Shows
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#106: Documenting Time Loops with Shiva Feshareki & Sarah Angliss {S06 Finale Special}Send us a textđ§ Listen on headphones đ§ Some of this episode is recording in binaural audio.What does it really take to compose a work for a 12-piece post-minimalist ensembleâusing vintage synths, robotic bells, and tape echoes?In this immersive episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs, we go behind the scenes of Time Loops, a bold and experimental project for Science Museum Group. Follow Isobel as she documents Shiva Feshareki and Sarah Angliss' compositional journey writing new commissions for Icebreaker Ensemble and vintage instrumen...2025-04-091h 03
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#105: Looping, Improv & Breaking The Classical Rulebook with Rebekah ReidSend us a textđď¸ What if classical music wasnât meant to stay in its box?In this episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs, we meet violinist, composer and loop pedal artist Rebekah Reid, whoâs pushing the boundaries of what classical performance can be.Blending classical, jazz and electronic music, Rebekah uses live looping and improvisation to create layered, genre-defying performances that feel both ancient and futuristic.đť We explore how she carved out her own artistic identity, the joy and vulnerability of solo performance, and how to stay...2025-03-261h 14
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#104: Music PR Made Simple: DIY Strategies for Independent Artists with Rachel WhiteSend us a textIf youâve ever felt overwhelmed by music PR, youâre not alone! In this episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs, Isobel chats with Rachel White, music PR expert and founder of BRIC and House of DIY, to break down the real, actionable steps independent artists can take to promote their music effectivelyâwithout the stress.đ Inside Youâll Learn: âď¸ What PR actually is and why itâs different from advertising âď¸ The biggest mistakes DIY artists make when pitching their music âď¸ A step-by-step guide to building your own music PR campaign2025-03-121h 05
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#103: What Makes Something Jungle? With Jungalist Historian, Julia ToppinSend us a textWhat happened to jungle music? How did a genre born from Black British culture, reggae sound systems, and 90s rave scenes become dominated by white, male audiencesâand where are the women who helped shape it?In this episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs, Isobel explores these questions with Julia Toppin, a lecturer, music entrepreneur, and self-proclaimed âJunglist Historian.â Julia takes us through jungleâs vibrant origins, its evolution into drum and bass, and the systemic challenges that sidelined both women and Black voices in the scene.They discuss trailblazers like DJ...2025-02-261h 12
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#102: Co-Producing An Album With Fran & FloraSend us a textWhat does it really mean to be a producer, and why do so many women hesitate to claim the title?In this episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs, we sit down with Fran & Floraâan innovative violin and cello duo blending Yiddish, Romanian, and Transylvanian folk music with improvisation, electronics, and sound experimentation. We dive into their co-production journey on Precious Collection, navigating self-perception as producers, and the evolving landscape for independent artists. Expect candid insights on gender in music, creative collaboration, and the art of crafting immersive soundscapes. A must-listen for mu...2025-02-121h 08
Girls Twiddling KnobsEP#101: How to Press Your Music on Vinyl: Expert Tips from Women in Vinylâs Jenn D'EugenioSend us a textAre you an artist or music producer dreaming of releasing your music on vinyl? In this episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs, Isobel Anderson sits down with Jenn D'Eugenio, founder of Women in Vinyl, to uncover the fascinating process behind pressing music onto records. Jenn shares expert insights on preparing your audio and artwork for vinyl, tips for selecting the right pressing plant, and how to make your vinyl release more sustainable.Whether youâre an independent artist exploring physical formats, a vinyl enthusiast curious about the behind-the-scenes craftsmanship, or someone considering a...2025-01-151h 07
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#100: Celebrating 100 Episodes of Girls Twiddling KnobsSend us a textCelebrating 100 episodes of empowering women in music, Girls Twiddling Knobs host Isobel Anderson takes listeners on a reflective journey through the evolution of the podcast, revisiting its top five most popular episodes, including conversations with Kate Nash, Orla Gartland and Victoria Witjeratne. Featuring listener Q&A, insights into key challenges for women in music technology, and plans for the future, this milestone episode highlights how the Girls Twiddling Knobs community has become a vital voice for diverse creators in music. Tune in to celebrate and explore what's next!...2025-01-011h 44
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#97: Burnout, gender and music technology with Denise DevenishSend us a textLuckily, thereâs far more conversations happening about musiciansâ mental health these days. But how might gender impact our experience of things like depression and anxiety? And how might this differ in a music technology setting, specifically? Because, while this is something thatâs often touched upon in wider conversations around gender and music technology, itâs rarely fully explored in its own right.Inside this conversation, Isobel chats with musiciansâ therapist and counsellor, Denise Devenish about the intricacies and complexities of being a woman or gender minority in music tech spaces and...2024-11-201h 16
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#96: The Art Of Authentic Production In A Post-Internet World: In conversation with Maria UzorSend us a textIn a world thatâs always online, how do we stay true to ourselves as artists? This week on Girls Twiddling Knobs, we tackle this question with the fiercely original electronic music producer Maria Uzor.Growing up as a Black artist in a predominantly White area of the UK, Maria often felt like an outsider. But she turned that feeling into a sound thatâs bold, raw, and unmistakably hers. Join us as we explore how Maria channels her unique experiences into a blend of basement grittiness and cosmic vision.2024-11-061h 02
Girls Twiddling KnobsEP#95: Pushing the Boundaries of Sound: Oram Awards SpecialSend us a textWhat unique facets of our existence and identity does sound allow us to explore as women and gender diverse artists? This is one of the big questions that emerges inside this conversation with three of the five 2024 Oram Award winners.Whether it be through choreography, performance art, hacking or design, Lola De La Mata, xname and The Silver Field are all artists who have come to sound through alternative pathways. Inside this episode, youâll learn about the role that sound and experimental music plays in their practice, how they harness te...2024-10-2359 min
âThings I Never Thought I'd Sayâ with Sam CraneEpisode 2 - Isobel Anderson. Musician and owner of Girls Twiddling Knobs and Home Recording AcademyWelcome to the second episode of the exciting new podcast, đľThings I Never Thought I'd Sayđľ with your host - singer, songwriter, performer and producer Sam Crane. It's all about women in music and their mindset.On today's episode, Sam is interviewing Dr Isobel Anderson, a successful self-producing and self-releasing musician who has online companies teaching women to produce their music at home.Isobel answers these three questions ...Who she is?What things she never thought she'd say that she is now saying?What challenges she is facing now and how she can apply that w...2024-03-2835 min
Transform Your BirthIsobel - straight forward vaginal birth, power of mindsIsobel and Justin prepare for birth using the âTransform Your Birth,â course. She makes a decision that she wants to get through the process of birthing without the use of the drugs and commits to the practices in order to train her mind. Her and Justin have a good conversation on how he can support her to do this. She is facing induction at 42 weeks and labour starts spontaneously without too much need for help. She goes so deep within herself she doesnât even think about the drugs. She feels completely calm and focused. Her partner was an amazing...2023-11-0845 min
Girls Twiddling KnobsEP#93: {Binaural S05 Finale} Embodying Electronic Music with NYX at Hidden Notes FestivalSend us a textReady for a binaural sound adventure?Weâre wrapping up S05 of Girls Twiddling Knobs with an extra-special episode where, together, we take an immersive binaural deep dive into the ecosystem that is NYX.NYX are often described as an electronic drone choir and are a group of women and non-binary vocalists and non-vocalists who use music technology to create dense, musical creations and performance experiences with artists such as GTK alumni Gazelle Twin, amongst many others.Recorded live at Hidden Notes festival in September, Isobel accompanied th...2023-11-081h 02
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#91: How to Choose the Right DAW for You (+ Isobelâs personal top 3 picks)Send us a textFeeling overwhelmed by all the recording software choices? Been using the same DAW for a while and feel like itâs time to switch it up? Havenât started recording your music because you donât have the right gear? If so, this episode is a MUST LISTEN because weâre breaking down the pros and cons of a variety of recording softwares and demystifying this often overwhelming decision.If youâre curious what software Isobel uses, you also wonât be disappointed because inside youâll learn her top favourite 3 DAWs and why...2023-10-1144 min
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#89: The Art of Music Mastering w/ Katie Tavini & Izzy McPheeSend us a textIf youâve ever wondered what music mastering is, how to get your music mastered or even get into mastering yourself, this podcast episode is for you because Isobel is joined by Weird Jungle mastering engineers Katie Tavini and Izzy McPhee. Between them, theyâve racked up credits with We Are Scientists, Bloc Party, Frankie Morrow, Ash, Waverly, Arlo Parks and so many more. But whatâs also interesting about Katie and Izzy is that they met through the amazing Saffron studiosâ mentoring scheme. So, not only will you hear them demystify...2023-09-201h 08
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#88: Why Community is More Important Than Confidence for Women Learning Music TechSend us a textItâs common to hear people make the case for initiatives and spaces that help women become more confident with music tech. And many women will say they wished they had more confidence when it comes to music production, mixing and the whole recording process. But what if this pursuit for more confidence was actually further sabotaging the progress of women with music technology? What if, instead, we need to be questioning the whole focus on confidence itself?In this solo episode, Isobel explores some of the reasons she doesnât focu...2023-09-1320 min
Girls Twiddling KnobsEp#85: How I Use 'Assignments' to Take Imperfect Action and Make Music with Limited TimeSend us a textDo you struggle with perfectionism? We totally get it - it can be easy to put off recording your music out of the belief that every single element of it needs to be perfect. It can also be tricky to find time to dedicate solely to making music; so perfectionism combined with limited time can make it really difficult to actually sit down and get the music made. Inside this episode Isobel discusses the importance of taking âimperfect actionâ when making music, and explains how using the âassignment methodâ helped her ditch the...2023-08-2320 min
Girls Twiddling KnobsEP#82: {S04 Finale Special} Binaural Sea Ice at UCLâs Bartlett Sch. of Architecture w/ Emma-Kate Matthews [Headphones Advised]Send us a text[Headphones Advised] Listen to the shifting, singing Antarctic sea ice in mesmerising binaural audio to mark the end of another incredible season of Girls Twiddling Knobs. For this Season Finale, Isobel travels to University College Londonâs Bartlett Sch. of Architecture to meet composer and lecturer Emma-Kate Matthews. Follow Emma and Isobel on a binaural tour of this incredible hive of architectural and engineering exploration and deep into The Sound Lab. There, Emma shares her journey into sound, music and academia and gives us a binaural sneak peak of her incredible ne...2023-03-151h 45
Girls Twiddling KnobsEP#80: 3 Steps To Establishing More Respectful Music CollaborationsSend us a textWhether youâre in a band, have a team or are a totally DIY, solo musician, youâll likely need to work with other people from time-to-time to get your music out into the world. But it doesnât always feel easy or rewarding and, even worse, sometimes â especially if youâre a woman in music â collaborative relationships can be disrespectful. So, inside this episode, Isobel shares three steps you can take to ensure your collaborative relationships are respectful, rewarding and successful. Isobel also shares her own past experiences of disrespectful collaboration...2023-03-0145 min