01

AERIAL RECORDING STUDIO PERTH

Vintage feel and big room acoustics for independent bands and songwriters

02

THE CONTROL ROOM

AERIAL RECORDING
Professional album and project studio

03

THE LIVE ROOM

AERIAL RECORDING
The workshop of a 1950s service station (75m²)

04

THE PIANO

AERIAL RECORDING
Yamaha 1964 G5 (6'7")

ABOUT.

Aerial Recording Logo

AERIAL
Recording Studio

is a deluxe studio in the beautiful Perth Hills. Vintage feel and big room acoustics for independent bands and songwriters.

Equipped with a custom Ekadek console featuring 1970s Neve 538 preamps, grand piano, isolation booth, over 50 microphones and a stack of esoteric musical equipment, Aerial Recording also sports one of the largest collections of classic keyboards from the 60's to 80's in Perth studios.

Aerial Recording Gear List

The studio was once a 50s service station and doll museum. Now its high-ceilinged main room is a naturally lit, versatile space for everything from intimate vocals and acoustic tracking to loud drums and live groups.

Want to check out the space? Text or email me and we'll set up a time for a coffee and a look around.

Contact DetailsStudio Rates
Aerial Recording Main Room
STUDIO BOOKING
SESSION BOOKING PLANNER

contact@aerialrecording.com.au
0466123938

SESSION PICS.

Hunter lays down her disco drumsHunter lays down her drums for "Studio 54"
Keira Watson tracking acoustic guitarKeira Watson tracking her first album "Honest"
Nathan 'Floodsy' Winterflood nails a drum sessionNathan "Floodsy" Winterflood
Sixella piano and vocalsSixella night session on the G5
The most relaxed way to record in a music studioThe best way to record a song written on a couch
Vermistropos Piano and GlitchVermistropos - piano and dystopian glitch session
Andrew Lippiatt playing drums in the boothAndrew Lippiatt watches for the cue
Vinny - Assistant EngineerYep that's the take
Ricky Malet at Aerial RecordingRicky Malet's trumpet FTW
U47 Microphone on vintage Fender SpeakerSummer of the Guitar
VinnyTech Hound
Daniele Dipaola at Aerial RecordingDan Di Paola digs deep
Ekadek ConsoleEkadek metering is the coolest
Kate Pass at Aerial RecordingKate Pass dreams loudly
Raga Session - May 2024Cherry & Andrew - Raga Session
Nathan 'Floodsy' Winterflood nails a drum sessionNathan 'Floodsy' Winterflood
Fred YoungerFred Younger Quartet
The most relaxed way to record in a music studioThe best way to record a song written on a couch | Feb 2024
Vermistropos Piano and GlitchVermistropos - piano and dystopian glitch session
Andrew Lippiatt playing drums in the isolation boothAndrew Lippiatt watches for the cue
Vinny - Assistant EngineerYep that's the take
Ricky Malet at Aerial RecordingRicky Malet's trumpet FTW
U47 Microphone on vintage Fender SpeakerSummer of the Guitar
VinnyTech Hound
Daniele Dipaola at Aerial RecordingDan Di Paola digs deep
Ekadek ConsoleEkadek metering is the coolest
Kate Pass at Aerial RecordingKate Pass dreams loudly
Raga Session - May 2024Cherry & Andrew - Raga Session

NEWS.

Squier Precision bass on the wall in the live room at Aerial Recording, Perth Hills

What's New

August 14, 2026 · Control Room

New upgrades: a new precision bass (so fat and sits in a track so well), a set of high end drum hardware (no more ride cymbal slippage!), a pair of SM57s (yes I finally caved. I swear I was the only recording studio in the world without a single one for ages and then I used them on a project and liked them again) and some new chairs for clients to be comfortable sitting beside me at the console ("Yeah that bit right there. Can you end it there instead?").

Work : A week of very talented singer-songwriters from gospel to desert rock and rap, including the award winning Phil Bartlett, Braja, Marion Beugels and Keren Letheby. Mixing for Moorditj Maaman mens' choir and LMNO.

2026

The Moon is My Machine - You Run Rings Around Me

THE MOON IS MY MACHINE
- You Run Rings Around Me

It is not always important to know exactly what you are doing, but only that you like it. This one just arrived by itself and we left it alone.    
Keren Letheby - Vocals
Ronan Charles - Drums, Keys, Guitar, Noise

Recorded and produced at Aerial Recording, Perth
Another video produced with our in-house video mangle Phosphene

The Moon is My Machine - You Run Rings Around Me
YoutubeSpotify

Aerial Reocrding Stuidio Tour - one continuous take, mid-session

A Quick Tour of Aerial Recording

Welcome to a one shot mid session view of Aerial in the run through before a first take.

Mike from Lost Valley Hotel has dialled in his amp in the isolation booth, captured by a single U47 and is fine-tuning his headphone balance with the drums out in the main room, then out through the control room with the full mix coming off the monitors, then into the 75m2 live room with the drummer at the far end under the drum cloud.

There’s really good isolation between the rooms — twin 12.5mm glass and 1950s concrete — so the drums get the big room to themselves. Sixteen microphones on the kit, including a pair of Coles 4038 ribbons and a Josephson C700A on overheads, with a Sphere DLX and a pair of BeesNeez BU67s on the rooms.

Thanks to Lost Valley Hotel for letting us share it. Filmed by Verena Klarmann-Potschka. Video is camera audio.

Studio Layout

The Moon is My Machine - Underground Trains

THE MOON IS MY MACHINE
- Underground Trains

Saxophone as a percussion instrument

This track started from that thing that you do as a saxophone player waiting to play. You clack the keys running your fingers up and down to warm them up before you get a chance to blow. I thought it would make a good sound to start a tune and it grew from there, taking it further with my favourite cinematic weird synth the Prophet 12.

Underground Trains is also the first video I've released made with Phosphene, my home-made modular video mixer which I have made to mangle and process video fx in realtime, like an instrument or button-heavy mixing board, with all kinds of oscillators and fun stuff. This one took 4:51 to make and 3 months to build the processor.

Keys, Saxophone Percussion - Ronan Charles

Recorded and produced at Aerial Recording, Perth

The Moon is My Machine - Underground Trains
YoutubeSpotify
Boobook owl perched on the mixing desk chair in the control room at Aerial Recording, Perth Hills

Not a great shot but a boobook owl perched on the mixing desk chair

Winter '26

Walked into the control room one Winter night to a rush of wings in front of my face.

It was a boobook owl, who had decided to pay a visit and now obviously did not want to leave in a hurry and sat perched on the chair of my mixing console revolving its head around in that weird, near 360 thing they do like a children’s toy.

As the last studio on the way out of Perth I guess I have got used to all kinds of visitors from the forest, lizards and quendas and possums but this was one of those things that was so beautiful and strange and calm and we just sat there for a while wondering who should start the mix job that I had. Eventually I snapped a quick and terribly dark photo before it simply swooshed off again into the forest.

Winter has been a mix of hard yakka and pure pleasure. I finally addressed a problem with my massive old flat 1950s roof and replaced it entirely with a new one, staging it carefully to keep the studio open and running for sessions. I’ve never liked wearing gloves so my hands looked very far from the soft hands of a nerdy recording engineer and more like I had been climbing up a mountain through brambles. But yeah - the show must go on and nobody seemed to mind as long as they sounded good.

The studio has had a really nice facelift in the process. New couches and lights and more cool tables and cabinets all making the place seem to glow and feel bigger and more comfortable.

The refreshed control room at Aerial Recording Perth with new couches, engineer at the console working on an edit

The refreshed control room, mid-edit
Photo - Verena Klarmann-Potschka

Thanks to all the great bands that have been through this Winter. Recorded disco-influenced tracks for Hunter Bailey’s band and Bribery. A bunch of sessions for Moorditj Maaman First Nations men’s choir, the amazing award-winning songwriter Phil Bartlett, the feisty rap of Braja, classic rock from Lost Valley Hotel and an album project taking shape with the talented pianist-songwriter Sixella.

Still to come is a giant project for Simon Lindsay: tracking his instrumental metal album through his huge amp collection and getting it right at the source with Aerial’s mics and room. And Marion Beugels returns with a full band and some new numbers.

Verena has well and truly settled in, and one thing she’s been doing that bands have loved — capturing photos and video of every session, so everyone leaves with a little document of the day along with their tracks. Keep an eye on your feeds.

Autumn in the hills

Autumn in the Hills

The Rainy Season

I'll hold my hands up — I've completely fallen behind keeping the site updated lately.

My Instagram has been a ghost town all year, and even my usual habit of finding a quiet day or two each week to keep the diary ticking along has gone out the window.

All Autumn and now into early Winter it's been one thing after another from every musical direction on the compass. A new EP release by Clutch Brake Accelerate is out now — more on that soon. A couple of songs with the esteemed First Nations Moorditj Maaman singers group led by the inimitable Phil Bartlett. Singles with Marion Beugels (who had one of her songs recorded here nominated in the WAM song contest),Paul Kew and Bribery back again for another. A bunch of new The Moon is My Machine singles finished and awating their video releases. Album mastering for Ekadek. Just some of the highlights of what has been a genuinely packed season.

And then, literally on top of all of that — the studio roof over the main room came apart and went back together again. New steel beams went in, which opened up the opportunity to experiment with a whole new floating ceiling and insulation system. Every stage was carefully sequenced so the studio could keep running in between. The main room also got a nice interior refresh in the process — even more comfortable and even more beautiful than before.

Through all of it, loyal studio hound Vinny has been his usual indispensable self. And I'm very happy to also welcome a capable human to the team: Verena Klarmann-Potschka has joined Aerial to help keep sessions running smoothly.

More catching up to do — watch this space.

Marion Beugels - Someday Soon
Recorded, mixed and mastered @ Aerial

Marion Beugels WAM Song Contest

Congrats to Marion for landing a top 5 nomination in the prestigious WAM Song Contest this year for "Someday Soon" in the Global category.
This track is the sweetest of sweet sweet Bossas and its so beachy and sunsetty and she knows the hell out of the style from her touring days with her Brazillian bssand.

We get on just fantastic. No unusual way of doing things is illegal here and Marion certainly has a completely different way of working to anyone else. But yeah - it works and nice to see WAM recognising that this wonderful lady can totally nail it old school.

Marion also makes amazing pretzels. No, not just those stale things you're thinking of. I'm talking pretzels that look like they're straight out of Hansel & Gretel town and as big as your head. Since we did so well busting through a bunch of songs and she loved the results. Marion was kind enough to bake me a batch. That is just one of the reasons I hope she wins. She also definitely deserves to win for Pretzel of the Year.

YoutubeWAM Song Contest
Dr Alien Smith microphone R&D session

The new Dr Alien contact microphone positioned just right on the Yamaha G5
Photo - Dr Alien Smith

R&D Session Dr Alien Microphones

Dr Alien Microphones are a worldwide success story and made right here, in the hills, just up the road from Aerial.

I have a bit of a love affair with Dr Alien microphones, own the full range and regularly use them on sessions. Particularly love the innovative and experimental edge of his stuff that can bring so much to a session. Nobody makes anything like the dirt mic (a mic with built in distortion circuit) or the wormhole (a very bass frequency microphone at the end of a flexible tube).

It has been an absolute pleasure to have Dr Al here in person and to become part of testing and recording stuff to tweak and refine the sound of his new contact microphone specifically designed to capture the body vibration of instruments. The big woody warm Yamaha G5 grand here was the perfect test subject.

Contact microphones are a tricky beast to get right but what they offer is a really direct sound that is often wonderfully isolated from other instruments in the room while getting all the natural resonance of the body. I am really looking forward to it becoming part of my microphone collection and experimenting with it on lots of other stuff.

Dr Alien Microphones

I Am The Only Running Footman | Monotonic - Heavy Metal

MONOTONIC
- Heavy Metal [Album]

Monotonic is an anomaly.
The band are all veterans of some rolled gold and quite famous Perth bands (Header, Yummy Fur and Ammonia) and led by Liam Coffey who basically jumps in the driver's seat and acclerates the band wagon straight off a cliff at top speed. The resulting sound reminds me of the scene from "Inception" where they're all tumbling in slow motion whilst in furious activity in some other dimension.

Well, I guess you might just have to listen to it not to see if my description makes sense! And it's in no way a criticism of a project that I really enjoyed working on, as it was so full of different approaches to really push a huge amount of texture into the songs.

Monotonic Heavy Metal recording sessions at Aerial Recording, Perth

Technically, the recording was built on a couple of sessions of bass and drums featuring Al's enormous solid brass snare front and centre and miked with one of my lovely Josephson mics, then many short experimental sessions of mad science experiments with pedals and reverbs and tape and leslie speakers galore and Liam was pushing hard to get to a bizarre twisted kaleidoscopic circus sound and break from traditional ways of treating vocals.

Fun fact : when totally raw, Liam sounds almost like a 5th Beatle through the U47.

Heavy Metal is out now on Hidden Shoal. Also available on vinyl ! Listen to the sample track for a rare recorded example of the electric bouzouki through a leslie speaker and my 60s Playmaster head.

Liam Coffey - Bass, Guitar, Organ, Vocals
Al Balmont - Drums
Jack Lucas - Guitar, Bouzouki

Recorded and Mixed at Aerial Recording, Perth
Mastered at Abbery Road by Frank Arkwright

SpotifyYoutube - Full AlbumHidden Shoal

The Moon is My Machine - She

THE MOON IS MY MACHINE
- She

Keren Letheby - Vocals
Ronan Charles - Drums, Keys, Guitar

Recorded and produced at Aerial Recording, Perth
Video produced with our own home made vfx software

For our daughter on her birthday.
Darling we love you so much.
We wrote this for you when you were tiny and now you're not and we are proud of you beyond measure for who you've become.

The Moon is My Machine - She
Youtube

Gus McKay - Talisman

Full album playlist

GUS McKAY
- Talisman (2017)

Made this record ten years ago, but I put this on the turntable today and just fell for it again.
"Talisman" was the first vinyl album to come out of Aerial and it was such a classic project from the start. Gus had a stack of songs he'd been working up about his life oscillating between the seclusion of his farm in the Wheatbelt and playing gigs and living life in the big smoke. He loved the old service station here as the setting for walking through a full album that would surface his own brand of Australiana shot through with a heavy dose of oz blues.

I got old buddy Phil Waldron to play bass and we set about tracking the trio live with me on drums and Gus with his array of guitars sitting on a Fender Champ at the other end of the hall.

It was freaking hot that Summer of 2016 and we tore into bending the arrangements and Phil and I shared duties on a bunch of overdubs with everything we had - violin, Hammond, nagoya harp, pedal steel, horns - whatever we needed to do to transform the trio into what we needed to give each song its own personality - from the chasing-a-greased-pig vibe of "Piawaning Suit" to the almost Motownish vibe of "Fallen Down", it passes through some beer-barn-brawl vibes through to some really beautiful porch moments and ghosts of old town hall dances.
It remains one of the best records I've ever made. Gus' voice sounded perfect on the U47 with a little LA2A and verb. Heavy dose of Beyer M160 ribbon mics on whatever I could point them at. There is also a sax solo from the late and great Paul "Pax" Andrews on there. Probably one of his last documented bits of playing.

Gus had it mastered at Abbey Road and printed to vinyl as he was so pleased with how it turned out. Critics loved it too. It got a fair bit of attention on release and I think its because it sort of feels like a classic record right from the start.

I just loved the time we had working on this record. It was just the right time for it and I was finally in a chill groove with the old service station studio and learning how to use its spaces and where things sounded good.

We have been meaning to reprise the same group and do another record for a while but Phil is living in Darwin and Gus is out in the desert prospecting for gold. Sometimes you only get one shot and I'm glad we got this one down when we did. Oh and there is a copy in Midland Records - somebody go grab it!

Gus McKay - Vocals, Guitar, Harp
Phil Waldron - Bass, Double Bass, Trumpet, Violin, Cello,Pedal Steel Guitar, Bouzouki
Ronan Charles - Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Tenor Saxophone, Nagoya Harp
Paul "Pax" Andrews - Tenor Saxophone

Recorded and Mixed at Aerial Recording 2016
Mastered by Simon Gibson at Abbey Road

YoutubeSpotifyDiscogsMidland Records
Aerial Recording Studio Glen Forrest - Rose Willow modular session featuring dense patch cable routing, Make Noise Morphagene and Erbe-Verb modules for experimental sound design.

Rose Willow exploring Aerial's modular for textures for her new album

Experimental textures with Rose Willow

The palette for Rose Willow’s upcoming album demands something much more real and crafted, pushing us far beyond the digital and into the experimental side of the studio.
We spent a productive session finding many beautiful and bizarre sounds in the room, utilizing:

  • Vocals through a 1950s Kay Amp: Fired directly at the Autotone piano soundboard for sympathetic resonance.
  • The Leslie Speaker: Used for vocal and drum tracking to create modulated, otherworldly movement.
  • Acoustic Textures: Layers of 19th-century Pump Organ, Accordion, violin, and the metallic pluck of the Nagoya Harp.
  • Synth Textures: The famously scary sounding reverb of the modular Erbe-Verb combined with Morphagene's sample mangling. The ultra-cinematic sound of the Prophet 12 and some great lo-fi string synth sounds from the Korg Delta and vintage Roland RS-202.
  • The Foundation: Amped-up Wurlitzer and Hammond A100, both sounding wonderfully "valvey."
  • The Anchor: Our 1964 Yamaha G5 Grand Piano—the greatest songwriting tool in the building.
Wagner U47W valve condenser microphone Serial 73 in the Aerial Recording live room, Perth Hills.

Wagner U47W valve microphone in the live room at Aerial Recording, Perth

Aerial's King of Microphones

The first choice microphone for every Beatles tracking session at Abbey Road and A-lister vocal recording in the top rooms of LA, the long-body U47 has remained the undisputed standard.

Aerial's Wagner U47W (Serial #73) is a forensic recreation of that legacy. It’s driven by a noise-selected Telefunken EF12 steel tube—a component originally engineered for the rugged reliability of mid-century military-grade radio, and an output transformer hand-wound with original 1950s nickel lamination.

Just wrapped an intimate Bossa Nova track with Marion Beugels, using the U47 to capture the natural air of the room and every nuance of her expert vocal style. From a delicate jazz vocal to recording a blazing blues riff on a Princeton, this microphone is the cornerstone of the Aerial signal chain.When Marion heard the first playback she indicated to the microphone and said "That's my precious now!"

Included in all standard studio hire so that the best tools are in front of every artist, every time.

Marion Beugels tracking a beautiful Bossa Nova song with the U47
Marion Beugels tracking Someday Soon at Aerial Recording, Feb 23
Aerial's Microphone Collection

The Moon is My Machine - Mirage

THE MOON IS MY MACHINE
- Mirage

A bit late this month but here you go another one off the presses from the studio's own Research & Development Department. This one is all about the Hammond and a big distorted beat from the Ludwig.And the cool way the beat turns around at the end. And if you don't like it man you square daddy-o :)

Vocals - Keren Letheby
Drums, Bass, Hammond Organ, Prophet 5 - Ronan Charles

Recorded and produced at Aerial Recording, Perth

The Moon is My Machine - Mirage
YoutubeSpotify

Keira Watson - Nothing Like This

KEIRA WATSON
- Nothing Like This

Keira Watson's Valentines Day release follows up from last year's Honest album and sets out in a slightly new direction.
Now rolling with a jangly electric guitar, we constructed a lazy dreamy Sundays like world for her effortlessly lovely voice, making sure that the performance was raw and heartfelt by going with first takes and very little editing.

Her voice is so perfect that it feels like it comes pre-tuned and really there is very little that needs doing when it comes like this, you just stand back and let the singer deliver and keep the chain simple - just a mic into the Ekadek console and add a bit of "atmosphere". She jetted off for some dates in England straight after we finished it up and hope she's doing great there.

Guitar and Vocals - Keira Watson
Drums, Guitar, Bass, Piano - Ronan Charles

Recorded and produced at Aerial Recording, Perth

YoutubeSpotify
The Arid Ones - Esperance band live tracking at Aerial Recording

The Arid Ones - Esperance's own bonafide rockstars

Summer 2026

I've fallen into the habit of seasonal posts and for some reason I always mention the weather.
So yeah it was a weirdly good summer with soul-saving breaks of rain and then switching again to be hot enough to be a hilly hellscape with raging fires in the nearby suburbs. Makes sense - we're a bit closer to the sun up here in the Perth Hills. And the moon.

Hot music being made here too. Have had a season of incredible range, jazz and the whole gamut of beautiful to grungey indie bands and solo project singer song-writers bringing in everything from sweet acoustic guitar jangle to yacht rock.
One of my favourite projects to come through the doors, The Fee led by the talented Jamie Wilson, tracked a full keyboard-driven indie-with-some-jazz-soul album of incredibly depth here, making full use of the G5 Yamaha grand and deep diving into my collection of classic synths for some really interesting tones. Glad that my old 1976 Roland RS-202 string synth has finally made its way onto a record. It added its shimmering vintage class to a specific section in Jamie’s keys that felt like a nod to classic 70s production. Can you tell I get a bit excited when people want to explore the sounds these old boards can make?1976 Roland RS-202 - Vintage Keyboard collection at Aerial Recording

Guitar virtuoso Kalamunda jazz guitar legend, Aaron Deacon brought in an intensely beautiful track and some really amazing jazz players, including the multi-instrumentalist Daniel Drieburg on violin and mandolin.
Monotonic has started releasing singles from their reverb drenched drone core album "Heavy Metal". A few more single for The Moon is My Machine and one that I am really looking forward to coming out, LMNO has started mastering their record too so should follow in the next month or so.
Recorded a pair of new singles for the lovely and very 80's inspired Marion Beugels and a new single with Mundaring local songstress Keira Watson just in time for her tour of England :)

So many other projects have been in, but the picture to the left is from yesterday's session with The Arid Ones. I am so humbled by the fact that they packed the van and drove up all the way from Esperance specifically to record here (a freaking 1400km round trip!), always bringing treats for Vinny and a great energy to their music. They're such lovely dudes and have a funny habit of calling me "Uncle" which is kinda sweet but also reminds me a bit of just how long I've been doing this...
Anyway..after all the work I did to the acoustics last year, the room has really become what I intended, capable of recording all the amps in the room, if that is the way you feel most comfortable. Or isolated if you want the flexibility of more precise editing and control. The Arid Ones just wanted to vibe all together in the same room, same as they're used to without having to use headphones and man, they rocked it.

Monotonic - Lazers at Dawn

MONOTONIC
- Lazers At Dawn

This was one of those projects where 10 was really not nearly enough on the dial.
Monotonic really pushed the limits of what could be crammed into the fragile shell of a pop song, signal chains bursting at the seams and amp tubes routinely blowing from sheer gaininess of the sounds we were pushing down the cables.

‘Lazers at Dawn’ is the second single, lifted from their new album “Heavy Metal”, due out March 27th 2026 on the Hidden Shoal record label. Recorded and mixed at Aerial with Liam Coffey in the producer's chair and mastered at Abbey Road, it's been getting some attention in the press. Check out the new video by "Clockwork Orange" inspired video by the label owener, Cam Merton.

YoutubeHidden Shoal

The Moon is My Machine - Test Pilot

THE MOON IS MY MACHINE
- Test Pilot

Ronan Charles - drums, keys and other stuff

Recorded and mixed at Aerial Recording

Many years ago I used to survive as a gigging musician by working for labels making websites for bands. I used to really enjoy making the interfaces as graphically intense as I could and explore animation and sound fx. With a little bit of spare time over the Xmas I put together a new site for The Moon is My Machine that is pretty different from the typical website.

It's designed almost like an installation piece as an autonomous digital constellation that grows and dies and designs a new version of itself on every visit, sort of like a teched-up sushi train, but serving up shards of images and videos and lyrics ansd stories as a way of reinventing how a band website doesn't have to be quite as conventional as they seem to be these days.
Check it out on the TMiMM link below. Recommend visiting on desktop for a few more features.The Moon is My Machine - Test Pilot

YoutubeSpotifyTMiMM Website
Union guitar amplifier

Union Princeton - the new MVP at Aerial
Photo Meg @The Fee

Happy New Year

Wishing all the best for 2026 to everyone out there who loves and plays music!
I hope it brings you lots of joy and discoveries.

Such a big year. It was really the one where I got to check off loads off my wish list, and the steady work coming through the doors meant I could roll out a whole stack of studio upgrades from a dozen new microphones (the entire set of Dr Alien Smith's microphones, a really lovely MD421 and a pair of glorious Coles 4038s among a few others), an absolutely glorious new custom amplifier from Union (based on a Fender Princeton but some really wonderful mods), and probably most importantly some major upgrades to the acoustic tuning in the control room and big live room. A new headphone system has been really making life easy here for live band sessions.
Worth mentioning that both Union Guitars and Dr Alien microphones are both based here in the Perth Hills. Support Local :)

Haven't really had time to take stock but 2025 was thick with releases - a couple of dozen singles, a bunch of EPs and albums all firing out into the streaming world. 2026 promises to be even better with some great music coming out soon with albums for High On People and The Fee nearing completion.

Finished the year off with some really cool sessions with The Fee one-shotting a complete album during a summer storm (complete with thunder during the piano recording) and Keira Watson ducking back in to record another single just before NY. Also got to shake the cobwebs out of my own playing and did a couple of private party gigs over Xmas and NY jamming it out with my old friend Nathan Winterflood on drums. Oh yeah, while playing NYE's gig I saw 2 shooting stars - that's gotta mean my run of good luck continues, doesn't it?

Have a Great Year !
Ronan, Aerial Recording

Bryn Larkin recording guitar solo

Bryn Larkin shreds
Photo Meg @The Fee

Union GuitarsDr Alien Microphones

NEWS Archives.

CLIENTS.

  • Dale Brennan
  • Ned Madigan (Igneous)
  • Simon Lindsay
  • Phil Bartlett
  • Braja
  • Sixella
  • Hunter Bailey
  • Bribery
  • Moorditj Maaman
  • Indigo Junction
  • Ekadek
  • Paul Kew
  • Hayden Cise
  • Aaron Deacon
  • LMNO
  • Chris Toh
  • Union Guitars
  • The Fee
  • The Arid Ones
  • Don Butler
  • Kalamunda Performers
  • Jon Butler
  • High On People
  • Dr Alien Smith
  • Marion Beugels
  • Cameron Weeks
  • Rose Willow
  • Mickey Montella
  • Jacinta & Max
  • Langley Chambers
  • Tess Loveless
  • Danny Scott
  • Thrillhouse Games
  • Stuart Mackay
  • Shane Wallace
  • Clutch Brake Accelerate
  • Chronade Nallyways
  • Oskar Melleus
  • Lakadayzikl
  • Future Perth Generations
  • Jon Buckner
  • Engine Room Blues
  • Fred Younger Quartet
  • Toby Mills
  • Jane Nichols
  • Lost Valley Hotel
  • Jessica Russell
  • Art Hawkes
  • Shift Report
  • Georgina Dacheff
  • Keira Watson
  • Community Arts Network
  • Sascha Ion & The Elements
  • Treemendus Health
  • Cherry Pearce
  • Emily Williams
  • Alexandra Staiger
  • Sonder Lines
  • Ruby Come Back
  • Tim Mitchell
  • Colton, Shane & Rhys
  • Vermistropos
  • The Moon is My Machine
  • Rob Zielinski & Manuela Centanni
  • Monotonic
  • Phil Waldron & Emily Armytage-Green
  • Community Chamber Orchestra
  • Matt Walsh
  • Nel Begley Quintet
  • Chagos Population
  • Rain No Rain
  • Cam Avery
  • Huge Magnet
  • Radio Repairs
  • Joe Leach
  • Gus McKay
Show More

Audio Samples

Nel Begley Quintet - Detour Ahead

London based jazz vocalist Nel Begley recorded this beautiful Billie Holiday song with the quintet live in the Big Room on her recent tour to Perth.
Nel Begley - vocals, Russell Holmes - piano, Luke Fowler - double bass, Joe Fowler - flute, Alex Reid - drums.

2023

Radio Repairs - Big Tree

A live session with bass and piano in the Big Room and drums in the booth.
Ronan Charles - piano, Phil Waldron - double bass, Daniele Di Paola - drums

2021

Gus McKay - Piawaning Suit

Blues legend Gus McKay recorded the critically acclaimed "Talisman" album at Aerial. Here is one of the tracks that always reminds me of chasing a greased pig. :)

2017

GEAR.

Microphones

  • Wagner U47W
  • Josephson C700A
  • Josephson E22s x 2
  • Beesneez BM49
  • Beesneez BU67 x 2
  • Coles 4038 x 2
  • Neumann TLM 102 x 2
  • Universal Audio Sphere DLX
  • Universal Audio SP1 x 2
  • Universal Audio SD3
  • Universal Audio SD5
  • BeyerDynamic M160 x 4
  • BeyerDynamic M201
  • BeyerDynamic M88
  • BeyerDynamic M69
  • DrAlienSmith SubMic
  • DrAlienSmith Alien8
  • DrAlienSmith Capsule8
  • DrAlienSmith DirtMic-01
  • DrAlienSmith Wormhole
  • DrAlienSmith Gravity
  • Audix D6
  • Studio Projects T3
  • Sennheiser MD441
  • Sennheiser MD421
  • Sennheiser MD21
  • Telefunken MD21
  • Line Audio CM4 x 2
  • Electro-Voice N/D 868
  • Electro-Voice N/D 468
  • Electro-Voice DS35 x 2
  • Electro-Voice 635A x 2
  • Electro-Voice RE11
  • Shure SM7B
  • Shure Unidyne 545 x 2
  • Shure Green Bullet
  • Shure SM57 x2
  • Shure SM58
  • MOV LV4-O
  • Wasaphone MkII
  • Behringer BA19A

Preamps

  • 8 Channels Neve 538 (1970s Neve preamps, EKADEK CONSOLE)
  • Neve 1081 x 2
  • AEA RPQ3 x 2
  • NPNG DMP-2NW x 2
  • Sebatron Axis 200VU (Tube)
  • Neve Portico 5012 x 2
  • Ampex 600 (Tube)
  • Alctron MP73
  • UAD Unison x 8

EQ

  • Neve 1081 x 2
  • Chandler Tone Control x 2
  • Valley People Maxi-Q

Compressors

  • Ekadek Fat Lady Vari-Mu x 2
  • Drawmer 1968 x 2
  • Valley International Comander x 2

FX

  • Autotone (1920's Acoustic Reverb!)
  • Roland Space Echo
  • Roland Chorus Echo
  • Strymon Timeline
  • DrAlienSmith Dirt Box
  • Valley People Kepex II Noise Gate
  • Valley People DSP De-Esser

Console

  • Ekadek Klangenschmitt

Recorders

  • UAD Apollo X8P
  • UAD Apollo 16
  • UAD Quad Satellite
  • Prism Orpheus
  • Ampex AG440B (1969 1/2" 4 track tape machine)
  • Teac 22-2 tape machine

Monitors

  • Quested S8

Headphones

  • AT M50x,M40x(x7)
  • Beyer Dynamic DT770
  • Extreme Isolation EX-29
  • Behringer P16-I
  • Behringinger P16-D
  • Behringer P16-m HQ x6
  • Presonus Hp60
  • Alctron H6n
  • Alctron HA4 x 2

Computer Stuff

  • Mac Studio M1 | 64gb ram
  • UAD Luna
  • Ableton Live
  • Huge plug-in collection

INSTRUMENTS & AMPS.

Keyboards

  • Yamaha G5 Grand Piano [1964 fully restored]
  • Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 [1983 Rev3.3 w/ midi]
  • DSI Prophet 12
  • Moog Voyager
  • Nord Grand
  • Hammond A100 & Leslie [1963]
  • Wurlitzer 270 Piano [1970s]
  • Rhodes MKI Piano [1976]
  • Rhodes MKII Piano [1979]
  • Rhodes Piano Bass [1979]
  • Roland RS-202 [1976]
  • Yamaha CP70 B Electric Grand
  • Yamaha CP Reface
  • Yamaha CS Reface
  • Yamaha YC Reface
  • Korg Bass Synthe [1975]
  • Korg Delta [1979]
  • Solina String Ensemble [1974]
  • Piano Accordions
  • Mason & Hamlin Pump Organ [1897]

* Can locally source many other vintage keyboards on request

Instruments

  • Fender Jazzmaster [MIJ]
  • Sqier Vibe Precision Bass
  • Hofner Violin Bass
  • Nagoya Harp
  • Modular Synth with 30+modules
  • Accordions x3

* Can locally source many other vintage guitars on request

Pedals

  • Universal Audio Enigmatic
  • Tech 21 Sansamp
  • Strymon Timeline
  • Big Muff
  • BeeGee Fuzz
  • Vox Wah
  • Crybaby Wah
  • Radial DI
  • Alctron Re-Amper
  • Sonicake ABY
  • Jefferson Analog pedals x 30!

Drums

  • Gretsch Round Badge Kit [20",16",13"][1960s]
  • Ludwig Black Beauty Snare
  • Ludwig Standard Maple Snare
  • Slingerland Artist Series Snare [1966]
  • Ajax Bass Drum 28" [1930s]
  • Premier Bass Drum 20" [1960s]
  • Tama Bass Drum 22" [1970s]
  • Bosphorus, Istanbul, Zildjian & Meinl Cymbals
  • Hang Drum
  • Balinese Gong
  • Tama 900 series hardware
  • Miscellaneous Percussion - shakers, tambourines
  • Elektron MachineDrum

Amps

  • Union (custom Princeton)
  • Kay 30w "Widow Maker" [1950s]
  • Leslie 142 [1960s]
  • Fender PA100 [1970s]
  • Rex Bassking [1960s]
  • Playmaster PM116 [1960s]

Speakers

  • 2 x 12” Celestions
  • 1 x 15” Marshall
  • 2 x 12" Fender
  • 4 x 8" Fender (pair)

INTERESTING STUFF.

Autotone Reverb Device

Autotone Acoustic Reverb Device

The main recording room has an intimate hall sound but this stupidly heavy, old 1920s Autotone pianola soundboard has become my favourite natural reverb enhancer for drums, vocals, guitars. Offers a beautiful natural zingy reverb that no plugin comes close to.

U47 and Josephson Microphones at Aerial Recording

Favourite Microphones

Probably two of the finest microphones ever made and get used on everything I record. On the left is the extremely rare Wagner U47W, made from original Neumann parts and favoured by all singers for somehow giving back more than you put in. Beside it is the pristine dual capsule Josephson C700A, immensely capable of stunning realism.
Often use them as a pair on almost any source for a blend of tone and detail.

Ekadek Console at Aerial Recording

Ekadek Klangenschmitt Console

This is the electric pulsing heart of the studio. It has been running virtually non-stop since 2009 without a single issue. Commissioned as the first ever custom console build from the now incredibly world famous Ekadek and equipped with 8 channels of genuine Neve 538 preamp modules from the early 1970s.

The Neve 538s are rare Class-A transistor stages originally designed for BBC broadcast consoles (circa 1974, same era as the legendary Neve 80-series). These particular modules were salvaged from equipment supplied by the ABC to their Pacific affiliate radio stations - a fascinating piece of broadcast history now bringing classic Neve warmth and punch to album recordings.

I've always loved the steampunk meets Abbey Road TG desk styling. A beautiful sounding desk that is a pleasure to use every day. So practical and a genuine audio swiss army knife. Mass loads of gain and beautiful fat sound.

www.ekadek.com
Wurlitzer 270

Wurlitzer 270 - "Butterfly" Electric Baby Grand

One of the most beautiful, rarest and fanciest electric pianos ever made. Basically it's a 200A Wurlitzer in a solid walnut case.
Those lovely wings lift up to let the stereo 8" speakers do their thing which just makes it such a fun and immediate instrument to work something out on.
Sounds absolutely magnificent, fat and funky. One of my favourite things in the world is a good wurly part on a song. So much vibe.

STUDIO LAYOUT.

Aerial Recording Studio floorplan showing 75m² main tracking room, control room, isolation booths and amp room in Glen Forrest, Perth

STUDIO WALKTHROUGH

One continuous mid-session take from the isolation room, through the control room and out into the 75m² live room. QRD and rattan wall treatment, high windowa and drums under the cloud. Features Lost Valley Hotel.

STUDIO FLOORPLAN

  • A. 1950s Workshop (Main Live Room) 75m2
  • B. Control Room
  • C. Isolation Room
  • D. Maintenance Room
  • E. Amp isolation room.
  • F. Storage
  • G. Entry
  • H. Kitchenette
  • I. Utility
  • J. Machine Room
  • K. Storage
Download Studio Specifications & Technical Rider

SESSION RATES.

$90HOURLY RATE
$7008 HOUR BLOCK RATE
Aerial Recording is available for BOOKINGS
7 days a week, day or night
Rates include engineer and all studiO equipment and instruments
[ 2 HOUR MINIMUM SESSION ]

STAFF.

Aerial Recording Staff

Ronan Charles

Aerial Recording is owned and operated by me, Ronan Charles. I started as a live band mixer in Melbourne in the late 80s after learning the craft from master engineer Vyt Karazija.

I hitched to Perth for a little break, stayed and played in various bands through the 90s and 00s (including WAMI awards with Seahorse Radio and One Horse Town), then worked as a session and touring musician and for record companies.

I opened Aerial in 2013 after falling in love with the the huge main room of the old 50s service station and doll museum and refitting it into a earthy, quiet recording retreat.

Always happy to contribute to your recording with parts or ideas but also know when to shut up and work the controls. :)

Vinny

Verena Klarmann-Potschka - Assistant Engineer

Verena grew up in the recording studios of her father, who was a member of famous german band Spliff and involved with the production of the huge 80s hit "99 Red Balloons" by Nena.
Aside from her keen ear, Verena sings, plays a mean ukulele, and can assist with backing vocals, session videos and photos.

Vinny

Vinny - Assistant Engineer/ Good Boy

Vinny has spent his entire working life at Aerial and ranks musos very fairly on the quality of their friendliness and snacks. He is ultra-respectful of instruments and cables but will totally eat your lunch if you leave it on the table while you record your guitar solo.

RECORDYOURWAY

At the end of the day, good music is about people, their ideas and emotions and raw performing talent, not gear.

Using good gear, in a comfortable studio and working with an experienced engineer/producer never seems to hurt though :)

Clients will often bring in tracks that they've started on their own rigs, knowing they've got a great idea, but wanting to rework it with more clarity and character, and finally capture a definitive performance.

Aerial Recording Studio - Control Room

Aerial Recording is well equipped to work at breakneck pace or to take your time and really dig deep. I can also arrange Perth's best session musicians to perform any overdubs you may want.

Get in touch and we can organise a time to visit and have a chat about your project.

Aerial Recording Studio - Entry

"so this is where the magic happens"

Aerial Recording Marqee Sign on the old 1950s service station

SPECIALS.

Give the gift of studio time. Great for partners of musicians or bandmates celebrating a milestone.

  • Half-day (4 hours): $360
  • Full-day (8 hours): $700
  • Valid for 12 months
How it works:
  1. Email me with recipient's name and amount
  2. I'll send you a custom gift certificate (PDF)
  3. They contact me to book their session
Buy a Gift Certificate

Terms: Gift certificates valid for 12 months from purchase date.
All specials subject to availability. Text or email to check dates.