Wednesday, July 3, 2019 by Forrest Chapin | Uncategorized

Welcome to the official website of Chapin Music Studio! 

My name is Forrest Dale Chapin II and - like the title of this post suggests - the "II" in my name is very important. If you don't what that little symbol is, it makes me name read "Forrest Dale Chapin The Second". I was named after my late grandfather and that is pretty much why the Second is so important; my grandfather was a legend.

I was 5 or 6 years old when I started playing the piano. I had gotten one of those plastic recorders for my birthday (you know, the really annoying things that elementary school kids play as loud as they possibly can) and like every other little kid on the planet was stoked to have one. It came with a little booklet that showed me the fingerings of the notes as well as where those notes were on the staff. Unknown to me at the time, it was teaching me how to not only read music but to listen to it. 

My dad grew up as a jazz organist and professional musician. Well before I was born there was always some sort of music happening in the house and we always had a keyboard or a piano. This was no different when at about 5 or 6 I took my recorder skills to the old piano that was in our house at the time to learn how to translate my plastic playing skills to my string playing skills.

I look back on these moments now and honestly consider it a miracle that at such a young age I decided to do what I did; I would play a note on the recorder and then find that same pitch on the piano. Since I already knew the note names and where those notes were on the staff from my little recorder instruction book, I now knew how to read music as it pertained to the piano as well, at least with those few basic notes.

Little-me didn't stop there. I grew up playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo 64 and if you know anything about the Zelda video game franchise, you know that a huge part of the game is its music. There were little songs that Link - the player - would play on his small Ocarina to magically warp places or do different things throughout the game and I was OBSESSED with learning them. So I did just that, but by ear.

I listened to the little tunes from the video game on repeat as I sat at the piano and matched the pitches that I heard with the notes I knew how to play and then I wrote them down on staff paper. I was six or seven. I don't know what happened since then but I don't have great ideas like that anymore and that's what blows my mind. I truly consider it a miracle.

Fast forward a few years and I had developed enough ability at playing the piano and reading music that I started learning pop songs that I liked and such. The first group I ever listened to on my own was probably Coldplay. I sat down and learned how to play Clocks. The keyboard that my parents had gotten me for my 11th or 12th birthday would name the chords if I turned a certain mode on and fingered those chords. This begun my intro into the singer/songwriter genre.

The first time I ever sang and played anything was in front of an audience of probably 250 campers for the NAU Curry Summer Music Camp. I was 13. From there I kept learning different songs until I was about 15. This was the point where I started writing original songs. Before this I had also taken my interest in Zelda music to another level by arranging small ensemble pieces based off the music in the video games. 

Everything since those times of my life has developed into skills, passions, and blessings that would I wouldn't trade for the world.

I am now a full-time piano, voice, composition, songwriting, and theory teacher. I am currently on track to graduate with a double associates in arts from Mesa Community College so that I can transfer to Arizona State University for my Bachelor's in Music Theory and Composition as well my Bachelor's in Communication. I work with a good friend of mine - a professional producer - on writing music for an acappella group as well as an original album. 

In the summer of 2019 I joined Millennial Choirs and Orchestras in their tour to New York City to Carnegie Hall and have been a member of that prestigious organization since 2016 and will continue to be probably for the rest of my life.

On top of all of this, I have started my own non-profit organization called The Arizona Saints Chorale. I am founder, director, and composer. We are a choir and ensemble organization that seeks to provide the community with music that centers around God, community, family, and country whilst raising money for other charities in need. Our shows and events are free admission events with the request that attendees donate - even generously if they are able - to help us raise money for the charity in need for that particular show. 

My point of saying all this is one thing:

I live, breathe, and love music.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe that music is a God-given gift that can change and shape lives in a higher and holier way whether the musical training be religious or not. I stand as a qualified testament that such training is possible and that I can help make it possible for you.

Join me and we will change your world and the world!!