Mark Ronson and Tinchy Stryder help new songwriters

Tinchy Stryder, Calvin Harris and Mark Ronson pose on Abbey Road crossing

Artists including Mark Ronson and Tinchy Stryder have shared their advice with aspiring musicians at the first BBC Introducing musicians' masterclass.

Taking place at London's Abbey Road studio budding artists were invited to attend talks and practical workshops.

Ronson took part in an "art of songwriting" masterclass hosted by Radio 1's Zane Lowe.

Ronson said: "If I was 18 and starting out and I had the chance to come to something like this I would go."

Unsigned

Using Abbey Road's historic Studios 1 and 2 the day began with Kaiser Chiefs revisiting the highs and lows of their 14-year career.

Drummer Nick Hodgson and singer Ricky Wilson recalled sending demos to Radio 1 as an unsigned band called Runston Parva before they were Kaiser Chiefs.

Their highlight? Hodgson admitting that when their single Ruby reached UK number one in 2007 he cried.

"I phoned my mum when I found out," he laughed. "I was on the bus crying."

The building's corridors are decorated with photos of some of the legendary patrons of Abbey Road including Coldplay, Blur and Take That.

Tinchy Stryder is performing a live session as those eager to learn watch on.

"It's real historic," the rapper said afterwards. "Not everyone gets to come to Abbey Road where the Beatles recorded. It's really cool.

"When I was younger, when I was growing up and doing music, there wasn't that many opportunities to sit down with people who might have advice for you.

"That's why I feel like this is something really positive."

'Really helpful'

Back in the cavernous main studio Mark Ronson joined Radio 1's Zane Lowe to informally discuss the "art of songwriting" with a couple of hundred audience members.

Following the premiere of a pre-recorded video interview with Take That's Gary Barlow, he talked about the importance of being honest when it came to working with big acts.

Mark Ronson talked to the audience and Zane Lowe about songwriting

He recalled a recent anecdote of telling 80s pop legends Duran Duran he liked just "one bridge on track four" of the 15 demos the band had prepared for their new album.

"I think that I've been really lucky to have been around some incredibly talented songwriters," he said beforehand.

"Whether it's Amy Winehouse, Nas, Q-Tip or Lily Allen - anything I can do to help someone on their journey to figuring out what they're doing in music is cool."

Leaving Ronson's talk Nick Baxter, 22, from Jersey, who plays in a band called Quick And The Dead, said the day had been "really helpful".

"I saw the Kaiser Chiefs chat before. That was interesting. They made it sound simple, but it was also encouraging."

Max Cleworth, 19, from Brighton, plays in a band called Pirate Radio Company.

He said: "It's good just to come to such an historic place. Learning how they've done it, the artists, but it's also important to be on top of the business stuff."

Later in the day British production whizz-kid Labrinth coached a vocal training session, Calvin Harris got involved in discussing the future of dance music and Jo Whiley hosted a musical version of Question Time.

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