A unique opportunity to record a song at the world famous studios.

Abbey Road Studios announces the appointment of Hainesnet to deliver the ultimate team building event, allowing participants to perform and record a song in the world-renowned Abbey Road Studios.

A truly iconic symbol both in the British and worldwide music scene, Abbey Road Studios have been at the heart of the UK music industry for more than 80 years and home to countless landmark recordings and pioneering advances in recording techniques, equipment and technology.

This is a fantastic and unique experience – available to all, even those with no previous musical experience. Playing in a band is a uniting experience that not only requires close team work but also through performance creates a level playing that will break boundaries, encourage fun and develop confidence and group interaction. Typical group sizes are from 75 particpants.

Kerin Purcell, Head of Brand and Marketing at Abbey Road Studios said “We are pleased to be working with Hainesnet as we extend our event offer at Abbey Road Studios. As a preferred supplier for team building record a song days, the Hainesnet package means that more people, even those with no previous musical experience, can come together to perform and record a song at Abbey Road Studios”.

Previous participants have described the event as “achieving the impossible” and “fantastic, a dream. Nothing can ever top that.”

Philip Haines, Director said “Our proven record a song teambuilding event becomes the ultimate teambuilding event when combined with Abbey Road Studios. This really is a unique opportunity that people remember for the rest of their lives”

The teachers have a wealth of experience in private lessons, schools and further education, and also playing as a band for such clients as Cadbury, Epson and Sega. This experience allows the band members to teach effortlessly and with clear direction.

The day is split into two sections – instrumental tuition and then group rehearsal and performance.

The instrumental tuition takes place in groups split by instrument (drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals) and the tutor offers an introduction to the instrument/music notation, followed by one-on-one guidance on the parts required for the performance. The rock band experience is enjoyable, fun and inclusive so a relaxed and welcoming approach is adopted by the tutors throughout.

The songs for the band to perform are carefully chosen and arranged to allow complete beginners the opportunity to learn simple parts that contribute to the band performing an authentic version of a pop classic.

The audio for the performance is recorded and presented back on CD as a record of the day.

In addition to a range of optional extras such as catering, video and photography, the experience can be fully tailored to meet clients own objectives.

Hainesnet’s experiential teambuilding event – “Record a Song at Abbey Road Studios” – has been shortlisted by judges at this year’s Conference & Incentive Travel Excellence Awards, for Team Building Solution of the year, for its event that was delivered to ComVort, an international network of owner managed advertising agencies.

The ComVort group of global owner-managed marketing communication agencies hold an annual conference, a major focus of which is to improve communications, resulting in more effective joint pitching for future business. A key feature of each annual conference is a teambuilding exercise designed to help members bond together.

Not only did ComVort rate this as their best teambuilding event ever, far exceeding the return on objectives which had been set in advance, but Abbey Road Studios themselves were so impressed that Hainesnet is now their exclusive partner for teambuilding at Abbey Road.

The success of the day was a combination of planning and execution. In advance, as part of the registration process, delegates had been asked a number of questions related to the teambuilding exercise. This included whether they had previous experience, or a preference for any particular instrument, or type of singing. This enables the teachers, who are also performers, to bring the right number and mix of instruments.

On arrival the delegates were shown a short film of the history of Abbey Road Studios which immediately pumped up the enthusiasm of all in Studio One. There was deliberately no dressing in the studios as we wanted to create the normal working studio environment.

Delegates were able to choose between a range of instruments, rock choir or lead vocals, with professional musicians and singing coaches on hand to provide tuition in small groups. Parts are carefully arranged to cater for all abilities, so that even those who have never sung or played an instrument before can take part in the final performance. The fact that delegates could just sit down at the “John Lennon” piano and other artefacts added to the sense of presence.

“Music is the perfect metaphor for getting the team building message across,” says Jonathon Hall. “You start the day as a group of individuals many of whom you’ve never met before, and by the end you’re on stage performing together as a cohesive band. It feels like you’ve achieved the impossible and makes you realise the power of teamwork. In our case the experience led to a group of ComVort members deciding to explore how we can work more closely together in the future, pitching for business as a group rather than individually.”

ComVort’s day at Abbey Road Studios was a runaway success, delivering its business objectives and a sensational highlight to the network’s London conference. After the event, Jonathon Hall received “a whole surge of emails from people saying how amazing it was”. The final word goes to a delegate from Amsterdam, who wrote: “This was the best conference we’ve had since becoming a member… and Abbey Road, well that was fantastic, a dream. Nothing can ever top that.”

Photographs by Charles Best

On Friday September 24th 2010, 100 delegates from ComVort, an international group of owner-operated advertising agencies gathered at Abbey Road Studios for the ultimate team building day – rock school, to learn, play and record at the world famous studios, which doesn’t open its doors to the public.

Taking to the task with relish they spent the afternoon learning 3 different tracks, which were performed and recorded, after a well-earned break for dinner, followed by the opportunity to perform with and be entertained by the rock school band, and their own house band – The ComVorts.

When they departed for all parts of the world on Sunday 26th they took with them the recorded CD package, and memories they will never forget.

Following in the footsteps of generations of legendary artists, performing and recording a song at the world- renowned Abbey Road Studios is an awe-inspiring experience. Made famous by The Beatles’ album of the same name, Abbey Road is at the heart of the British music industry and the location of countless landmark recordings. It remains one of the most technically advanced recording and mixing facilities in the world.

“Hainesnet now offers its clients the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform and record a song in the very same studios used by many of the world’s greatest musicians, including The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Cliff Richard and Oasis,” says the company’s director, Philip Haines. Recently appointed by Abbey Road Studios as a preferred supplier of ‘record a song’ experiential team building days, Hainesnet is working in partnership with production company Stiff Promotions to offer a truly unique experience, tailored to each client’s individual requirements.

“To be able to play at Abbey Road Studios was an opportunity simply too good to miss,” says Jonathon Hall, a partner at London-based advertising agency The Ad Store. “It’s a global icon – the UK’s number one recording studio and the spiritual home of so many great bands.” When Jonathon was asked to host the annual conference of ComVort – a global network of owner-managed advertising agencies – he brought in Hainesnet, who had pitched the concept of the ultimate team building event at Abbey Road Studios as part of the conference for 100 delegates from 55 agencies, and 33 countries.

Team building through music

Guests are able to choose between a range of instruments, rock choir or lead vocals, with professional musicians and singing coaches on hand to provide tuition in small groups. Parts are carefully arranged to cater for all abilities, so that even those who have never sung or played an instrument before can take part in the final performance. “It’s a very special and unique experience,” says Kerin Purcell, Head of Brand and Marketing at Abbey Road Studios, “to be recording a song in the most famous recording studios in the world, working with the best engineers on the best equipment, in wonderful acoustic rooms.” As well as memories to last a lifetime, each guest receives a CD of the recording they have made.

“Music is the perfect metaphor for getting the team building message across,” says Jonathon Hall. “You start the day as a group of individuals many of whom you’ve never met before, and by the end you’re on stage performing together as a cohesive band. It feels like you’ve achieved the impossible and makes you realise the power of teamwork. In our case the experience led to a group of ComVort members deciding to explore how we can work more closely together in the future, pitching for business as a group rather than individually.”

ComVort’s day at Abbey Road Studios was a runaway success, delivering its business objectives and a sensational highlight to the network’s London conference. After the event, Jonathon Hall received “a whole surge of emails from people saying how amazing it was”. The final word goes to a delegate from Amsterdam, who wrote: “This was the best conference we’ve had since becoming a member… and Abbey Road, well that was fantastic, a dream. Nothing can ever top that.”

The Team

Event Management – Hainesnet
Photography – Charles Best

Record at Abbey Road Studios

The ultimate team building event

As preferred supplier of Abbey Road Studios, Hainesnet delivers the ultimate team building event, allowing participants to perform and record a song in the world-renowned Abbey Road Studios.

A truly iconic symbol both in the British and worldwide music scene, Abbey Road Studios have been at the heart of the UK music industry for more than 80 years and home to countless landmark recordings and pioneering advances in recording techniques, equipment and technology.

This is a fantastic and unique experience – available to all, even those with no previous musical experience. Playing in a band is a uniting experience that not only requires close team work but also through performance creates a level playing that will break boundaries, encourage fun and develop confidence and group interaction.

Previous participants have described the event as “achieving the impossible” and “fantastic, a dream. Nothing can ever top that.”

The teachers have a wealth of experience in private lessons, schools and further education, and also playing as a band for such clients as Cadbury, Epson and Sega. This experience allows the band members to teach effortlessly and with clear direction.

The day is split into two sections – instrumental tuition and then group rehearsal and performance. Times can be flexible but as a guide, introduction/instrumental tuition 14:00- 16:00, rehearsal/performance 17:00 – 20:00.

The instrumental tuition will take place in groups split by instrument (drums, bass, guitar, keyboards and vocals) and the tutor will offer an introduction to the instrument/music notation, followed by one-on-one guidance on the parts required for the performance. The rock band experience is supposed to be enjoyable, fun and inclusive so a relaxed and welcoming approach is adopted by the tutors throughout.

The songs for the band to perform are carefully chosen and arranged to allow complete beginners the opportunity to learn simple parts that contribute to the band performing an authentic version of a pop classic.

The audio for the performance can be recorded and presented back on CD as a record of the day.

What is included

• Rental of space at Abbey Road Studios
• Tuition
• All instruments and equipment
• Technical staff

Optional extras

• Online participant registration and dedicated event website
• In-house catering at Abbey Road Studios
• Photography
• Video
• Live Karaoke Band in the evening – this offers your participants the chance to perform on stage with a top professional fully live band. The show comes complete with top quality PA, stage lighting, sound engineer and an immensely talented and experienced singer/compere who leads the show and is on hand to help prompt guest singers if needed.

In short we tailor the day to meet your own objectives from the event.

Case study

To read more about this exciting opportunity click HERE »

To read the M&IT magazine February 2011 case history please click HERE »