This is a cool spot downtown if you have band rehearsal and don't want to deal with lugging the drums 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. read more

I Was just there and got my car broken into, as well as my friend that same night, I had to find out 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! read more

Music garage - Broken window - Recording & Rehearsal Studios Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Smash studios used to be called the Music Garage. I've been a professional touring artist for over 10 years, and I've been rehearsing at this place all that time. However, I will never be back, and I will never refer other touring artist's to this place ever again. The main guy at the front desk most nights, was disrespectful and dismissive. He came in twice, to rushed us out of our rehearsal before my time was up, and he had a nasty attitude the whole time. Also, they double their old prices for rooms that still have unplayable drum kits and weak monitors. Luckily, there's a place called, Fort Knox Studios here in Chicago too, and they have an amazing staff and pro equipment. If you're a Pro, avoid Smash Studios and go to Fort Knox instead!!! read more

They have the friendliest staff and best service I've seen in any establishment. Always helpful and kind.

Great staff. Clean and well maintained rehearsal rooms. Just bring your own gear when it comes to the drums as the drums/cymbals/kick pedals/thrones in the rehearsal rooms are average. Other than that it's a great place to practice. read more

Really well priced and professional for last minute band rehearsal needs. Clean rooms and good gear. Used them a bunch of times and will continue. read more

Great place for rehearsals! Super affordable rooms for drummer's as well as bands. Full backline and great gear. Every room I've been in has a nice drum kit with a punchy kick drum. They have cymbals and snare but you can bring your own as well. Full PA, plenty of mics for full band rehearsals. Really enjoy it but with the closing of Vic's Drum shop there, I'm pretty bummed. At least they will still be online but I hope to hear of a brick and mortar store somewhere soon. Either way Chicago Music Garage is a great place to get in rehearsals, and the staff is super pleasant and friendly as well, my go to spot in Chicago. Thank you! read more

Music garage - Recording & Rehearsal Studios Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

I needed to rent a PA setup for a friend to play at my sister's wedding. I found Music Garage, after numerous searches on Google (sorry Yelp you failed me), and it was just a few blocks away from my place. Easy pickup and location were necessary and they fit the bill. They are not a true rental place, more for rehearsing space and providing rental equipment in-building, but they seemed to make a compromise. $5/Day - 1 boom mic stand = $5 $10/Day/Mic - 2 microphones = $20 $25/Day/Speaker - speakers = $50 (Includes speaker stands) $35/Day - 1 PA head mixer = $35 Total = $110 + $150 refundable deposit Justin hooked me up with a quote and made sure the gear was ready for pickup. Upon return they will give you cash on the spot for your deposit which was nice not to wait for the money to be credited to my card. FYI, they do not rent tambourines. If you're looking for a reasonable quote on the gear mentioned above give Music Garage a shout. read more

Music garage - Rob Bolin - Recording & Rehearsal Studios Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Music Garage is more than just a go-to rehearsal space for artists to practice and hone their skills. I've been in the shoes as an artist using their facility and a collaborative host working with their culture-driven open mics, showcases, and special events - and they are really great people! Judi, Joe, Jim, and the interns have been nothing but a pleasure to work with and I will continuously do business and build relationships with them as an artist/host. P.S. Room D is my favorite room to rehearse in. Taylor Mallory read more

Music garage - November '14 Open Mic - Recording & Rehearsal Studios Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time ever using music garage as i have joined a new band and this is their chosen rehearsal space. The staff is friendly, the rooms all follow covid protocols and make sure mask are available in case you forget yours. They have equipment on hand in case you need to rent out something like recorders and such. But over all the space is great they have amps/sound boards in every room and the rates are pretty decent! read more

No security even if you pay for one of the Showcase rooms. Cameras but no security- they should pay to install key entry to certain floors. Strong smell of cigarettes, weed and everything else- so be prepared everything you own will smell and you can get high for free... Location is good- need more parking. Staff is helpful- Bathroom was clean read more

I've been coming to Music Garage for a few years now. It's our go to place whenever we're looking for a central location for musicians that we need to practice with. A couple of years back I would've given less stars but I've noticed a lot of improvements in the courtesy of the staff and accommodations. They do courtesy call reminders and all of the equipment that I request for the room is there when I arrive. If there are equipment issues they are quick to respond and figure it out or switch it out if that's what's needed. They also give student rates which is much appreciated as I have to schedule time for my sons band too. I definitely recommend this space. There's Parking on the street, available equipment for rent if you forget something, as well as vending machines for snack. The other musicians are also friendly. Any issues I've had in the past are minor and were fixed. read more

See all

Music garage itself is a great place. It's the people who rent rooms here that ruin it 95% of the time. Always ALWAYS obnoxious/suspicious characters wandering around the halls, smoking cigarettes when there are tons of 'No Smoking' signs posted all over the place. Seems as though there is more partying going on here than music being created, which is unfortunate. I wish people would respect other's and rules, or at least whoever works here would try to reinforce some of the rules constantly being ignored. Often doors to studio rooms are left open with music blaring, which makes it impossible to do any sort of recording. I've seen some dude skateboarding on the 3rd floor multiple times. This is a music studio not some frat house. Staff is beyond nice and helpful. Generally there is parking outside. Keypad entry. Camera's inside. Vending machines on the first floor. read more

Attention all musicians...this place flippin rules! my last band used to practice by cicero/augusta in a nice warehouse (old chocolate factory). that place was cool, it was about $200 per month, we threw parties there and could jam 24/7 if we wanted to. but the power would go out, there was no heat, and well, it was in the fucking ghetto. my new guitar player found this place and i gotta say it's a god send. they have drums and amps and PA's available to play on. drummers, bring your cymbals if you'd like, but if you are an honest gentleman you can play their four piece Yamaha Stage Custom sets with THEIR two crashes and a ride. each room i've been in has at least one Marshall half stack for my guitar players to plug into. the rooms are all (mostly) soundproofed and carptetted. you can buy drumsticks, heads, batteries, strings and other essentials on premises. most rooms also have a mini fridge for your libations. the charges are reasonable. 3 people to jam in a room for three hours is $15/person. guys who run the place are all very laid back and cool. parking on the street is easily available. like mentioned, they have a ramp on the loading dock for moving your gear to shows. they rent monthly spots or like we do you can reserve rooms for hourly blocks. read more

We used Music Garage weekly for about three months before we moved into a permanent space. I like the gear available and the staff tries really hard to get you what you need. Although it was hilarious once to be told that they didn't have a half-stack available and that they couldn't walk into an in-use room to take something out, only to later have them come into our in-use room to take out mics + stands. read more

ATTENTION MUSICIANS OF ALL LEVELS: YOU CAN LEAVE YOUR GARAGE NOW!!! There is a place where you can practice as loud as you want and not annoy your neighbors! This place has everything for all types of musicians from Amateurs to Zepplin, Led! My band rented a room for two hours and it was truly a great experience. As 3 of the 4 of us are inexperienced amateurs, places like this can sometimes come off as intimidating. Not so here. The staff was extremely courteous and accomodating. They are all musicians in their own right and just enjoy talking music, guitars, etc. Jose, the tech couldn't have been nicer by giving us a tour and even fixing up the loose contact point in my guitar. Basically charged me for the part and had it done in an hour!! No where else can you get that level of service in Chicago for that price. For bands looking for their own practice space on a regular basis, check out their monthly rates. We aren't quite at that level yet so I can't speak on the monthly rooms, but just know that they are available. The recording/Showcase room is where you can lay down some tracks or conduct the dress rehearsal for your big gig with Paul, the engineer present. Nice as can be. The rooms are clean and come fully equipped. You can work out with the staff any additional equipment that you may need for the room. You can purchase practically any type of gear or accessory, and they even sell some instruments at very reasonable prices. So whether you are a professional, semi-pro, or amateur, check this place out. There's no question that it will help take you to the next level. read more

Great, great rehearsal spot in the middle of nowhere. They've already got the gear in the room for you so all you need to do is show up with your axe/cymbals and beer (they even have a fridge in each of the rooms). The guys running it are very cool. This place won't stay a hidden gem for long, believe me. And the stuff in the rooms isn't crap either...we're talking Mesa Boogie, Soldano, Marshall, Vox, Bogner....top shelf brands people. Still one of my favorite places to rehearse. They've recently had a fire at this location but have moved into west loop right by Greektown, and are back in business. Huzzah! read more

We have a weekly reservation with Music Garage, so I'm there every week. Sometimes there is equipment missing (mics, mic stands, chairs etc) which can be annoying because we reserve the same thing every week people! The smell of cigarette and weed is obnoxiously distracting. While there are signs everywhere that state "No Smoking" and to maintain a certain distance from the building, no one seems to mind, including staff. This is baffling. I would have given 2 stars if we hadn't found Chance the Rapper and his crew in our reserved room. Yeah, no kidding. read more

Ok, so if you're looking for a place to rehearse...you might as well stop looking and just book now! Number one, these guys are cool dudes, easy to work with, chilled and laid back. Number two...the rooms...TOP FREAKIN' NOTCH!!! The rooms are soundproofed really well, they're cleaner than most hotel rooms we've crashed at, and they don't smell like stale smoke or BO. Its like you've hit the big time! Number three, the equipment. Again...TOP FREAKIN' NOTCH!!!! They have Mesa amps, Marshall amps, Ampeg amps, Fender Amps, great sounding Yamaha drums, pro-level PA system, great mics, you can even rent a guitar or bass if you left yours at home! Seriously...just go jam there one time. I promise you, you won't want to go anywhere else!!! read more

Attended an event here about two weeks ago. This place is GREAT!!!! The acoustics were amazing. read more

i seriously enjoy practicing here. CPE offers hourly rentals of rooms complete with various amps for guitar and bass (combo and halfstack), drums and a PA. the rooms sound decent, are clean and carpeted. as a guitarist, i can say that the amps are well-maintained and sound great. my drummer, however, has noticed that the high-hats in the rooms seem to be towards the cheaper end of the price continuum. at any rate, the practice rooms here sound great and are decently priced. also, the guys who run the place are great to work with. they'll let you borrow guitar straps and drum sticks which is awesome for when you forget your stuff at home like i did last time. thanks CPE! read more

I rented a suite from these guys back in the late 2000's, we were originally one of the first band/labels in the building. We way overpaid for our space. When we held over rent due to sound proofing and track lighting not being installed (per the owners promise) the owner barged in one practice and started yelling at me in front of the band. Needless to say he had completed the work so I paid him, but he could have handled it much more professionally. Rent at your own risk read more

What makes an excellent rehearsal space? Quiet, secure and comfortable rooms? There's a few places like that in Chicago. But what separates the Music Garage are the endless resources found right inside the building... A repair shop with an amp/instrument genius (there's never been a question this dude can't answer), a music shop with everything from strings and sticks to guitars/basses, Fx pedals and mic rental. An ATM machine, free air hockey/foosball, vending machines with junk food & vegan flax seed energy bars. Recording studios, mixing engineers, community bbqs and large room rentals for record release parties/label showcases. Multiple carts for gear loading, two large elevators, room cleaning, detailed monthly newsletters. All topped off with friendly, professional service. Simply put, there's no other rehearsal space that tops the Music Garage. You'll save time, money and frustrations rehearsing here. In your wildest dreams, you could not imagine the marvelous surprises that await you! read more

This Is My Favorite Studio to record At... Its A1 No Matter What ... Jay Uno And The Twins. read more

This place is great! I've rehearsed here a couple times now with a new band I'm forming and its been pretty rad. You can rent rooms by the hour with gear or rent spaces on a monthly basis. So far I've only done the hourly but its been awesome every time. They provide all the gear and the staff is super accommodating. Only negative I can comment on is its gets pretty hot in the practice spaces but when its 94* and you cram 4 dudes with hot tube amps in a small room theres not really much you can do. If you're looking for a spot to rehearse without the hassle Music Garage is a great option. read more

Music Garage is a decent rehearsal space. We were charged $42 an hour for room F. Last night was not that hot outside but at 6PM the sun was streaming thru the windows and it was a hot box in there. Do Not Rent Room F during sunny days. read more

I wont repeat whats but said in the other reviews, just that everything I read was true and in line with my experiences at CPE... ~STAFF~ The CPE crew always takes care of their customers.... Not only have I been a long time hourly renter at CPE, but my band recently moved into a monthly room. This has actually been a great way to cut down on the hassles of scheduling rehearsals, considering the hourly rooms can book out pretty far ahead of time, particularly for the prime slots. Recently though, they added online scheduling, this definitely makes booking the hourly rooms easier. ~REPAIR/MOD SHOP~ I've used Pete's services in the gear shop a handful of times.... Every time I feel like I'm getting quality service at SERIOUS value.... Just last week, a pod broke in the volume knob of my strat during rehearsal.... I walked it down stairs and got a new pod, bridge adjustment, and a truss rod adjustment for $20, and it was ready by the end of practice..... That is the kind of service I'm looking for. ~GEAR RENTALS~ My other band rented a PA for an out of town gig from CPE, and it worked great. It was also VERY simple to use, and affordable even considering a working bands tight budget. Sooooo they clearly have it all, but if thats not enough, I recently heard they might be opening up a bar in the building..... kickass read more

I'm not sure how you could give Music Garage anything less than 5 stars. My experience here has been limited to gathering with my bandmates in one of their practice spaces to take advantage of their equipment and cheap rates to write music and practice our songs. But the experience has always been stellar. You can book a room with amps and a drumkit for $5 an hour per person, which is a steal, and enjoy such amenities as...heating! And no rats! All major improvements from my old band's experience with renting a freezing, scary room in a warehouse in the West Side. On top of that, the staff are extremely friendly, it's a great way to meet musicians (we ran into Michael Cera and his band once, though I didn't realize it when it actually happened) and located close to Bottom Lounge, which makes it easy (maybe too easy?) to throw back a couple beers after blowing your eardrums out. Love it. read more

Be careful about what they say they will charge online vs what they will give you hell about when you try to check out. If you can, have an extra 20 bucks with you when they call the manager and intimidate you and shake you down upon exit. This is a sketchy place. read more

My band uses the Music Garage about once a week, doing hourly rental. You cannot beat this setup. Every room has quality drums, amps (Soldano, Marshall, Fender) and PA. There is nothing easier than carrying your guitar into this space, plugging in and playing. The staff is attentive and smart. I just used their repair shop for the first time. Jose did a great job setting up my guitar, especially considering he had to order a special part to make it happen. So I picked up my guitar just in time to do a live recording session with Paul on the 5th floor. Again, a pro backline was all set up for us, and we just plugged in and knocked out a bunch of songs live, into ProTools, for $50 an hour. Piece of cake. I love using this place. It's got everything. read more

A musician's paradise! Just a great place. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The place is immaculate and they are always doing something to improve it. They've gone to great lengths to sound-proof the rooms. Top Notch!!! I just had my bass set-up by Jose. He was very thorough and followed up with me multiple times to make sure it was set just how I wanted it. I've been playing for over 15 years and have taken my instruments to multiple places for set-ups. From now on, Jose is the man for the job. read more

I have two friends who rent space here, and I know the guy who runs the store here as well. So I do get to occasionally mooch some nice rehearsal space. If I buy a functioning car one day, I might consider renting my own monthly space. The Music Garage actually makes you WANT to work and sing in to the late hours of the night. It takes me back to college when I would sing in my practice room until 3 AM. It's a great atmosphere passing other musicians in the halls, hearing other bands, and it's not creepy. You'll even hear some bands that sound really great. That can be quite motivating compared to other rehearsal spaces where the majority of the bands are playing two chord death metal. Everything is shiny and clean. It is a bit sterile, I suppose, but you can make your room your own. The vending machines are decent, and they have large working elevators and a loading dock. I don't love the area as it gets very empty and dead on that block at night time, so just try not to walk too far alone. read more

Been renting here for a long time on and off. Generally the place is rented out but always has one or two rooms available. People complain that it's very expensive but your paying for all the amenities ( security, elevators, free Dolly's to use) as well and the nice rooms. I've pretty much rented a room from every music rehearsal space in the city and this place trumps them all. read more

This place is great if you are in an established band that plays full time for big bucks, or a lawyer in a band with a bunch of other lawyers and have a lot of disposable income. Yes, this place is EXPENSIVE. On the plus side, it is also really nice looking and is actually very secure. However, the negatives far outweigh the positives here. First, this place is prohibitively expensive... Most bands are piled two or three deep in each room to (barely) make rent. Second, when you walk in you are basically walking into a guitar center (but drums instead of guitars) complete with sales guys trying to help you while you wait for the elevator. Nice. Third, don't even THINK about renting a "production suite" or "studio" from this place... What a joke! The "sound proofing" does NOTHING to block out the three bands rehearsing around the clock at max volume (not to mention the bands in the room on the other side, across the hall, above you, below you, two floors down, etc). And when they finally convince you to "upgrade" and move into a nicer quieter room that cost a billion dollars to build out and has walls a foot thick you'll have to deal with the creepball owner (seriously, the creepiest sleaziest guy I have ever met) interrupting every session to bring five "VIPs" in to look at "his studio" (or, alternately, by himself to spout off some awful racist rant or some nonsense about hating Chicago and how musicians are stupid. No kidding)... And you'll STILL hear bad covers of "Just What I Needed" over whatever you are tying to record. Again, if you are in one of the ten bands in Chicago that has "made it" and can afford to toss a grand out the window every month for a really nice looking room, this is your place. If you are making six figures and your music hobby is bugging your wife, this can be your sanctuary. If you are a working band trying to find a place to practice before a show, there are much better options on the far north side and a bit west of here. If you are looking for a place to record, run far far away as fast as you can, this is NOT the place!!! read more

This place is very professionally run. If you ask me, it's too professional. I toured the facility with a bandmate and we walked out of there thinking, "Wow, this place has everything, but it sure is expensive!" Then we saw other spots and realized that, for less money, we could get a larger room for our band alone than we could get for a share room at the Music Garage. This place just has way too much stuff that a band doesn't need. What do I need in a practice space? Well, most importantly, I need space! Excessive soundproofing can be cool, but I'm not trying to start a recording studio. Just give me reasonably tall ceilings and 4 or more walls. That's it. It's hard to describe, but I just feel like this place has no character, or should I say, it has the character of a mental asylum. Padded walls and fluorescent lights. There's nothing Chicago about this place. It just feels constricted and sterile. If you have a six figure salary, then maybe this place would be feasible. For someone like me, it isn't. It lacks character. Value is subjective. In my opinion, the Music Garage presents a HORRIBLE value for the money you pay. I'm in a five piece band in which everyone plays an instrument. To get the type of space we need, we would need to pay $500+/month at the Music Garage, and we'd still be sharing the room with another band. We just found another spot (I won't say exactly where) where we got a large, clean room with windows, tall ceilings, and easy CTA access for $385/month. That's a significant saving. It certainly can't hurt to check this place out. As I said, they're professionals and this place does have a lot to offer. You just might go broke in the process. read more

from their website musicgarage.com :"The Music Garage is a state of the art, high tech, rehearsal studio, built to professional standards. " Hell Yeah it is! ;-) Just another step to taking your game even higher, music garage is THE place to set up shop and get your practice and rehearsals in. Clean, sound proofed rooms, elevators that work, shiny metal-plating EVERYWHERE, security codes that are changed monthly, T1 internet access included in the rents that rival other spots. Located perfectly close to downtown, the highway and tons of places to grab a quick bite or beer whether on Grand. Chicago or down Randolph. This is it, the way it should be done and if you can afford to get out from your mom's basement or garage, RUN here today. read more

This place blows away Superior St. All I have to say is: Elevators, 2 of them! They run 24/7! It's total BS that you have to either "reserve" an elevator in advance (when it's even working). But that's not the case here. There's a loading dock with ramps and room to pull your vehicles right up. Carts always available and in good working condition. It's the easiest load-in/out I've experienced yet. The days of carrying shit up 3 flights of stairs for me are over... It's about time I feel I'm getting what I'm paying for. Most of these others places make you feel like you should be kissing their asses for letting you rent their shitty room from them. This is a musicians spot, with proper amenities for musicians, not a storage space that gives you a place to plug your shit in. read more

I've been rehearsing here quite often since December 2015. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the rooms are clean and modern. I've never had a bad experience. I play drums, and while the kits are somewhat worn (obviously) they are set up well and sound good. The hourly rates are really great, and online scheduling is very easy. I have only good things to say about the Music Garage and recommend to anyone. read more

My bands have rehearsed here for about six or seven years now, in several different spaces of varying sizes. PROS 1) The rooms are well soundproofed. We ran a recording studio out of here for several years and never had problems, even when the next-door neighbors were rehearsing. 2) It's super clean. The cleanest rehearsal space I've ever seen. 3) It's not hard to get to by public transportation -- a short walk from the Ashland bus. 4) The rooms sound great -- again, ran a recording studio out of here for a while. 5) Management is responsive and friendly if you ever need them (which is rare). CONS 1) It's a little pricey. That's literally the only downside. But you get what you pay for -- these are the best rehearsal studios I've seen in the city. read more

This is a great place to rehearse with band mates, the staff here is very professional and courteous (especially Jose, he is the man), and they make rehearsals go smoothly, and are generous with advice relating to instrument set up and repair. read more