A New Retreat For Songwriters Heads to Rishikesh This Week

After taking a bunch of guitarists into the wild for the first edition of Happy Notes Guitar Retreat, Meerut-origin musician Abhishek Mittal – from rock favorites Parikrama and his own band, Submarine In Space – is focusing on songwriting for their second edition.

The Happy Notes x Zostel Songwriter Starter Retreat heads to Rishikesh this week, taking place between Sept. 19 and 22. The goal for Mittal is to help facilitate music creation. “In the last retreat, we wrote about seven to eight tunes in a span of two days. This time we will have everyone write their own songs. So let’s say 60 students enroll, by the end of the retreat, we will have 60 songs!” he says.

The retreat is an extension of Mittal’s music education platform Happy Notes, formally launched in 2023. He says, “Being in the same boat as these musicians and being a self- taught musician for most part of my life, I wish to change the scenario of music education in India by imparting knowledge that not only  elevates the musical level of the student but also helps them in the practical world.”

Like the first guitar retreat, the upcoming songwriting camp lays the emphasis on learning in a community setting and encourages friendships. The three-day program covers the essence of storytelling in songwriting, as well as composing across genres including rock, blues, jazz, funk and R&B. Mittal says, “I will make them realize that writing songs is the most fun and satisfying feeling.”

While the camp starts off in the residency format, Mittal will then take artists to a forest nearby for a workshop on day two. It focuses on rhythms, writing and composing music in odd-time signatures and basics like writing with a metronome. Day three sees the group travel even further, heading to the banks of the Ganga river to get into improvisation. “I intend to push the students out in the open to experiment with scales and chords and make music in the moment,” he says.

In between it all, the Happy Notes Songwriter Starter Retreat also includes bonfire jams, treks and a finale concert. Access to the retreat is priced at ₹15,199 and includes stay, food, workshop and access to “exclusive study material” as well as Happy Notes Merch. “And lifetime memories,” Mittal adds.

Sign up for Happy Notes x Zostel Songwriter Starter Retreat here.