein my experience. Spaces: Although my room is on the smaller side it's fairly priced. But the best part is the sound isolation. The rooms are very well insulated to reduce the bleed from neighboring bands. I record in my space all the time and rarely have issues. It's also eerily quiet much of the time. Security: It's the most secure place I've rented from. Both perimeter doors and individual space doors seem very secure (with a special type of key). Also camera coverage throughout the building adds another layer of security. At the last place I rented we found our door kicked in - you can't kick in the doors at Sound Space, they're fortified. Neighbors: The other Sound Space renters are generally cool, friendly, and best of all respectful of the building. The bathrooms are never trashed like other spaces I've rented. I never understood why someone would rip a sink off the wall or kick a hole in the door at the other spots that they were paying to rent... animals. Neighborhood: Plenty of free street parking and relatively easy load-in/out (though I'm on the first floor). There's a 24hr Mexican spot a 4 min walk away. Management: Sam is responsive and makes payment effortless with an online portal linked to your bank account. Temp control of the rooms is reasonably handled - at least in my experience/room. bottom line: If you're looking for a spot - and this location is convenient for you - I'm confident you'll be happy here.

This is the PERFECT space for musicians to practice! Easy to enter, well-insulated, safe!read more

This is a cool spot downtown if you have band rehearsal and don't want to deal with lugging the…read moredrums around. They have a ton of amps and stands and a kit in every room. They are sound proof and mic'd with a board and speakers. You can't really hear other rooms when you're in your room. It's a little louder in the hall but not bad at all. The staff is badass and they try to help you as much as they can. If you need a different amp or have any issues, they will try to fix it. It's not super expensive if you can split the cost amongst members.

I Was just there and got my car broken into, as well as my friend that same night, I had to find…read moreout after the fact that apparently that's been an ongoing thing. A warning would have went a long way to prevent something like that from happening, especially if it's an actual thing!! Do not go there unless you're parked in the parking lot!

Gravity Studios is incredible…read more From start to finish, the whole experience was smooth and easy. Ramsey, the studio manager, was on top of everything -- super clear communication, super organized, and genuinely cared about making the session great. Nothing felt stressful or rushed at any point. Danny, our engineer, absolutely crushed it. He was fast, dialed in, and knew exactly how to get the best out of the session without overthinking anything. The vibe stayed relaxed, the takes came together quickly, and it just felt like working with someone who really knows what they're doing. The files came back insanely fast and were perfectly organized -- which honestly matters more than people realize. No chasing, no confusion, just solid work delivered quickly. One of the best studio experiences we've had. Can't wait to go back.

Great staff, unbelievable setup. Would recommend to any musician serious about recording!read more

Back again! I had the pleasure of working with Tightrope Recording for my new podcast series, I…read morecouldn't be happier with the results. From start to finish, Jessi, Colin and Max went above and beyond to ensure that every aspect of the recording process was seamless and professional. First and foremost, the studio itself was top-notch. They have an amazing amount of options of microphones to choose from, I went with a Sennheiser 416. Additionally, the studio's acoustics were excellent, providing a clean and crisp sound without any unwanted background noise, we used studio A mostly. The entire recording process was enjoyable and stress-free, I was there a lot so that's saying something- Overall I can't recomend them enough. If you're looking for a recording studio that will deliver then make sure you work with them.

Tightrope Recording, and their owner Max, did not live up to their promises. They promised a great…read morerecording and finished mixes for one price of $1500. They did a great job recording, but sent us home with only the rough cut, and no finished mixes. They claimed that it took a lot of effort to set up for a multi-instrument band and they had to bring in extra help, thus extra cost. They had no more money or time to finish the mixes. Max had the audacity to say that each song would be at least another $350 to finish, even though he promised us finished mixes when we spoke on the phone. I feel that this was unscrupulous practice. Make sure you get your promises in writing from Max, or he may just try to swindle you.

One of Chicago's best recording studios. Great staff and engineers. Open availability, clean and…read moresafe environment. The vibe of the studios is amazing i love it here.

From the owner: We are your premier recording studio located in Chicago's South Loop. We provide quality mixing,…read morerecording and production services. Explore our website for more information we look forward to seeing you soon! Our mission is to bring the community together with culture and music while allowing clients from all walks of life to be able to get quality studio time from some of Chicago's most talented engineers and producers!

Recently used Mystery Street Recording Company, and Joe Tessone provided excellent service…read more Specifically, Mystery Street was able to transfer audio files from 40-year-old cassette tapes to digital. Joe cleaned up the files and "restored" the audio quality. He provided both MP3 files and higher quality audio files. Getting the files was easy- Joe provided us with a download link for quick access. Pricing was reasonable for the quality of work and turnaround time. For a fee of $100/tape in addition to the hourly rate, we received expedited service.

They lost our files multiple times, and then spent way to long to re-record things because they…read morewere constantly distracted and talking about unrelated things. There are many more professional studios in the area.

The space feels intimate and inviting, with cozy corners set up for relaxation and thoughtful decor…read morethat reflects a deep appreciation for music and creativity. The energy of this recording studio, where the ambient lighting and modern equipment create an environment conducive to focused work and collaboration. The studio shapes team were very welcoming, accommodating for any needs that we were looking for including fresh water and tea!! Overall, this location seems ideal for anyone looking to immerse themselves in a creative process, whether for music production, brainstorming sessions, or simply enjoying a relaxed, artistic setting.

From the owner: At studioSHAPES you are big on artist development and seeing the at home artist become the on the…read morestage artist . With state of the art equipment- we have created an intimate studio space to make you feel right at home. We thrive authenticity and passion so each engineer and producer works closely with artist to bring the best possible product

He genuinely gives a shit…read more In all seriousness, this was one of the best recording experiences I've had in this city. Rick is interested, more than capable, friendly, professional, and has mastered the ability of constructive criticism -- and yet will be the first to admit that he can be wrong in his suggestions. His rates are reasonable, his space is warm and comfortable, his gear is top notch. Ive enjoyed every moment of recording, mixing, chatting about beer (even though he trends towards the obnoxiously hoppy), and simply sharing space with him. Go make a record with him! What are you waiting for?

I'm over 50 and have been hustling in this business a long time. I have to say that, with all…read morehonestly, Rick was the most professional recording human I've worked with. I was coming in for a session after a 15 year hiatus. I was terrified. The whole experience was so fun, welcoming and masterful that I had totally forgotten to be nervous! Rick is incredibly talented and patient and gives excellent and helpful notes/suggestions to make your piece as best as it can be. I will be back for sure and I've already recommended Handwritten Recording to everyone on my Friends List. LOL. If you've got it in ya - Rick can get it outta ya. LOL