Girls Twiddling Knobs – Détails, épisodes et analyse

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The room glowed with warm orange light, a full house gathered to celebrate five years of Girls Twiddling Knobs and to witness a bold closing chapter. We brought a live panel to the stage to ask a deceptively simple question: are music technology skills truly crucial for women and gender-diverse artists? What followed was honest, funny, and disarmingly practical—stories about safety in studios, DIY learning, pricing your worth, and the power of choosing collaborators who actually listen.

Karen Sutton (Oram Awards) mapped the tough terrain of funding and why mentoring fills the gaps that DIY routes can’t always bridge. Rooks, aka Jenny Bulcraig (2% Rising), shared how artists are rejecting microaggressions and confusion in sessions in favor of producers who offer clarity, consent, and better results. afromerm, aka Cecilia Morgan, unpacked how growing technical fluency turns doubt into calm agency on stage, even when met with patronising questions. Glade Marie (Saffron) spoke to intuition, community, and using brand gigs to bankroll creative freedom without apology. Together, we explored how tech skills change careers, why safer spaces are non-negotiable, and how to build sustainable models when institutions look away.

We don’t pretend the landscape is fair. Arts funding is shaky. Industry gatekeepers still overlook what doesn’t fit a KPI. But the path forward is clear: learn the tools that center your voice, set boundaries around money and time, and build the rooms where more of us can thrive. As we prepare a short final season—answering why we’re closing and what we’ve learned—we’re archiving the work and passing the torch to the many initiatives pushing this movement forward.

If you’ve ever felt othered in a studio, underpaid for your craft, or unsure how to start charging for your expertise, this conversation is a compass. Listen, share, and tell us the boundary you’re setting next. And if this resonated, subscribe, leave a review, and send the episode to a friend who needs it.

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

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🎧 Listen on headphones 🎧 Some of this episode is recording in binaural audio.

What does it really take to compose a work for a 12-piece post-minimalist ensemble—using 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 instruments like the EMS VCS4 synthesiser and Watkins Copicat. 

You'll journey from early rehearsals at Wysing Arts Centre to a spellbinding presentation at London’s Science Museum.

🎧 Expect binaural recordings, tape loops, behind-the-scenes conversations, and honest reflections on what it means to create—and be left out of—musical history.

🔗 Links To Go Deeper

Shiva Feshareki >>

Sarah Angliss >>

Thelma Rose >>

Gavin Bryars >>

Icebreaker Ensemble >>

Science Museum Group >>

Goldsmiths Electronic Music Studio >> 

Hugh Davies’s ShoZyg >>

Digitana Electronics >> 

Asa Bennett >>

Aris Solomon >>

Ed McKeon >>

Cathy Lucas >>

Wysing Arts Centre >>

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

Luckily, there’s far more conversations happening about musicians’ 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 that’s often touched upon in wider conversations around gender and music technology, it’s rarely fully explored in its own right.

Inside this conversation, Isobel chats with musicians’ therapist and counsellor, Denise Devenish about the intricacies and complexities of being a woman or gender minority in music tech spaces and how this can contribute to burnout specifically. They also discuss what the industry can do better to prevent these challenges, how Denise works specifically with musicians in her private practice and how you can access support if you’re affected by any of the issues we discuss in this episode.

Links to resources mentioned in this episode:

• Denise Devenish Counselling >>
• Follow Denise on Instagram >> 

Therapy & Counselling Support

• Mind Charity >>
• The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network >> 
• British Association of Performing Arts Medicine >>

Sexual Harassment & Abuse

• Women’s Aid >>
• Help Musicians’ Bullying & Harassment Helpline >> 
• Musicians’ Union Safe Space Scheme >>

Musicians’ Mental Health

• Music Minds Matter >>
• Music Support >>
• Musicians’ Union Mental Health Support Line >>

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

NikNak is a true renaissance lady spanning turntablism, radio presenting, live performance, sonic arts and more but underneath everything she does is a playful approach to sound. Inside part 1 of 2, Isobel chats with her about how she got started DJing and learning turntable techniques, how she’s learnt to trust her creative intuition and why she believes it’s best to let go of the word ‘should’ when it comes to music tech.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{03:37} Introducing NikNak
{06:12} What is ‘Turntablism’?
{14:40} The top 3 turntable techniques you need to know!
{20:55} How dyslexia has influenced her music creation
{30:09} Having confidence and embracing your uniqueness
{47:12} Episode summary & next week’s teaser

Rate and review the podcast >>

Find out more about NikNak’s work HERE >>
Pam the Funktress DJing with her breasts >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify
Join the Female DIY Musician Tribe Community on Facebook

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

Much of the time, music recording and production takes place inside the studio, which we’ve covered a lot on the podcast already. But inside today’s episode, Isobel shares why field recordings - recordings made outside the studio - became so important to her own production style and how you can get started with these more experimental recording techniques to transform your sound in multiple, exciting ways.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{04:33} What is field recording?
{09:53} Women pioneers of field recording
{17:18} How and why I use field recordings in my music
{20:19} How to get started with field recording
{26:51} Episode summary & next week’s teaser

Download my FREE PDF Guide, 10 FREE Tools to Start Recording your Music, Right Now HERE >>

REFERENCES
America Over the Water by Shirley Collins >>

The World Soundscape Project >>

Environments, Irv Teibel >>

Chris Watson >>

My Words Trace A Path: encounters with place through voice, performance and field recording, PhD Thesis, Isobel Anderson >>

Kit’s Beach Soundwalk, Hildergard Westerkamp >>

Thought Experiments in F# Minor, Janet Cardiff >>

Know Your Heart, Isobel Anderson >>

CHALK / FLINT, Isobel Anderson >>

Cold Water Songs, Isobel Anderson >>
Virtual Barber Shop >>

In The Field, Angus Carlyle & Cathy Lane >>


EQUIPMENT MENTIONED
Zoom H4n Pro Handy Recorder >>

Rycote Portabl

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

In modern music technology, we take for granted our ability to and appreciation of hearing sound spatially. Stereo recording and reproduction has been especially embedded in our listening practices, whether it be through headphones or speakers. But inside this week’s episode, Isobel chats with Prof. Gascia Ouzounian about her new book, Stereophonica, where she explores how this wasn’t always the case and that how we hear sound spatially is constantly evolving and changing.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{04:34} What is Stereophonica?
{17:04} Spatial awareness in the Battlefield
{27:54} Experimenting with electronics to control human emotions with sound
{35:56} How sound is used as an aesthetic component in art
{45:41} Recognising the work of Yoko Ono
{49:05} The Isobel Map
{53:08} Creating soundart for urban spaces
{01:08:25} Summary

Download your 10 FREE Tools to Start Recording your Music HERE >>

Stereophonica is out now! Find out more HERE >>

Gascia on the NYE Special episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify
Join the Female DIY Musician Tribe Community on Facebook

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

Creativity is undoubtedly an innate human process. We exist because we were created, we are perpetually making new experiences, stories and even cells, and even when we die our matter goes into new creations, whether animal, mineral or vegetable. But a creative practice? This involves some kind of intentional commitment, and sharing this work? This involves opening a dialogue with others around our creative practice. But what if no-one’s paying attention? Inside this week’s episode, Isobel asks whether it’s all ‘still worth it’.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{03:33} Why I’m Recording This Episode
{08:59} How My Own Motivations For Creating Have Changed Over Time
{19:38} The Noble (But Nearly Impossible) ‘Cliche’
{20.58} The Value Of Making Art, For Art’s Sake
{27:40} When It’s Not Just ‘Art For Art’s Sake’
{32:56} Why It’s Not All Just About ‘Getting Attention’
{34:10} ‘Getting Attention’ Vs 'Paying Attention’
{37:43} What Does This All Mean?
{39:13} Summary & Next Week’s Teaser

Rate and review the podcast >>

REFERENCES
The Person Behind the Mask, Linda H. Hamilton >>
David Bowie on making your best work >>
Why We Make Art, UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Centre >>
Kate Nash on Instagram, ‘Woke up feeling BITTAH about my industry’ >>
Rebecca Solnit, Recognitions of my Non Existence (2020) >>
Katy Waldman on Recognitions of my Non Existence in the New Yorker >>
Rebecca Solnit, The Mother of All Questions (2017) >>
How craving attention makes you less creative | Joseph Gordon-Levitt >>
Girls Twiddling Knobs NYE Special with Gascia Ouzounian >>

Listen to the episode

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

Composer and producer, Hannah Peel, is fast becoming one of the most inventive, multidimensional and prolific artists in UK electronic music. Inside this episode, Isobel sits down to chat with Hannah about her creative practice, her new album Fir Wave and the realities of being a contemporary, independent musician working in experimental music today.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro & episode overview
{03:14} How Hannah began her journey into music tech
{10:27} Music tech didn’t always come easy
{14:37} Finding your unique sound world
{17:32} How a project in Library Music led to her new album 'Fir Wave'
{31:30} Hannah's '7P' rule for success
{34:35} Should you have a manager?
{45:31} Hannah's top tips for releasing music
{49:21} Dealing with insecurity, self-doubt and 'workaholism'
{56:50} Summary & next week's teaser

Pre-order Hannah Peel's new album 'Fir Wave' here >>
Go to hannahpeel.com to check out all of Hannah’s exciting projects >>

Discover your female producer spirit guide here >> 

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify
Join the Female DIY Musician Tribe Community on Facebook

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

There’s a part of the recording process that can often feel overwhelming to musicians, and that’s self-releasing music. For a totally DIY artist, Isobel’s success with sharing her music is impressive, but she’s also had to learn everything through trial and error. Luckily, you can side-step three of the most common mistakes Isobel has made herself and observed from other musicians with her invaluable advice for self-releasing your own music right here in this week’s episode.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro & episode overview
{03:39} What is self-releasing music?
{05:40} Self-releasing mistake No.1 and how to avoid it
{09:19} Self-releasing mistake No.2 and how to avoid it
{12:22} Self-releasing mistake No.3 and how to avoid it
{18:11} The most important thing to remember when releasing your music
{19:13} Summary & next week’s teaser

Check out the funding wizard on Help Musician UKs website to find some funding pots you could apply for if you’re based in the UK >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify
Join the Female DIY Musician Tribe Community on Facebook

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

In this week’s episode Isobel chats with post-production audio engineer Emma Butt about a fascinating piece of research she published recently into lack of diversity within the field of  post-production sound in UK television. Emma shares why and how she took on this important project, her career to date and her ambitious plans for creating more diversity in her industry moving forward.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{02:52} Emma recalls experiencing sexism in her first job in live sound
{12:10} Not conforming doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong
{21:43} Studying sound engineering and beginning her career in TV post-production
{37:38} Emma explains her research findings into diversity within post-production roles
{55:26} Using her findings to launch a new scheme to ensure diversity in the industry
{01:01:28} Top tips for getting started
{01:04:23} Summary & next week’s teaser

Emma Butt Website >>

Emma’s article ‘Diversity in Post-Production Sound Roles in UK Television Production’ in Reprezentology (2020: 12-21) >>

Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify
Join the Female DIY Musician Tribe Community on Facebook

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Girls Twiddling Knobs has ended, but you can stay connected to Isobel's artistic work here.

Girls Twiddling Knobs was hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey from Nov 2020-Jan 2026 and will remain live on all major podcast platforms throughout 2026.

We are grateful to the British Library who have archived the podcast in their Sound and Vision Collection.

Learn more about the Girls Twiddling Knobs legacy here.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.