Rockfield Studios: Discovering Music's Holy Place

From Abbey Road Institute to Rockfield: Discovering Music’s Holy Place

February 13, 2026 by Dennis Beentjes

By Alessandro Ciniero

Introduction

Rockfield Studios and Abbey Road Studios are both legendary. For almost a decade, Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam has organised unique field trips and recording workshops for students and alumni at the legendary Rockfield Studios in Wales. In this article, I’m going to describe how the trip was a milestone in my Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering course at Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam, share my discoveries and feelings, and explain why future students shouldn’t miss this opportunity.

The Road to Rockfield in Wales

On the day of our departure to Rockfield, I went to the Abbey Road Institute, having slept very little the night before because of the excitement. Once I arrived, I found myself there with all my classmates. The atmosphere was vibrant; we knew that something different and unique was about to happen.

Rockfield Studios was part of our collective imagination as the most influential farm and residential studio in the history of pop-rock music. Black Sabbath, Queen, Rush, the Stone Roses, Oasis, the Charlatans, Coldplay, and Paolo Nutini had all been there. In a few hours, we would be there too.

We settled down on the bus and set off on a journey through four countries. The landscape gradually changed from the flat Dutch polders to the Belgian coastal areas and eventually to the British hills.

After more than 10 hours of travelling and a couple of stops, we finally saw it. A long, bumpy driveway preceded by a white fence and the legendary welcome sign with the logo of the holy place of music.

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The beautiful surroundings of Rockfield Studios UK

Writing stories and songs at Rockfield Studios

The Rockfield stay includes a workshop with the goal of creating a track from a demo that the class voted for before the trip. Participants had two full days to record all components and produce a rough mix.

I woke up after a restful night, wearing my Liam Gallagher T-shirt, and stepped out of my bedroom. The Welsh landscape was filled with a unique combination of sunshine and a gentle breeze. I enjoyed my breakfast under a tree, with views of the rolling hills and grazing cows.

Remember that Rockfield, in addition to being a recording studio, was and still is a farm with cows, sheep, horses and chickens.

After a hearty breakfast, we took a tour of Rockfield under the surprising and unexpected guidance of Kingsley Ward, who founded the studio with his brother Charles in 1965. I listened spellbound to Kingsley’s incredible stories, all worthy of inclusion in the history books of rock music. It’s the place where Freddie Mercury conceived “Bohemian Rhapsody,” where Coldplay was inspired to write “Yellow,” and where the acoustic version of Oasis’s “Wonderwall” was famously recorded against a wall that is still there today. The Coach House, in particular, is also steeped in iconic and secret stories involving Black Sabbath. This location is truly bursting with history and musical legends!

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Kingsley Ward, one of the founders of Rockfield Studios UK

Kingsley also shared insights into the building’s history and its layout. The Rockfield complex comprises two independent studios: the Coach House and the Quadrangle. The Coach House, the older of the two, was built in 1968 and, at the time of our visit, was centered around a Neve 8128 console. Constructed in 1973, the second studio, the Quadrangle, is currently equipped with an MCI 500-series console alongside an impressive array of outboard gear, including digital reverbs, delays, compressors, and EQs.

After saying goodbye to Kingsley, we split into two groups and began the recording session, but not before meeting the legendary Matt Butler, sound engineer and producer who has worked with artists such as Paul McCartney, E.L.O., Dire Straits and Chris Rea. Matt was leading the workshop, guiding us through recording techniques and offering valuable advice on how to organise the session for the best possible outcome.

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Abbey Road Institute students with engineer producer Matt Butler in the Quadrangle Studio at Rockfield

Recording drums with Matt Butler at Rockfield

We recorded from morning to evening, pausing only to enjoy a delicious lunch, dinner and a cup of tea. Each member of the group had the opportunity to try out different roles, from main engineer to Pro Tools operator, from Live Room engineer to patchbay, always under the expert eye of Matt Butler.

At the end of the session, we gathered in the Coach House lounge, tired but enthusiastic, to refresh ourselves with conversation and board games. Finally, I decided to go to bed. I left the house for my bedroom, looked up, and saw them; the brightest stars in Wales. The same ones that inspired Chris Martin to compose “Yellow” on Coldplay’s debut album.

I realised I was in a unique, special place, where music is in harmony with the human spirit and the surrounding nature. A place that exudes history and legends, where inspiration and creativity know no bounds.

Rockfield stayed with me even after we left. Matt and I established a professional relationship and friendship that allowed us to work together again. My passion for Oasis flared like a fire for the rest of the year, and I was more determined than ever to become an engineer for studios like never before.

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Alessandro Ciniero and Matt Butler at Rockfield

about Alessandro Ciniero

Alessandro Ciniero is a sound engineer. Born and raised in Italy, he graduated in Cinema and Media Engineering from the Politecnico di Torino and got the advanced Diploma in Music Production & Sound Engineering from the Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam.

With a professional background spanning both music and film production, he has worked on a wide range of projects across different fields, focusing on recording, audio post-production and sound design.

Alessandro has collaborated with artists and filmmakers internationally and is currently based in the Netherlands, where he works as a technician at the Abbey Road Institute Amsterdam and as a freelance recording and post-production engineer for various studios.

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