Engineer Makes Rihanna's "Diamonds" Shine Bright

[@elijahlucian]

he's like a genie, you need to ask very specific questions.

[@JonathonNeher]

I love that all the questions are answered with effectively, "It depends". But he's right!

[@bogsbinny7124]

This guy has the rare talent of looking like he's bullshitting even when he's not.

[@d.j753]

+Bogs Binny ha

[@YoungBlaze]

i like this guy voice....

[@busywl69]

+YoungBlaze Of Chitown lol

[@MrFatfree]

What a guy! Such an engineer, such a success and so humble at the same time! Unbelievable!

[@theericbeaty]

It's so nice to finally hear someone say there's no right or wrong, just as long as you're not clipping and the mix still sounds good.

[@DwinCarlson]

48:35 "Are your speakers loud when you mix ?" ... "You and me could have a conversation the whole time..." ... "Oh sorry lolz". Guy though he was saying "quit hogging the mic", really he was just saying "no".

[@CrownedCorruption]

glad im not the only one that caught that lol!

[@BizzyMo]

Faaaiiill! 😂😂😂 haha

[@arvinmaryami3824]

+Edwin Chouvelon Nah he just already answered that question already so the guy just realized that and said sorry

[@mattvdh]

+Edwin Chouvelon he's so smart

[@KMamba-oo3ls]

+Edwin Chouvelon That's so funny b

[@brucema12]

Phil was one of the best and most memorable students I ever had in 5 years of teaching at this school! Congrats Phil!

[@askjdog]

I've read the comments, and it's interesting. I'm not in this industry, just a hobbyist. However, this is not a tutorial video of what techniques to use. It's a college guest speaker seminar of someone who graduated from said college and is successful in his industry. He talks about his career and the hit song is merely a starting discussion topic to generate interest. I give it a thumbs up. Success in most areas of life is about many things; timing, mentors, talent, connections, and seriously long hard work, and continuous self development.. Luck, opportunity, work ethic, passion, etc. There is greater talent than I will ever innately have, or develop in this area, and certainly never was a career consideration. It is also a business, and as such subject to cyclical change, and the impact of technological automation. Which affects salaries, and job opportunities.

[@rootube808]

I got a lot out of it....no tricks and secrets, but ... listen, practice, think about it, understand the way things relate to each other. Put in the hours, good stuff.

[@recordedbybrandon]

There is secret sauce, it's the analog he was talking about, there a few pieces of gear that's better than in the box, and if it is expected a car payment 🤣

[@recordedbybrandon]

But that's not the only thing that makes a song great !

[@11TwentyThreePM]

He seems like a very humble dude. Good to hear a real engineer speak about 'sound selection' and show that sometimes less is more! Shout out to Phil Tan!!

[@tonyhudspeth3861]

such a humble and graceful person Phil Tan is

[@Parmoss1640]

Even though the answers were not finite, I really appreciate his intention to be forthright and as direct as possible considering the vagueness of some of the questions. Remember how Bruce Lee answered questions... "Be like water...", vague, but speaks volumes. Phil's the real deal.

[@iamdanielwray8940]

I love the way he answered those questions. He real!

[@ksimokovich0312]

27:14 ~"What your here is getting in the habit of learning." Truest statement about the entire industry in a while.

[@MarvinSmile132]

Phil Tan seminar was awesome at the Full Sail Hall of Fame. He is so humble and the real deal.

[@dab7963]

Phil Tan is modest and kind. I really enjoyed watching him. He is open and honest and sincere and I believe that his emotion probably translates into his mixing. I would enjoy hearing more of his work. What a great video.

[@SoundreplayStudio]

Great lecture with honest answers. Main message for me: create your own sound, and practice a lot...respect.

[@WorldSoulExotica]

I truly appreciate watching video of individuals in the industry who are so down to earth, genuine, and full of humility it's a beautiful thing, Very nicely done WorldSoulExotica

[@1masterfader]

Ya got to let the music tell you what it needs". I loved it when he said that. I live by that rule.

[@alexanderqvarnstrom]

Such a humble guy. With a great producer, mixing can be a really delicate thing. This guy listens, doesn't just mix for the sake of it...

[@ieroen]

What a modest, soft spoken fellow. Pleasant guy all the way.

[@bigtizzo]

I like seeing people who are willing to give seminars like this. These students are hungry for information. So you can't fault them for asking what people may see as stupid questions. But no matter what you learn... it's what your ear has to offer that determines how good your mix becomes. Listen and don't be afraid to experiment.

[@AlessandroPitus]

"I never graduated". Love this man :)

[@Harrysound]

Lots of great stuff here , I like this guy....

[@mrconcept]

Get him on Pensados place.

[@soloj100]

I love the fact that he tells it like it is, and not sugar coat it.

[@semimotomusic]

Pretty cool video. I enjoyed seeing producers and engineers break down there song and answer questions. Hope to see more soon.

[@matthewshell]

It's all about getting in the habit of continual improvement. A very inspiring tutorial.

[@wholewheat3132]

This is a pretty honest interview you can tell he has not been exposed or very interested in mixing in that sort of technical aspect, it shows that it really is all selective hearing and making the right decisions, though he is withholding some kind of information but I felt it may be info we already know but just haven't mastered, he really did seem honest about most of the things.

[@themarinect]

He seems like a laid back, down to earth person. I like it.

[@charmister]

48:40 when the student asks whether he has his speakers loud during mixing phil says, "you and me can have a conversation," and the student responds, "sorry," not realizing he answered the question

[@sebaba001]

drgdrf that's it's not that loud when he mixes and he can actually talk with other people while mixing, it is at a conversational level or barely above it

[@Kydnice]

Thank you Full Sail & Thanks to Phil for this lecture . Great advice. #FullSailAlumni

[@jparkhku]

Candid and straightforward talk

[@KonoplevAndrew]

full sail university, thank you for sharing this)

[@realjamaicanjones]

Surprisingly enough, your'e not the first to have told me something of that sort. I'm actually reconsidering it now. Thanks much.

[@Tryggvasson]

This guy is great! I love his common sense approach his simplicity, and his modesty and I actually think he means it. I wish he'd shared more case specific problem solving examples, especially with tegard to eq.

[@wherewascharlie]

what a friggin nice guy!!

[@guinessbeer]

One of Rihanna’s best songs.

[@fullsailuniversity]

Shine bright like a Diamond 💎

[@GweeGwee]

this guy is great. you can tell he loves doing what he's doing. hope i can continue getting my mixing skills up

[@mixey01]

This man is a legend. Thanks Full Sail!!

[@alvinfrazierTV]

I enjoyed that immensely.

[@AtTheAlex]

This guy is a big inspiration. I hope to be where he's at one day and to have his knowledge as well.

[@JamSlam007]

Great video. I would have appreciated some more tips ON the actual session!

[@AeroplaneDope]

It doesn't matter how good or bad this guy is at his job, it's not the 'engineered' sound that sells the record, it's the marketing.

[@Digiphex]

Wow the engineer who mixed Prince just got fired.

[@DjKingMorice]

Why is the audio of the playback so distorted?

[@LanceCampeau]

He's right about the Prince track... it is full of clipping... but the vibe of the that song has an early Kravitz or White Stripes kind of sound to it... lots of dirty audio. That type of recording and mixing gives the track a more "live session" feel even though it is quite sonically harsh to listen to.

[@kbyer]

I wish that the students asked more questions about the session and techniques used etc.

[@kenyenmusic7548]

"a lot of musicians tend to be night owls" ...as i'm watching this at 5:15 am in the morning and haven't slept yet xD

[@elijahlucian]

also full sail - your gain staging on his computer output is off. lol. so the mix is distorting the actual inputs of the mixing board haha

[@TeleporterM11]

Its her best song.

[@Son0fEL]

I would nearly 100% agree.I have found there are multiple ways of obtaining the "sound" that you want and none of them are "wrong", just better than others. But after attending the "SHKU" I found I still lacked a lot of the skills and understanding more so, on why you would do something the way it was portrayed in a youtube video. Being taught in person by multiple people that know what they are doing, is still, in my opinion very much worth it. And no I'm not broke ;)

[@MrEncosto]

Listen to what Phil says at 48:17 about Prince's 'Screwdriver' song, it really is terribly mixed I was mind blown.

[@JerrySiano]

He really got lucky with that internship he was offered in Atlanta, where he met all the right people to bring him along the road...Such a great story...

[@in.miscare]

Pretty ironic talking about clipping in mixes with PA mix going into feedback from time to time and clipping audio out from PT...

[@mgmthegrand]

5:35 - What do they mean by working " in the box"?

[@alexspartacus]

They should definitely have a screening for these questions.

[@ExtraDomus]

I like how he never answers the question

[@futurebeats898]

well... it depends again... !

[@macoygunida]

sounds like autism. and when an autistic person likes something he's really really good at it just like this guy.

[@SubscribersWithoutAnySubscribe]

@Beeblebrox One Well yes and no, it really depends

[@Tomatofury]

why is it clipping... do you need a pro tools hd io or something coz alot of processing is needed to run this

[@SoundToyzAreUs]

WOW! Thanks for posting this!

[@ChampagneRhubarb]

Obviously whoever worked with the audio on this video wasn't listening when Phil explained about high pass filters... nice one.

[@koDiacc]

he talks about clipping - kanye's yeezus is clipping all the time too or am i wrong?

[@TwinjoEnt]

This gut is so real about the this industry. It is a very wierd to make money in this industry. There are alotta lesson to learn in this industry. There will be a lot of bad business deals as an industry but it will teach you how how to build the right relationships and become a valuable asset. These are important things, but the most important thing is to perfect your craft and learn as much as you can to make sure your clients are getting the best product at the end of the day.

[@punchline3nt]

i look up to this guy

[@thimzity]

Thanks for sharing this, great stuf!

[@marcuspee93]

really interesting how its probably a workshop or something for audio people, yet the headset was not placed at the right position on Phil's face, the wedges or FOH was hot enough that it was ringing, almost feeding back like almost all the time. Last I checked attention to detail was needed in the audio industry

[@soloj100]

its really the best answer, and you just got to find out the area or room the music should sound like its in.....

[@CliveRobertKennedy]

I wanted to see him take apart the mix, students ask the same questions over and over..

[@ElectricGospel]

That was a great Q & A bro. Thanks much #InJesusName

[@JimmyWestra]

I learned one thing , that I'm ahead of my time. I already do what this guy does.

[@Supernovabrown1]

Damn Jimmy, you just got played SON, Bwwwwaaaaaahhaahhaaaa

[@JimmyWestra]

i am getting played Blackblack you been Hit From Behind jimmywestra and it's not even mastered yet.

[@ChrisValle321]

If you already do what this guy does you would actually be BEHIND your time. Music isn't about doing what the other guy is doing, it's about creating your own sound that makes you as an artist stand out.

[@JimmyWestra]

Which makes you ahead correct? Well Chris show me what you got and I 'lll place you exactly amongst the one category you want to be so you may belong.

[@ChrisValle321]

Jimmy Westra​ Which is why you'll never stand out or make it. You're talking about belonging, while I'm talking standing out and originating.

[@ShaquanTalbert]

I knew he'd say Atlanta. That's where I'm from and it's a lot of diversity.

[@sauelalmonte]

HE SAID SOMETHING THAT IS KEY, "CLARITY" IT IS EVERY THING. IF YOU CAN HEAR OR BY USING A SPECTROGRAM, U CAN SEE WHERE EACH SOUND FALLS IN, IN THE FREQUENCY SPECTRUM/CHART.

[@JerryRSun]

Shine also means to be bright, sparkle, or glisten with reflected light.

[@shavemangin]

what a humble awesome guy!

[@RustyNotesTV]

I don't think so. Even if they are basic, and you know the answers, it's always fun to see how different people attack different situations. So I think the questions is good. Seen a lot of class videos like this, and you almost never hear the same answer. Different people use different methods.

[@Zickcermacity]

Misleading title - whole video is basically an interview of an audio school grad with advice to future grads on technique & interpersonal skill. Not what I came here for.

[@summerlakes5045]

"it depends" *can always* be an answer when it comes to mixing. But that doesn't mean it's the *only* answer. I'm sure Phil is a very talented mixing engineer. Some people just aren't great at sharing information.

[@Nothing-fb1mg]

I can't believe it at 45:05 kicks are clipping!!! I read a pro ing. saying to get a similar analog sound mix around -20, -18dbs I know there is no a law for mixing but when a signal is clipping that's not good we know that!

[@jacquesdemolaymolay4453]

Everything you learn about audio engineering, take it with a grain of salt.

[@darkkitchenrecords2625]

probably the best audio engineering advice i've ever heard

[@YDCBando]

It kind of made me laugh when everyone shut up after he pulled out the low pass filter, it's deadass the simplest thing and people were so amazed by it

[@tiscayea5000]

38:42 Tan throws some serious shots at Dr. Dre lol

[@WALKERGUITAR]

The key thing Phil says is Ear Training... not everybody has an ear to train! but he is right... listen to a lot of music.. I mean really listen.. you can learn just by listening!..

[@PhilipZilfo]

The entire seminar went by with all these ambiguous questions receiving even more ambiguous answer... Of course.. That is the nature of mixing.. It's very subjective and if you ask very non-specific questions, you will get non-specific answers.. That's why it's so important to know what questions you should be asking when you have a seasoned professional available to you for an hour... But you'd think after the hour was done, he could have at least given us something like, "craziest story? Well this one time I walked into the mixing room and three of the backing singers were blowing my colleague, the studio manager was banging the bassoon player in the corner and old Jim was filming the whole thing while waxing his carrot!" Looool now that would have sent everybody off with a smile hahahaha

[@christopherdecastro8713]

There are no rules to engineering..just guidelines. Now please, to the people who say he doesn't answer the questions, find your own unique method.

[@KEZOSON]

didnt really learn much but it was really cool to watch

[@manifestgtr]

hahah this guy really does live in a box, thinking a high pass on everything might be a unique thing he does... he does seem like a really nice guy though...and I think the reason all the specific questions aren't getting specific answers is that there aren't too many black and whites in audio...and most of those black and whites are things that you already know (ie the high pass)

[@diegomendivil7101]

This guy did not answer a single direct question!

[@Tx66]

I absolutely love this guy.

[@kamelot511]

This guy knows what he is saying buy he explains ver y general, for moré focus answers check out nicky romero future mag, los guetta masterclass

[@ironik4400]

Honestly, I think the clipping was intentional. It gives it kind of a grungy sound. i dont think Prince would have put anything out that terribly mixed unless he wanted it that way. Remember.. Nobody plays Prince, if they think they are theyre really playing themselves :) RIP

[@3houseco250]

God bless the ending of this comment. I miss him :(

[@witheredmedia]

CLIPPING CAN DAMAGE SPEAKERS YOU POOP

[@theDrumkilla]

The host John Yandell is the shit! Great video. Thanks!

[@dimitrishartin2460]

8:10 "You don't need to fix what's broken"

[@JimmyWestra]

+Dimitri Shartin T h e n you don't need to fix whats broken.

[@YosuaSimanjuntak]

Thnaks for sharing this video..

[@derekonlinenow777]

hard work pays off. here's an example

[@JohnJonesRocketCity]

I wish the format of the session would have allowed Phil Tan to really just get into the mix and allow him to explain why he did what he did to Rhiannas song. There was alot of questions that was asked that really would not have helped them even if Phil Tan did give them a straight answer.

[@NyakzOTSD]

Im just a music maker...But we have to remember that as much as philp tran does do a great job at mixing, his sessions come from the best producers and recording engineers in the world. Just my thoughts...I somehow struggle to believe if the average joe sent in their session to be mixed by mr tran they would diamonds quality music

[@jzizzles7799]

Basically, the school can only teach you how to use the software and it's up to you to add your own flare / personality to your projects. Everyone is different. So some of the questions are hard to answer because again, each project is different and there isn't one single answer to a question when it comes to "technique". There are hundreds of way to do the same exact thing. What makes it stand out is you. Like he said, let the music guide you, tell you what it needs. And if you don't know, then this isn't for you.

[@ElijahBeale]

This guy seems really cool.

[@m.p.958]

Thanks for this nice video !