Mandy Parnell talks Aphex Twin, Mastering for Streaming and Emotion | Red Bull Music Academy

► Subscribe to Red Bull Music Academy: win.gs/SubscribeRBMA
Mandy Parnell discussed working with Björk and Aphex Twin, the intricacies of her studio set-up and the importance of staying in touch with the emotions of the music during the mastering process.
Learn more about the Essex-born, Grammy-winning engineer in this RBMA Berlin 2018 lecture.
► www.redbullmusicacademy.com/l...
#MandyParnell #MusicProduction #RedBullMusicAcademy
_____
The comparative lack of women working in music production and audio engineering can be so glaring that, in 2017, The Atlantic asked, “Why Aren’t There More Women Working in Audio?” While the article cites many talented women, there was at least one obvious omission: Mandy Parnell.
The Essex-born, Grammy-winning engineer is a standout among peers of any gender, working with a long list of eminent artists including Björk, Brian Eno and Aphex Twin to expand the preconceived limits of sound. After studying at SAE, Parnell became a trainee mastering engineer at The Exchange in London. Following several years of free work, she steadily accrued paying and often high-profile gigs. In recent years, she’s developed a close in-studio relationship with Björk, for whom she mastered Biophilia and Vulnicura.
For the latter, Parnell also tackled the sound of Vulnicura’s virtual reality music videos. That same year, she received the Mastering Engineer of The Year award from the Music Producers Guild.
TOPICS:
16:42 - The loudness wars
25:48 - Working with Aphex Twin
31:19 - The relationship between music and emotion
33:14 - Working with Björk
48:17 - Mastering for streaming platforms
53:04 - Approaches to studio setup
MUSIC:
25:35 - Aphex Twin - “minipops 67” (source field mix) • minipops 67 [120.2] (s...
40:03 - Björk - “Virus” • Björk - Virus - Music ...
Red Bull Music Academy is the educational pillar of the Red Bull Music program. It is a global institution that for 20 years has been committed to fostering creativity in music by collaborating with those who are shaping our musical landscape and creating spaces for music makers to learn and immerse themselves.
► Subscribe to our KZbin Channel: win.gs/SubscribeRBMA
► Visit Red Bull TV: win.gs/1uy4YFF
► Visit our official website: win.gs/avjLrK
► Our latest videos on KZbin: bit.ly/12nkX7h
► Like us on Facebook: on. 12N5Ch0
► Follow us on Instagram: bit.ly/2BdQWiH
► Follow us on Twitter: bit.ly/Lx4wQy

[@RBMA]

You can read more about Mandy Parnell here... ► www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/mandy-parnell And you can listen to more Studio Science here... ► kzbin.info/aero/PLDdx2qJK6BygcOeGUkNP15vJabaSfsJ8s

[@richardosheej5345]

Blessings cuz

[@donsun1561]

31:28 this could very well be one of the most inspiring bits of advice I've hear. Reminds me of how important it is to be yourself and be with yourself, to experience your emotions, to be curious about the strange world of emotion inside of you and transcribe it to sound.

[@jomesias]

23:34 “-2 rms, it’s like hello? That’s pure distortion 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 Mind blown! What an incredible and professional woman, talked about resonant frequencies in crystals, Vitamin d for your hearing, the glue function of the limiters. Just incredible! I could hear her all day honestly!! 👍👍👍👍

[@stevoofd]

24:57 Aphex Twin’s Syro is discussed

[@masync183]

thanks lol

[@bastiangustavsen3168]

Managed to play the only song on Syro that wasnt Mastered by her, Minipops 67 was mastered by Beau Thomas....

[@jonathanevans4623]

@@bastiangustavsen3168 Big difference between the two masterer's styles as well. Beau's was "single" (radio) aimed, ultra-modern low/hi focused n scooped mids. Mandy's was more about focusing those "analog-y" mid-frequency bands. Both fantastic but sooo different.

[@blonieamw2998]

all im hear 4 ;) thanks for that

[@Braunld]

@@jonathanevans4623 minipops is one of my fave tracks on Syro, but it sticks out like a sore thumb (sound-wise)

[@alouisus]

Mandy is the shit. She mastered a record for my group Livehuman featuring Dj Quest! She was excellent to work with and I always learn something listening to her.

[@TheStuF]

Livehuman! GREAT band. I think my drummer bought your record for me 20 years ago! Thanks Albert :) and pass my thanks to the other lads too.

[@athenachristinemusic]

Holy hell if I stumbled upon aphex twin and got to master his album I’d die

[@deejaydubla]

Thank you so much, RBMA, for uploading this fascinating lecture. I feel like I'll be coming back to this one again and again.

[@cliftoncameron5632]

Mandy is a gem. Red Bull, Thank you for sharing this. Mandy, thank you for being in tune, passionate, and open about what is real in the language of sound. Sound is Silent. Life is Sound.

[@grandaddy0807]

This is such a gem of a channel if you are an Aphex fan. Info about him is obviously rare and fragmented so these stories are really cool

[@setphaser]

wow, someone who can explain mastering in human language. that has to be even more rare!

[@StrayMedicine]

In any field some people will use overly technical jargon as a way to try to sound intelligent, or intimidate outsiders.. or are really vague because they're afraid other people will understand what skill level they're actually on.

[@flipjupiter1]

Sure. You import a song into the audio software on your laptop and adjust the bass, the mids, and the treble to your liking. Should take you five minutes.

[@Jazzfunkmaster]

Optimising the amplitude, dynamics and balance of a track across as many widely available setups

[@jorriffhdhtrsegg]

Mastering is literally making a record louder, which can involve adjustments to the EQ, dynamics and harmonic distortion.

[@antonio7279]

that sigur ros story sounds insane. much credit to mandy, talk about endurance.

[@mas3974]

Amazing interview! A wonderful gesture by those friends in Iceland to supply mastering equipment too

[@dfelo93]

Thanks for these lectures, watched the whole way and learnt way more than what I have on a year of music production on my country.

[@stevoofd]

Diego Lopez where’s the part where she talks about Aphex Twin?

[@jeremybarnes7873]

Thankful to Seren for telling me about his friends at The Exchange, prompting me to visit for a cut, a way to bounce ideas (being another mastering guy myself). Mandy had moved on by then, but the vibe was great.

[@MuzoSTEIN]

Phenomenal!!! - Ears - Critical Listening - Emotion!

[@SearchingForSounds]

What a boss! She's understated but passionate, explains but isn't indulgent. Anyone calling her boring is completely missing the point. She listens for a living

[@calebwylx919]

She's not boring at all, if anything it's information overload.

[@pjr5913]

yep you called it with understated. i bet she doesnt fuck around , bring your A game with this pro.

[@truthfilter]

This has such an amazing vibe it feels like it was filmed in the 90's even the way the hostess is dressed feels 90's I love it

[@iqi616]

Great interview. Great point about turning down references while mixing. Beginners should never mix into a limiter or they'll never learn to mix properly.

[@massif_]

is so great that she mencionted LEILA ARAB

[@taks359]

I think it's still nice to check the mix with a limiter at the end of the chain from time to time. It can tell you if your mix is ready for mastering or not.

[@MaxKomori]

I also had a portable vynile player when i was a Child...💜👍🦇Peace 💚

[@RuinFierro]

Incredible lecture

[@Dogboy73]

Very interesting. Excellent talk.

[@9000ck]

This woman is possibly the coolest woman on the planet.

[@disectormusic]

very insightful

[@willmcpherson2]

I’m just imagining playing my mixes on her setup and realising how much I suck

[@analogdistortion]

Is your plan to be able to master your own audio though? Otherwise if it sounds fine at home and you've tested it on other systems then that's your job done.

[@kincamell2]

Much Gratitude

[@droxindustries]

great interview, love her approach

[@jeromelester8]

Thanks a lot! ♡

[@gnarlykoala]

Legend!

[@Genesis817]

thx for this

[@Bencopland1]

She's amazing!

[@frankjamesbonarrigo7162]

Her necklace is the missing piece for finding the ark of covenant

[@davidbeddoe6670]

looks more like a missing coaster from the Queen's coffee table

[@frankjamesbonarrigo7162]

@@davidbeddoe6670 didn’t say looked like, I said it is.

[@ikeaboy_damo]

This is great

[@ER_aka_RAM]

Outstanding

[@infinaneek]

Incredible. The stuff about Sigur Res ()... Wow.

[@producergage]

Great video. Very informative!! I will say someone should have de-essed this dialogue.

[@Journeymanlive]

great great advices, fantastic human! Finally an as equally humble as she's talented. So much ego in this field, she's the real deal!

[@KnutKniffte]

I fugging love Aphex Twin since 20 years now. :)

[@frankjamesbonarrigo7162]

Me 2 mate

[@JJW001]

I use Minipops as a speaker/heaphone tester.

[@frankvazquez5974]

How Red Bull be bringing this level of quality with interviews?

[@croay]

what a mad lad

[@sonicretard4537]

gem

[@ReneAlexisPenalozaMunoz]

Small producers don't have budgets to master their stuff with people that know what they're doing or reputation. I do believe there is a little bit of bollocks in the process but whatever.

[@000slappydirk]

Not true, I’ve been running labels for a decade now and just about to master my debut album this Wednesday.... I can assure you a £30 per track will always be shite. I wasted so much time and money trying to cut corners on it in the past. My best advice to any small producer would be save up and get the job done right by a legitimate mastering engineer in a legitimate studio.

[@187onasimp]

I know right. Like people got $30,000 to chuck at these people when you barely can afford the music equipment to make the music in the first place. There's a reason why these people only mix for people that have won grammy's and are signed to major record labels... they're the only ones that can afford their services.

[@Jazzfunkmaster]

Mastering engineers will have to master the same tune in various different ways more than 10 times for major labels, it's an objective pair of ears where the value of the service lies and the cost comes from their level of experience and understanding of how their ears/setup works. Comparing a mastering engineer who works with Bjork and Aphex to small producers that can't afford it is nonsense because many of those producers would probably still opt for a really certi mastering engineer if they could afford it lol

[@RedMastering]

there are services suited for 'small producers', you don't need to break bank to get high quality service!

[@jamardan5112]

You know it fam

[@adamantportraits]

Would love to hear syro unmastered

[@TheMagiciansLeftHand]

Sigur Ros question & answer at 41:20

[@jorriffhdhtrsegg]

Aegetis biryun and ( ) ...are how to master dynamic stuff. Their later ones get bit too compressed and lose the massive crescendo.

[@scotthstevenson]

I feel like you are saying that a Mastering Engineer puts their footprint on a mix ??

[@mementomatrix]

24:53 Aphex Twin part

[@user-ls7xf4lk6t]

Can anybody name some of these mono speakers being marketed as stereo speakers that Mandy is referencing here?

[@maximilianclarke6441]

My guess is stuff like Apple HomePod, Google Home and other "smart" speakers. They're not marketed as stereo per se, but people are so used to getting stereo by default that it really should be mentioned that they're mono.

[@burnemaximilian2612]

#MAD #LOVE

[@DJSTOEK]

💘

[@mr_diatribe2324]

But can Mandy mix or scratch plus produce? Yes she can!!! The Exchange ! And she is good on the mic technique ;)

[@JMJC1]

Hi. Again!

[@mr_diatribe2324]

@@JMJC1 And who are you again haha ;)

[@JMJC1]

@@mr_diatribe2324 your unintended youtube algorithm follower!

[@mr_diatribe2324]

@@JMJC1 Something like that ;)

[@agilitaet]

qt with the black and white striped shirt

[@SairousFilms]

24:51

[@NextSound170]

People focus too much on the mastering and how it sounds, so today’s music sounds like a technical exercise.

[@what-jh4iq]

Anybody know about the famous or all for that matter "mono speakers that are passed as stereo" she talked about? -Confused

[@salonsonicsmpls]

probably sonos

[@what-jh4iq]

@@salonsonicsmpls Sonos dont make studio monitors if im correct? Also she said big company and very well known.

[@curtisclark-auchinleck1383]

Auratone / Avantone

[@what-jh4iq]

@@curtisclark-auchinleck1383 Hey man you have any links or some proof i want to investigate this further! Thanks.

[@curtisclark-auchinleck1383]

@@what-jh4iq shoot I may have misread this... Auratones / Avantones are small cube shaped Mono speakers that are famous for mixing as sometimes when collapsing a tune from Stereo to Mono will reveal phasing issues among other things. I have seen mixing and mastering engineers with these speakers for A/B ing back and forth with high fidelity full range monitors.

[@Demention94]

Name at 26:32 ?

[@RBMA]

Leila Arab

[@MegaJchrist]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4q7oZ6XfsR8hNE

[@AphexxehpA]

No one has a clue who Leila is...wow!

[@blonieamw2998]

I thought the same thing

[@cube206]

Very interesting woman :)

[@bloodfunk4102]

i listen to Aphx since 1991 ... i just learned about Mandy Parnell behind Richard D james and the only think i have too say is : why do they aren t more womens intoo stuff like this ??..

[@Andre-gy5ml]

because there arent many women who are good at mastering? not everything has to be about gender equality

[@bloodfunk4102]

@@Andre-gy5ml do you mean you are a man so you are a god of mastering ?

[@Denature1020]

@@bloodfunk4102 "what do you not mean you are god of mastering?"

[@bloodfunk4102]

@@Denature1020 ok

[@suncity22001]

because they belong in the kitchen. obviously.

[@totothedog8830]

For her to be trained before digital and now be on the front line of digital mastering should speak loads about her capabilities and resilience

[@mangohead2493]

51:05 wonder if she still has a job?

[@xq10xa]

Beautiful lecture. I do find it really fucking dumb that they have to cutout the songs they want to hear. I would have loved to see her listening to it. All this copyright shit is so fucking bogus

[@joshnsolomon]

When she’s talking about new speakers being mono, is she talking about all the new Bluetooth speakers?

[@epemsley3787]

ALL stems mixed 50%L - 50%R pseudo-stereo.

[@vrilmaxxed]

Who else clicked on this just for Aphex twin?

[@lukeimontv7086]

I didn’t know who she was. But this video came after the interview with Steve Beckett from Warp Records. And I’m thankful, because this was an excellent interview about mastering, and just music in general 👍

[@dirtycelinefrenchman]

I clicked on it for Mandy Parnell

[@MeatyController]

I did, learned nothing though

[@Ketchupsauce44]

Meeeeeeeeeeee

[@AScarletWoman]

Mandy is enough all in her own. 🙂

[@Tombrosapien]

180db is the best track on syro

[@chopincj7530]

Good track, but others are better. Xmas evet 10

[@kaiden3769]

earth portal mix

[@fleaship6134]

Aisatsana

[@tgeo2880]

she is quite the scat, reminds me of me

[@Tombrosapien]

Ooh edgy...

[@JeroenUyttendaele]

who is this leyla ore layla she's talking about? Anyone knows?

[@RBMA]

That's probably Leila Arab, you can read the full transcript here for context and spellings :) www.redbullmusicacademy.com/lectures/mandy-parnell

[@JeroenUyttendaele]

thanks!

[@ninbin34]

she did bjork's Post tour. you can find her on a song called Enjoy: watch?v=OszyMKVsNg4 Leila Arab

[@joechapman8208]

Leila Arab, records as Leila. Listen to Underwaters on the Like Weather debut and work from there!

[@patthewoodboy]

interesting .. but if you want something to sound loud you just turn up the volume :-) ... if she talking about loud at low volumes , fack that... its just compression.

[@patthewoodboy]

@staircase2 explain why my comment is wrong? shes just using compression in a clever way.

[@danielmartin2000]

so she just did Syro?

[@Digalog]

Weird discogs says " Beau Thomas " mastered it

[@NextSound170]

ENCRYPTED was in a drum and bass outfit called Intense. Does a lot of mastering from Masterpiece. Long time in the game

[@christoroppolo8742]

The mysterious world of mastering recorded loudness that creates the opportunity to give a tune a scope and balance that augments what’s already there. This woman is the industry go to. But my question is ... does the human ear really need to be Taught what is a proper mastered toon ? Just the order of tunes is a part of it. It started as a template for vinyl but is now this huge science of formats . That doesn’t do anything for the impact of a song to my mind. It’s more of an industry standard that at its inception separated independent records from label driven material. Basically music racism that shunned anything that was recorded outside of studio driven facilities. To me broadcast means nothing if a tune is rubbish. Peace Christo 👽🐕🎶🛸☮️😉

[@mr_diatribe2324]

We were there in 1989 ???

[@RenegadeSound]

Guilty

[@javaally1203]

Merzbow needed master engineering?

[@coskal]

ynw

[@richardosheej5345]

Bparnellrecords rich people music

[@ok.sinesm]

Does Mandy Parnell have a bakewell tart around her neck?

[@amalhandley3914]

This comment section is a mess

[@BarbarossaSC2]

Great talk, loved it. Only criticism is it's pretty cringe the way the audience looks hand-picked by a producer. They wanted "hip", "indie music aficionados" who look like they "came from their upper east side studio". Please.

[@innovativeprogramschool7979]

They look like ordinary people you would see hanging out at any random place. Why so prejudiced and judgmental?

[@jorriffhdhtrsegg]

Could have found people that look like more normally dressed under 40s. It doesn't even look as hip as a usual music production course. You have a great imagination.

[@that1dude735]

RUBBER JOHNNY

[@delta-9969]

If you want your music louder that's what the volume knob is for.

[@leojciaccioii]

It's either two bulls or a female reproductive system... not sure

[@nicholasroos3627]

resonant frequencies of crystals.....I've heard enough.

[@ilovedrums247]

so you've never heard of a quartz clock?

[@nicholasroos3627]

@@ilovedrums247 pretty sure she's not talking about crystal oscillators XD

[@allenschmitz9644]

LOL'...OOOHHHMMM.

[@jorriffhdhtrsegg]

I would be skeptical about having such pseudoscience involved in any mastering. Does a record sound better when Mercury is in retrograde?

[@MommaKlayre]

Who is the interviewer? Man, wake her up, first of all, and get rid of the so rigid Q&A format. Have a chat for christ's sake

[@LordMarlle]

Yes, it's the single biggest problem with these sessions

[@grimblegrumble]

this... and drop the fucking sofas...

[@Helios601]

Podcast format?

[@MommaKlayre]

@@Helios601 as one option. Even radio isn't this stiff. David Letterman's thing on Netflix is him and his guest on a stage. It's Q&A, but far from a set up/punch situation (to use a comedy comparison)

[@cooptrol]

I can't believe people who can pay her for mastering their music can be dumb enough to do their mixes using a limiter on the master.

[@crieverytim]

it's not dumb, just uninformed ack's without experience

[@suncity22001]

for fucks sake man i hope im not learning that richard james is into crystals and psychic shit.

[@BF-nq4mx]

I bet the majority of those kids in the audience don't even know who Aphex Twin is!

[@MrWindmills]

He’s pretty mainstream now mate sure they do

[@TNJX]

Didn't hear anything about Aphex

[@jbforce10]

you didn't make it all the way to 26 minutes then?

[@MrCasperexpress]

mentioned once lol@@jbforce10

[@z00h]

Next project, build an in-house hair saloon.

[@HolographicSweater]

the interviewer is pretty terrible

[@RosssRoyce]

This must be the most boring profession ever, just after air traffic controller.

[@187onasimp]

lol

[@DizzyVizion]

She obviously mastered drugs before she mastered drukqs

[@keg3212]

I'm suprised she deals with stereo, because she's very monotonous. Geddit. Monotonous. That's a play on words that deals with monaural. Ha ha. That joke was brought to you by Red Bull Music Academy.

[@AllenSmithe]

get out.

[@DAVIDE-bk8by]

Syro was his least great album for me..just saying. Rarely feel like playing it, unlike the previous albums

[@infinitifyr]

Sorry but these days there are many albums that sound amazing without being mastered in a million dollar studio. The tech has gotten advanced enough that it simply isn't necessary anymore. This is a fossil of the music industry that's trying to stay relevant.

[@jorriffhdhtrsegg]

🎉Four Tet - There is Love in You My Bloody Valentine - Loveless Although the latter got remastered...by Kevin Shield's doing his obsessive compulsive thing and no one much noticed the difference

[@TheInterGalacticFederation]

If the mono button is your best friend you might need to get out of the studio a bit more.

[@MrSalvaur]

syro has to be the worst mastered aphex twin record

[@alvareo92]

Explain why.

[@MrSalvaur]

@@alvareo92 its too compressed , too much saturation nulled a lot of detail, just listen the tuss records, thats how it should sound.

[@acidjakproductions]

Send me the link to the unmastered version to compare.

[@ubiquitousreverser]

It sounds like it was mastered to sound like a pop record, very clean and glassy. Which is why I think it got a grammy. Not his most impressive album. First album Of his that I didn’t listen to as much as his others when I got it, but I was also listening to the nearly 200 raw 90’s tracks he threw at his fans while he was being awarded a grammy.

[@MrSalvaur]

@@ubiquitousreverser sound is too plane , has no sound dimension

[@davidsinclair1971]

Couldn't stand her sniffing every 5 seconds

[@FourTetTrack]

The audio mastering ppl at Red Bulll might need some de-essing :D.

[@Meshuggapeth]

Incredibly boring. Poor audience

[@djvartan]

She doesn't let her help touch anything and only do critical listening for 1-2 years. What a joke. I dont know why anyone would want to work with her. She also doesn't seem very pleasant in all the videos Ive seen of her.

[@girlinagale]

She's not a narcissist, that's a good thing.