Experience

the ultimate music studio retreat

with industry talent

behind Arctic Monkeys, DJ Shadow & Adele

Now taking bookings for our MPR retreat 6th-11th April 2025

Dive into the art of making amazing records 🔥

The Music Production Retreat brings the process to life. Stay 5 nights & enjoy 4 days of immersive, collaborative sessions at our world-class recording studio with Grammy-winning talent.

Take your music to another level.

“WOW, what an incredible experience. I loved it so much I’m coming back in 2025. The small groups & flexibility encouraged collaboration. The team worked hard to make sure everyone reached their goals. The food & hospitality was top class & they could not be more welcoming.” - Barry 2024

“The magic was that we naturally collaborated across genres. This was brilliant & I felt brought us all together regardless of music tastes. We all had the passion for music in common & wanted to help each other out to achieve a great result in each of our own projects.” - Andy 2024

Learn new skills, make friends & develop your music 🎧

MPR is a fun & supportive environment. The magic comes alive in our incredible secluded location allowing you to escape & fully focus on your craft. You’ll be working on your music with experienced professionals who’ve worked with some of the biggest artists of the last 20 years. We are passionate & knowledgeable about the art form & our mission is to elevate your process.

To get more of a feel, check out our YouTube page!

About Us

Barny, Chris & Jim worked together in 2004 & remained close friends & regular collaborators ever since.
The idea for MPR came about as a combination of their collective experience in the music industry, working alongside some of the greats of the business.
They wanted to create a unique residential workshop experience that is fun & rewarding, a chance to escape & work closely with like-minded people who are passionate & want to learn more about the art of making records.
The chance to enjoy & learn on a 5-night residential getaway hosted at Blue Bell Hill Studios, Kent.
You will be one of nine guests & we tailor your MPR to concentrate on the specific aspects of production you are interested in.
Barny & Chris will run the sessions, assisted by the in-house studio engineer.  A guest session-player will also attend for us to multi-track.
Co-founder of MPR Jim Abbiss will be attending each retreat as a special guest to lend his vast wealth of experience.
With our combined experience, knowledge & the first-class facilities, we can cover every aspect of the record production process, from writing through to mixing & even DIY mastering!
We believe a hands-on-the-tools approach is the best way to learn. We work with you in small groups, in a relaxed & fun environment that’s conducive to learning & producing those moments of magic.

The Team

Barny Barnicott

Mixer
Barny is one of the UK’s leading mixers, working with a diverse range of artists & musical genres. He set up Blue Bell Hill Studios in 2007, which has since become one of the most in demand studios in the UK.
Barny has worked with Sam Fender, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Stereophonics, Jungle, Placebo, Kasabian, Suede & many more.
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Jim Abbiss

Producer
Jim is a Grammy Award-winning producer & three-time nominee for British Producer of the Year. Over the last 25 years Jim has been one of the most successful record producers in the music business.
Jim has worked with Adele, Bjork, DJ Shadow, Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys, KT Tunstall, Bombay Bicycle Club, Nova Twins, Deadletter & many more.
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Chris James

Composer / Songwriter / Vocalist
In 2006 Chris recorded vocals for DJ Shadow & performed them live on his world tour. Now known as Run Rivers, Chris writes & records vocals for major dance labels & scores music for TV & film
Chris has worked with DJ Shadow, Tinlicker, Chicane, Joris Delacroix, Andrew Bayer, My Brightest Diamond, BAFTA winning Director Leo Burley & many more.
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The Course

Our Music Production Retreats take place throughout the year (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter).
Prices for the 5-night MPR start from £1650.
You can reserve your place on an upcoming course now.
You will then be able to book your dates & choose your room nearer the time.
Arrive between 6-8pm
Relax, settle in.
Snacks & refreshments are available, you’re also welcome to bring food & drink along.
Meet your fellow retreaters & then get a good night’s sleep before the action starts!
Breakfast (9-10am)
Breakfast is a self-service continental style, with cereals, breads, croissants, jams & spreads, fruits, & bacon ‘n’ eggs if you fancy a fry up.
Tea, Coffee & juices are available all day.
SESSION 1 (10-1pm)
We run 3 or 4 groups concurrently, with 2-3 people in each, giving you hands-on experience & all the attention you need.
LUNCH (1-2pm)
Lunch can be supplied & delivered by Nutkins Cafe, which is on-site. There is a wide choice of hot & cold meals available & these can be put on account & billed separately upon checkout. Alternatively, you can choose to eat in the cafe, which is a one-minute stroll from the main house.
If you fancy there is also the Robin Hood Pub or Blue Bells Cafe in the village, or you may want to bring your own lunch which you are most welcome to do.
SESSION 2 (2-5pm)
As with session 1, we run several groups concurrently during this period.
DINNER (7pm)
A fantastic two-course dinner will be prepared & served to you by one of our local chefs. Drinks are not included, but we do have a selection of wines to purchase or of course you can bring your own drinks.
After dinner you are free to relax in front of the fire, visit the local pub or enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Continental Breakfast from 8.30-9.30am & check out at 10am.
Blue Bell Skin Care & Beauty
We have our own treatment room on site, where you can book a facial, massage or other treatments at any time.
For a list of treatments & pricing see here price list to be linked here (PDF)
The Robin Hood Pub
The Robin Hood is only a couple of minutes' drive away, or a 15-minute walk, where they also serve food from 1-8pm.
Blue Bell Cafe
The cafe is in the village, which is a 10-minute walk & opens from 9-5pm if you fancy going out for lunch.
Walks
The walks around Denmark House are stunning. A lookout point with a famous view over the downs is situated close by & the views are breathtaking.
If there is anything else, you would like to know about your stay please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

The Sessions

Prior to your stay, let us know the areas you are most interested in & we’ll tailor the sessions so you get the most out of your time here. We work together in small groups in a supportive & collaborative way, using a hands-on-the-tools approach. Learning by doing is the best way, with a real-world session vibe that cannot be replicated in a classroom.

Chris has over 20 years' experience of songwriting & has worked with a diverse range of artists.
He helps you make sure the chords, structure, arrangement, lyrics & melody are on point, which is essential before starting the production process.
We have a great choice of guitars, synths & software instruments available for you to use.  If you don't play an instrument, don't worry! We have many loops available & can help you get your ideas into great shape.
With our years of experience, we guide you through the maze of recording techniques that we have successfully used during our careers. A guest session player will attend for us to record & multi-track.
We have a wide range of equipment at our disposal but you are also welcome to bring any equipment or instruments of your own & we can help you get the best out of recording them.
The signal chain & gain structure is one of most important aspects of recording. We will demonstrate this process, working with pre-amps, compression, EQ, mic choices & placements.
The art of production covers all aspects of making a record. From getting the best out of the musicians, to ensuring you’ve compiled the perfect vocal from the best takes.
Ultimately, it’s about making the right choices. We will demystify this process with a hands-on approach, by making these artistic decisions together.
With many No. 1 albums & hit singles to his name, Barny will guide you through the ‘dark art’ of mixing. He can provide hands-on experience, covering both ‘in the box’ (DAW) & ‘on the board’ (console) mixing techniques.
The G series SSL console at Blue Bell Hill Studios is the console of choice for world-class studios across the globe. Our SSL has a rich history with countless hits being mixed on it, including those by The Happy Mondays, Elvis Costello, Joy Division, Primal Scream, The Killers, Elbow & hundreds more.
The console was originally installed at CBS Studios before moving to Eden Studios, then finally to Blue Bell Hill Studios. We will take you through this classic console & how to get the most from its iconic sound.

The Studio

Blue Bell Hill Studios

Just an hour’s travel from central London, artists & producers love escaping the city for our peaceful countryside retreat. This highly equipped & inspiring residential studio is one of the most in demand recording studios in the UK, consistently producing high quality records including some of the most influential tracks in recent history.

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