MPR Songwriting Weekenders
“2 Guided Studio Days: Everyone Writes Their Own Song On Site”
3 experienced coaches, 2 night stay, private chef.
Goal = Each Retreater leaves with one finished song of their own. You are split into 3 groups on first session (3/3/2), one per coach. All songwriting is solo. Peer on peer feedback welcomed.
Meet your songwriting coaches
Ian Dowling – Grammy winning record producer, songwriter & mixer, Ian has recorded & mixed multiple platinum & gold certified releases, including albums by Adele, Kasabian, The Kooks, Bombay Bicycle Club, One Direction & Catfish and The Bottlemen. He earned his stripes in Strongroom Studios Shoreditch for years before teaming up with Jim Abbiss. Other credits include KT Tunstall, Everything Everything, Black Honey, Blaenavon, McBusted, The Orwells, Seafret, Briston Maroney, Birdy, Circa Waves, LIFE, Underworld & The Prodigy. Recent clients: The Kooks, Jack Kays, Rye Lachance, Samuel Ashton, Letter To Elise
Chris James - As a singer-songwriter Chris’ songs have been streamed over 140million times, in 2006 Chris co-wrote & recorded songs for DJ Shadow & performed them live on his world tour. Now known as Run Rivers, Chris writes & records songs & lead vocals for major dance labels including Anjuna/Enhanced/Armada/Purified & scores music for TV & film. Chris has worked with with DJ Shadow, Tinlicker, Chicane, My Brightest Diamond, strings with The Balanescu Quartet & London Symphony Orchestra, written original scores for BAFTA winning director Leo Burley & 2 x Emmy-winning Exec-producer Diene Petterly.
Clay Bennett – Head engineer at Blue Bell Hill Studios where we host The Music Production Retreat, record producer/songwriter, session guitarist/bassist & mixer (inc Dolby Atmos). Working as head engineer at BBH for years he’s been mentored by one of the UK’s leading mixers Barny Barnicott (Arctic Monkeys, Laura Marling). Specialising in analog board mixing via an SSL G-series console. He’s also toured Europe performing as lead guitarist with The Ariston Band who featured in the latest Bob Marley biopic film. His studio work includes projects with artists such as Gia Ford, The Ariston, Public Order, and Palaye Royale.
Secure your room now with a 10% deposit
We look forward to welcoming you!
All packages include 2 night stay, cooked or continental breakfast. 3 course meal by amazing private chef. All studio time & songwriting coaching. You are welcome to use our kitchen to make your own lunch or there is a nice cafe on site most people use.
Room 1 £694
Pay only £69 now
-
Kingsize bed
Shared bathroom
Smart TV
Dressing Gown
Hairdryer
WiFi
Ground Floor
Room 2 £694
Pay only £69 now
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Double bed
Shared Bathroom
Dressing Gown
Slippers
Hairdryer
WiFi
Ground Floor
Room 3 £719
Pay only £72 now
-
Kingsize bed
Shared Bathroom
Coffee and tea facities
Smart TV
Dressing Gown
Slippers
Hairdryer
WiFi
First Floor
Room 4 £644
Pay only £64 now
-
Single bed
Shared Bathroom
Dressing Gown
Slippers
Hairdryer
WiFi
First Floor
Room 5 £694
Pay only £69 now
-
Double bed
Shared Bathroom
Dressing Gown
Slippers
Hairdryer
WiFi
First Floor
Room 6 £694
Pay only £69 now
-
Double bed
Shared Bathroom
Dressing Gown
Slippers
Hairdryer
WiFi
First Floor
Room 7 £644
Pay only £64 now
-
Single bed
Shared Bathroom
Dressing Gown
Slippers
Hairdryer
WiFi
First Floor
Room 8 £789
Pay only £79 now
-
Kingsize bed
En-suite with shower
Smart TV
Coffee and tea making facitities
Dressing Gown
Hairdryer
WiFi
First Floor
Simply join the Weekenders Priority List & as soon as we have enough people for your retreat we’ll secure a date that works for everyone.
The Retreat Program
Saturday
10am-11am | Arrive & check into your rooms
11am-2pm | Session 1: All 8 together with 3 coaches in the Live Lounge – “Find Your Song
- 11:00 Welcome and 15-minute Warm Up = free-write song titles, stream of consciousness, then share 3 song titles each
11.30 Ian, Chris & Clay demo “songwriting tools” = Splice, Chordify, Logic Pro, Nature, Poetry Books, Arthouse films, etc et
- 12.30 Workshop: finding your one big idea, writing based off your best title, write main hooks & FIND THE CHORU
3 groups = 1 each for Ian, Chris & Clay.
Each group has 30 minutes with each coach then must swap.
2-4pm | Lunch (not included, lovely cafe is on site) and solo writin
Write verse 1 & verse 2 around your chorus. Coaches are around for drop-in questions.
4-7pm | Session 2: “Build Your Structure
- 4:00 Workshop: song structure, the verse-to-chorus lift, and melody shapes, pre-chorus, possible middle 8 etc
- 4:30 Solo writing: shape your melody & finalise the verses
- 5:15 Rotating 20-minute 1:1 feedback sessions with coaches, while others keep writin
- 6:30 Whole group play-backs of works in progress
7-8pm | Relax
8pm onwards | 3 course Dinner, then an optional jam sessio
Private chef Caye is amazing. Relaxed jam after & no pressure. Share drafts, play covers & of course improvise. At least 1 coach joins in.
Sunday
10-11am | Continental or cooked Breakfast by Hannah your host who co-owns Denmark House
11-2pm | Session 3: “Redraft & Level Up” – Songwriting Worksho
- 11:00 Warm-up: Coaches explain the session
- 11:30 "Song surgery" workshop: cutting any filler, stronger imagery, and making sure words scan to melody. Main question “Is that the best way I can say it?” & “Does it scan well & actually sound nice?”
3 groups – 1. Chris - lyrics & melody 2. Ian - Chords & topline 3. Clay – Structure & Arrangement
Each group has 50 minutes with each coach then must swap.
2-4pm | Lunch and rehearsal
Finish your song and practise performing it. Coaches can help with accompaniment & arrangement.
4-7pm | Session 4: Polish and Showcase
- 4:00 1:1 coach time for final polish & any Qs, plus a peer listen-throug
- 5:00 Sound check & running order
- 5:30 Showcase: all 8 songs (about 5 minutes each), with *one "what worked" note from a coach per song
- 6:30 Reflection circle: key takeaways and next steps, such as an optional 5 night full Music Production Retreat to record & fully produce your song & make it into a record.
7-8pm | Relax
8pm onwards | 3 course Dinner, then a relaxed farewell jam session
*(Retreaters leave with the full rights to their own song, any peer on peer suggestions are gratis, you agree to these Ts & Cs when you sign up & there will be no disputes afterwards.)
Don’t forget, after you’ve attended one— as a past retreater, you’ll receive 10% off your next session at Blue Bell Hill Studios!