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Episode Overview
In this episode of ProducerHead, we sit down with Dan Giffin, the multi-talented producer behind Philia. Based in Denver (formerly New York and Ohio), Dan has built an impressive career as a bass/funk artist, multi-instrumentalist, Ableton Certified Trainer, and host of the Ableton Music Producer Podcast. With collaborations including Mac Miller, Machine Gun Kelly, and The Band Perry, and performances alongside Tiesto, Slushii, and at major festivals like Electric Forest, Dan brings a wealth of experience to our conversation.
Dan shares his journey from YouTube drummer to electronic music producer, revealing how his rhythmic background shapes his unique production approach. He emphasizes getting "off the grid" to preserve human feel, using creative monitoring techniques, and prioritizing emotional resonance over technical perfection. As an educator, Dan offers invaluable insights about the patterns he observes in music production students, making this episode essential listening for producers at any stage.
Key Topics
Dan's evolution from drummer to electronic music producer
How drumming fundamentals influence his production techniques
Breaking away from the grid for more human-feeling music
Creative listening approaches during the mixing process
Trusting feelings and instincts in the creative process
Balancing visual and auditory cues in production
Common challenges observed in production students
The importance of persistence in skill development
Organizing workflow between creative and technical sessions
The evolution of his Ableton Music Producer Podcast
🔄 Know a producer trying to up their drum programming? Share this episode!
Three Key Takeaways
Trust Your Feelings Over Technical Perfection: Music is about emotional impact, not just grid alignment or analyzer readings. Getting out of your head and into your body leads to more authentic expression.
Change Your Perspective to Hear New Things: Simple techniques like leaving the room while your track plays, using different monitoring setups, or turning off your screen can reveal previously missed elements.
Balance Creative Flow with Organizational Structure: Successful production requires both "right brain" creative sessions and "left brain" organizational sessions. Dedicate time to both aspects for optimal results.
Episode Timeline
00:00 - Introduction to Dan Giffin
01:11 - From Drummer to Producer
04:04 - The Importance of Rhythm in Production
09:23 - Trusting Your Instincts
12:39 - Overcoming Creative Blocks
14:45 - Time Management and Productivity
18:56 - Common Producer Challenges
24:07 - The Ableton Music Production Podcast
32:02 - Outro
💬 Which section are you most excited to hear? Let me know in the comments!
References Mentioned
Books & Media:
"The Creative Act" by Rick Rubin
“Piece by Piece” Pharrell Williams LEGO Movie
Tools & Resources:
Google Notebook LM (AI tool for research)
Weights.com (AI image and video generation)
LiveProducersOnline.com (Dan's Ableton learning resource)
Connect with Dan Giffin:
Instagram: @philiamusic
Website: https://www.philia-music.com/
Podcast: Ableton Music Producer Podcast
Spotify: Philia
Connect with Toru:
Website: torubeat.com
Instagram: @torubeat
YouTube: @torubeat
Spotify: Toru
Apple Music: Toru
Credits:
Co-produced, engineered and edited by Matthew Diaz.
From ProducerHead, this is Toru, and in a way, so are you. Peace.
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