*Guest post by TisT member: Karen Braysher
My trip to Lakie House in Poland.
Taking the direct train to Luton Airport and the direct flight to Gdansk, seemed to be the best route from Brighton.
A lovely welcome awaits me at Lakie House, a two-hour drive into the countryside. I soon concluded Lakie House was a very special venue for a production course. In fact, it was the closest thing to heaven I have ever known. Meeting all the helpers and of course Saskia in the flesh was uplifting. The ambiance of Lakie House was one of professionalism mixed with enduring calm.
During my stay, it occurred to me how nice it was to be working alongside like-minded people of a similar age plus younger support staff/musicians. Production is an important part of being a songwriter; either you do it yourself or hire a professional, a basic knowledge is a must. At this particular retreat, the emphasis is on trying things out for yourself whilst asking for help from the professionals as needed. It’s a good balance. Kris, the owner is very experienced and set the pace as well as playing keyboard-based instruments including a Hammond Organ and Leslie.
Meals during my stay were well catered with vegetarian home-cooked cuisine of a traditional Polish kind, I can highly recommend. One evening a campfire became the focus of outside cooking and campfire songs. Each evening a pop-up folk club emerged which was very sociable, I was shy to start with but by the mid part of the retreat I did join in.
On the day off from working on our songs a few of us clubbed together on a taxi to a local town for lunch and to walk around. It was very pleasant.
Strings day was a blast. Two professional strings players visited and played on our songs, as did a professional drummer the day before. This is when the tracks started to get near to finish. On the final day, a preview of everyone’s song took place in the basement fully equipped studio.
If you struggle to get to the finishing line with a project this is the retreat for you, in a safe space with support on hand what’s not to like!
To see ALL the pics check our our Poland group album here: https://www.talentistimeless.com/groups/poland-retreats/albums/24/
Responses
Wow, such a lovely insight. Thanks for sharing. I’m really looking forward to hearing the fruits of your ‘labour’.
Hi Steve, My song “Too Much of Too Little” is with my usual producer in the USA having post-production tweaks and Mastering. As soon as the track is finalised I will let you know.
Sounds like a great few days.
Thank you for sharing your insights, Karen. What a wonderful experience. It sounds as if you gained a lot from your time there.
Thank you for sharing, Karen. I was lucky enough to go last year and absolutely loved the experience and set up. Brings back very happy memories. For me, this is what TisT is all about, making beautiful stuff in a friendly, inspiring atmosphere, guided by experts, in a place where dreams can fly.