• Outer Ear Sessions: Spring Cycle Applications Open

    The Outer Ear Sessions is a pilot program providing free recording studio access to 20+ Chicago-based artists each year across two cycles. The juried program accepts artists from all genres and career stages who are working to push the boundaries of their practice, leveling the playing field for working Chicago artists city-wide.

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  • Sonic Pavilion Redux

    Sonic Pavilion Redux is an iterative expansion of this summer’s Sonic Pavilion Festival, staged for Experimental Sound Studio’s Audible gallery. Eight multichannel sound compositions originally created for the 24-channel trellised speaker system at Jay Pritzker Pavilion are reimagined here for ESS’s 8-channel system.

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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

  • Book Studio Time

    Working on a project? ESS offers comprehensive production facilities and expert support for diverse audio projects, with services that include recording, mixing, mastering, post production, sound design, and more.

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

    For 39 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.

    Work with us on your next project

    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!

    Listen to the Archive

    The Facility

    Looking for a unique place for a party, small wedding, meeting, or private
    performance?

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    Are you an Artist?

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    Artist Support

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    Support the Creative Audio Archive

    Help us digitize and share more recordings like this one!