Mandy Parnell: The Art of Mastering

At the 2017 edition of Loop, we had the chance to sit down for a conversation with award-winning audio mastering engineer Mandy Parnell. With liner note credits on albums by Björk, Aphex Twin, Snoop Dogg, The XX, The White Stripes, Sigur Ros, Brian Eno and many others, Parnell is widely acknowledged as one of the best in the business. And so, we were eager to hear Parnell’s perspective on everything related to her profession and the crucial but often misunderstood process of audio mastering. We delve into the topics of what mastering is (and isn’t), best practices for preparing material, the variety of available gear, the reality of “home mastering” as a financial necessity, online mastering services and much more.

Learn more about Mandy Parnell’s work at Black Saloon Studios.