• Patchbent Season IV

    Patchbent season IV kicks off in April with two very special workshops from Bonnie Han Jones and Shortwave Collective. Patchbent is a meeting place and learning community supporting women, trans, and non-binary people in sound and music.

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  • Navigations: One's Position (and a route)

    Experimental Sound Studio and Roman Susan are pleased to announce “Navigations: One’s Position (and a route),” a multi-faceted group exhibition opening this spring at ESS’s Audible Gallery. Each week, a different artist is featured on the Audible Gallery sound system, amplifying work that is taking place across the City.

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  • Winter Recording Special

    Our popular studio-time sale is back. The Winter Recording Special is a great way to close out a lingering project, track parts, or capture an impromptu improvisation with friends. The sale is applicable to any of our studio offerings: recording, mixing, mastering, or consultation.

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  • ESS x Rob Mazurek Capsule

    2026 is the 40th anniversary of Experimental Sound Studio and we're celebrating by releasing limited-edition merchandise throughout the year. We’re kicking things off with a capsule from our long-time collaborator Rob Mazurek. These limited edition tees and totes feature an iconic and cosmic design crafted by the artist.

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  • Creative Audio Archive

    ESS’s Creative Audio Archive painstakingly preserves and shares pivotal recordings of innovative and experimental sonic arts and music. Our unique collection is growing by the day with crucial collections from Sun Ra, Studio Henry, Fred Anderson, Malachi Ritscher, Links Hall, Tatsu Aoki, and more.

    EXPLORE THE CAA
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    • We are a community supported non-profit dedicated to the curation, evolution, and exploration of sound.

    For 40 years Experimental Sound Studio has nurtured avant-garde and exploratory artists through production, presentation, education, and preservation.

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    Exploding Star Orchestra at Adler Planetarium

    Events

    Last year we presented 337 artists in 81 different programs in-person throughout Chicago and online.

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    Full-Service Recording Studio

    ESS offers comprehensive production facilities and expert support for nearly 150 artists per year in over 300 sessions.

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    Join the Feed Back Loop

    Support ESS as we embark on the coming year and join the hundreds of folks who have chosen to be part of the aggregate force that makes experimental culture possible.

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    Artist Residencies

    ESS works with local and international partners to create time and space for artistic creation. Details per residency in this link.

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    Creative Audio Archive

    You can now listen access recordings online—we’re adding more every day!

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