Darcy Proper | |
|---|---|
| Born | Upstate New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | NYU Bachelor of Music in Music Technology |
| Occupation | Mastering Engineer |
| Employer | Proper Prent Sound |
| Spouse | Ronald Prent |
| Awards | List of Grammy Award Nominations |
Darcy Proper is an Americanmastering engineer based at Valhalla Studios, NY in Auburn, NY. In 2008, she became the first woman engineer to win a Grammy for the Best Surround Sound Album. To date, she has won four Grammy Awards and been nominated for eleven.[1][2] She has mastered historical reissues for artists such asJohnny Cash,Billie Holiday,Louis Armstrong, andFrank Sinatra, and stereo releases for artists such asSteely Dan,The Eagles,Donald Fagen, andPorcupine Tree.[3][4]
Proper grew up inUpstate New York performing in choir, jazz ensemble, and school band. She was initially uncomfortable as a performer, preferring to listen to and analyze her parents' music collection. In addition to music, she excelled in math and science. These interests came to an intersection at age 14 when she attended a school event featuring student rock bands. She became interested in the mixing board used to run the sound system, introducing her toaudio engineering.[5]
At age seventeen, Proper attendedNew York University and was one of only three women in a class of 150 students admitted to NYU's Music Technology program.[5] While studying inNew York City, she had several internships and worked in a dance remix studio as an assistant studio technician.[6] She graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Technology.
After university, Proper first began working as an Assistant Studio Maintenance Technician for SoundWorks in Manhattan. In a few years, Proper took a job withSony Classics as a Quality Control Engineer because of her ability to quickly learn the digital audio workstation Sonic Solutions. She eventually rose to a mastering position where she worked with clients on remastering historic pop standards andBroadway recordings.[5] Seven years later, she became the Senior Mastering Engineer atSony Music Studios and expanded her discography to include front-line releases and high-resolution surround sound mastering.
In 2005, Proper joinedGalaxy Studios inBelgium as a Senior Mastering Engineer. There she met her future husband, Dutch recording and mixing engineer,Ronald Prent. Five years later, Proper and Prent moved to the Netherlands and worked to rebuildWisseloord Studios, where Proper became Director of Mastering.[5]
In 2015, Proper and Prent founded Proper Prent Sound, and Proper became Mastering Engineer of Darcy Proper Mastering. Her most recent projects involve mastering in immersive audio formats.
In 2019, she moved to U.S. and joined Valhalla Studios NY along with husband Ronald Prent. Valhalla Studios installed the first analog immersive console in the world, which Prent mixes on and Proper masters from.[7]
Proper has won fourGrammy Awards from eleven nominations.[1]
| Year | Nominee/work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Sony Music 100 Years: Soundtrack For A Century (Album) | Best Historical Album | Nominated |
| 2001 | Lady Day - The Complete Billie Holiday On Columbia 1933-1944 | Best Historical Album | Won |
| 2002 | The Genius Of The Electric Guitar | Best Historical Album | Nominated |
| 2005 | You Ain't Talkin' To Me - Charlie Poole And The Roots Of Country Music | Best Historical Album | Nominated |
| 2006 | Morph The Cat | Best Surround Sound Album | Won |
| 2007 | Fear Of A Blank Planet | Best Surround Sound Album | Nominated |
| 2010 | The Incident | Best Surround Sound Album | Nominated |
| 2012 | Modern Cool | Best Surround Sound Album | Won |
| 2013 | Sixteen Sunsets | Best Surround Sound Album | Nominated |
| 2017 | Early Americans | Best Surround Sound Album | Won |
| 2018 | Symbol | Best Immersive Audio Album | Nominated |