Recording studios can have a tendency to feel sterile, like once inside “you are never, ever supposed to touch anything,” says Make Believe Studios’ Rick Carson. It’s why he has made a concerted effort to build is studio toward the opposite, a place where artist feel relaxed and ready to pour themselves out onto tape.

“You’re here to get out what I would consider a little piece of your soul.”

Make Believe Studios sits back from 20th St in an industrial part of downtown Omaha. While its surroundings don’t immediately indicate it, inside its doors lies a wealth of technical knowledge, top notch equipment and an environment intentionally curated to fit artists needs.

While the studio serves many local musicians — recent clients include Conny Franko, Third Eye Merchants, Mesonjixx and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns — it has also played host to Grammy-nominated jazz player Terrace Martin. Jacob Adams, Third Eye’s emcee, raves about the Make Believe’s capabilities and vision.

“They wanna make great music,” Adams says. “They wanna put Omaha on the map for sure.”

Watch below as we explore Make Believe’s cohesive, user-friendly space and find out why it appeals to so many recording artists.