We were lucky to catch up with Chase Kemp recently and have shared our conversation below.
Chase, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
It took a long time to get to where I am today. Starting from scratch can feel extremely daunting at first, but as the poet Robert Frost put it, “The only way out is through.” For me, this is the way: failing a thousand times to learn just one good thing, testing out thirty different mic placements, or trying twenty different iterations of the same design. I like to call it “throwing paint at the wall”; I just play and play and play until I feel satisfied, keeping a vision in mind, and never giving up until I see it through. This approach involves an almost scientific process, with the goal of repeating my experiments over and over until I am certain I know how to do something.
However, my greatest strength can also become my greatest weakness. There is a big difference between rehearsal and performance, learning and execution. The biggest obstacle to my creativity is never feeling “finished” with a project. Sometimes I can be a bit of a perfectionist, and I will work on something until it loses all vision, even forgetting what I was doing in the first place. It’s like saying a word over and over again until there are only sounds and vibrations, with no meaning left in its syllables. This has stunted my progress over the years, but through various failures, it taught me…. one good thing… it’s important to know when to stop. My advice for any creative may seem counterintuitive or paradoxical, but to me, this one thing took most of my lifetime to learn: get it out, call it done, and start the next project.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
For those who may not have heard about me before, my name is Chase Kemp, and I am a passionate musician who has been immersed in the world of music for as long as I can remember. My journey began with my early fascination with sound and rhythm. I remember being only 4 years old and replaying the Nintendo 64 game, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, over and over again just to hear the compositions and melodies of Koji Kondo. The portrayal of music as a magical force inspired me to pick up my first instrument. When I was 6 years old, my family visited some old friends living in France. They had a daughter who was learning to play guitar. Bored by the conversation of adults, I wandered into places I shouldn’t have been. During this rebellious exploration, I discovered an acoustic guitar tucked away in her room with some tablature pages. It was there that I learned to play my first song, “Come As You Are,” all by myself, discovering through trial and error how to make a sound.
Over the years, my guitar became my most trusted companion. Being a loner and a “weird kid” growing up meant that my guitar was always there for me. I would stay home and often look forward to the time I could spend with ‘just me and the music.’ As a natural consequence, I honed my skills through countless hours of practice and experimentation, drawing inspiration from a wide range of genres and artists that I listened to along the way.
Through my teen years, I was in and out of rock bands. I always needed to have a band project ongoing because jamming with other musicians became my favorite thing in the world. The conversational back-and-forth and the magic of creating harmony together became my fuel and reason for being. Through my work with various bands, I began developing the skills to create albums and perform live all across my state. Yet, all of my bands seemed to break up. I was met with many failures as I learned the ropes of being a good band leader and understanding the subtle ins and outs of live music showbiz.
From this love of live music, came my graphic design career. I initially got into graphic design because my high school band needed a flyer for our upcoming gig. Because there was a need, I got involved in flyer and poster making. I remember creating a flyer for my band at the time, The Monarchs, while in my high school art class. My favorite teacher Fern (I will never forget this guy) said something along the lines of “you know, you’re pretty good at that, people have entire careers doing what you’re doing for fun.” And from there I decided to keep honing my craft. I became the go-to flyer guy in my circle, every time a new gig needed to be promoted, I was the guy. Eventually I fell in love with the craft of typography and illustration; weaving the two together to create artistic flyers became a passion of mine. It began as a means to support my music and the career sort of fell into my lap afterwards. I never really saw myself fitting into corporate America… but if I was doing something I loved, and supporting my other creative pursuits, then I felt I could be happy. I needed a way to financially support my creative habits anyways, (as most people know) creating music isn’t the most profitable thing at first. I kept at it and had some really great mentors along the way, various characters inspired me to never quit on my dreams and design became the vehicle to help me achieve them. Today, I still design for my bands as the certified band-brand-designer. I create our logos, merch, flyers, and dream up posters that help get people to our shows. I love being able to see my art out in the world, when someone is wearing a Magpipes t-shirt in the crowd it makes my heart smile to see the art gain a life of its own.
Nowadays, I have expanded from being “just a guitarist” or “just a graphic designer.” My art expanded, and music became my language. I’m still finding new ways to add to my vocabulary. From composing, arranging, recording, mixing, and mastering, my projects are ever-expanding. For the past decade, I decided to take the leap into learning music production. As its own art, I find I’m still just scratching the surface of my potential. I started to learn the ropes in order to be more self-sufficient, but it quickly became my new favorite thing. Because of my tech-savvy training in graphic design, the learning curve for production was less steep. Even some of the keyboard commands remained the same. I was surprised when I found out that the process had a lot of overlap. From sketching to iterating on a mix with various versions. I’m currently in the process of building my own home studio and couldn’t be more excited about it.
Something I want readers to check out is my latest band/experiment: The Magpipes. This passion project started as a way to verify my production abilities and take a leap in creating a group that can blend and cross genres seamlessly, like an intricate sonic tapestry. With a love for improvisation, we strive to create a live experience where no two shows are the same. Our new single and music video, “Imposter Syndrome,” on the Magpipes’ YouTube channel just released in June 2024. As a way of testing my own production abilities, my first fully self-produced track became self-referential and deeply personal for me throughout the process. Before we launched our music video, I had a very intense sense of “Imposter Syndrome” right up until I finished our two-hour premiere performance and had a moment to process what we had accomplished. I think getting that work out, and birthing my creative baby, may have finally cured me of it.
I am very proud of my abilities. I believe I have what it takes to find my own version of success in this ever-changing industry by never giving up and constantly growing. I plan to expand my work even further and break into film and other art forms as it suits me. For me, my deep love of the arts is both a spiritual and secular practice. I hope to leave a lasting impact on listeners (or viewers) through my storytelling. Even if it’s just one person listening, the process of these creations is something I can never give up on – it’s just too much fun.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist or creative is the ability to express ideas, emotions, and stories in a way that impacts and resonates with others. Creating something that can help somebody work through their feelings, provoke thought, or inspire a change is incredibly fulfilling. Additionally, the process of turning my imagination into a tangible piece of art is a journey of self discovery and personal growth, which is deeply satisfying to me. (…and it’s just super fun) Sharing this journey with others and hearing how a song can impact somebody’s life adds an extra layer of joy and purpose to my creative endeavors.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I believe that musicians and artists hold a providential duty to respond to the times and their own lives – to inspire culture towards a better, more peaceful future. In times of turmoil, uncertainty, and change, artists have the unique ability to capture the essence of the moment and transform it into something that speaks to the collective consciousness, or subtly through the collective unconscious. Through their creativity, they can highlight social injustices, promote empathy, and foster a sense of unity.
The message is one of love and peace. Love is a universal language that transcends boundaries and connects people on a fundamental level – just like music and the arts. By infusing creative work with love, we can break down barriers and encourage people to see beyond their differences.
Art has the power to move people, to challenge perspectives, and to inspire action. When artists create with a purpose, their work becomes a catalyst for change. It encourages individuals to reflect on their own lives and consider how they can contribute to a more loving and peaceful world.
However, this doesn’t mean that all art needs to be overtly political or socially charged. Even art that seems purely aesthetic can promote peace by providing beauty and joy in a world that often feels chaotic. In essence, the role of artists and musicians is not just to entertain, but to elevate the human experience. The work can be a beacon of hope, reminding us all of our shared humanity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://magpipes.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaes.wav
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themagpipes
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45FtQ6iDaOY
- Other: The Magpipes Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/the_magpipes/Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0XBsQR9t2nNnm92UeGVwxf?si=e2rM7s9RSVOFQMxE7IWBTA
Image Credits
Zach Phillippy
John Lapay
Amelia Weyerstall