Girls Twiddling Knobs

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever felt stumped as to what to do with all those field recordings you’ve been making… Or like experimental music sometimes lacks a human touch… this episode is a must listen because Isobel is joined by Cathy Lane, an artist, composer and academic inspired by everyday experiences and, in particular, how ‘hidden histories’ can be investigated from a feminist perspective....

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever recorded in a studio and felt like time just slipped away? Or maybe you wished you’d felt more comfortable or like you were using the time better? If so, this episode is not to be missed because Isobel is joined by Brighton based producer and engineer, Phoebe Bentham, who’s sharing her top tips on preparing like a pro for your next recording studio session.  Inside,...

Send us Fan Mail Do 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...

Send us Fan Mail DJing is still a pretty white, male industry, but when this week’s guest, DJ Paulette, first began spinning vinyl in Manchester’s nightclubs in the 90s, black women DJs were few and far between. Winner of the DJ Mag’s Top 100 Lifetime Achievement Award, DJ Paulette's career has spanned over two decades and multiple locations. But inside this candid conversation, Paulette also...

Send us Fan Mail With Season 05 of Girls Twiddling Knobs dropping on August 17th, Inside this trailer Isobel gives you a teaser of what you can expect inside each episode over the next few weeks. Remember to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode and don't forget to enter our Season 05 competition where you could win an audio interface and some of our exclusive Girls Twiddling...

Send us Fan Mail What if fame and commercial success weren't as great as the industry leads many artists to believe? This weeks guest, Kate Nash, had to face this question from an early age after her debut album found overnight success during the naughties. Because, even though there were good times and a few great people, burn out, industry sharks and misogyny were in abundance too. Kate was...

Send us Fan Mail [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 London’s Bartlett Sch. of Architecture to meet composer and lecturer Emma-Kate Matthews. Follow Emma and Isobel on a binaural tour of this incredible...

Send us Fan Mail Orla Gartland’s career started out as a DIY artist on Youtube and has since seen her music rise in success and synced on both the hit TV shows Normal People and Heart Stopper . Inside this episode, she shares why recording and production has become integral to her creative process, especially in the creation of her debut album, Woman On The Internet . Over the last 5-10 years, rec...

Send us Fan Mail Whether you’re in a band, have a team or are a totally DIY, solo musician, you’ll likely need to work with other people from time-to-time to get your music out into the world. But it doesn’t always feel easy or rewarding and, even worse, sometimes – especially if you’re a woman in music – collaborative relationships can be disrespectful.  So, inside this episode, Isobel shares thr...

Send us Fan Mail There have never been so many initiatives fostering marginalised talent in electronic music and sound, and one such platform is the UK’s Oram Awards. Established in 2017, the Oram Awards is a partnership between The Radiophonic Institute, PRS Foundation & The Daphne Oram Trust, and elevates the work and voices of women, Trans and Non-Binary music creators working in sound inno...

Send us Fan Mail Now, you might have heard about this production technique in the context of compression. You may already be using this technique in your own projects but even if you’re not just yet, you might have heard someone talk about adding sidechain compression either in a studio or on a YouTube video. But, if you’re totally new to sidechaining, today’s episode will break it down so you’re...

Send us Fan Mail It’s easy to feel tied down or boxed in as a woman in the music industry, and many artists use a pseudonym to create separation between their personal and creative lives. But today’s guest, Riz Maslen, has been releasing electronic music under multiple musical identities for the past three decades. Inside this episode, Riz shares how she’s used different monikers to play with diff...

Send us Fan Mail What culture would enable women to learn and thrive with music technology? And how might this be fostered in music tech learning spaces? Inside this BONUS podcast episode Isobel shares the unique teaching approach she’s developed over the past five years, and why it's set over 400 women (and counting) up to win with music technology. This practical discussion continues on fro...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever struggled to own the title of ‘Musician’ this episode’s for you. Every single person has a slightly different definition of what actually makes a musician, but the reality of how and why we *feel* like one is often complex and even pretty misunderstood. Inside this episode, Isobel sits down with pianist and Home Recording Academy alumni student, Lois Lelland, about...

Send us Fan Mail “Surely if women *really* wanted to record and produce music, they’d just get on with it like their male peers, right?” Well… Sadly it’s not that simple. Today in 2023, women still are considerably outnumbered on music production programmes and in recording studios and are less likely to learn through free online resources, like YouTube, compared to their male contemporaries. It’s...

Send us Fan Mail If your first few attempts at self-producing your music have left you feeling like throwing in the towel, this episode is for you. Jess Magoch is an award winning Philadelphia based Hip Hop/Jazz artist who decided it was time to become more independent through developing her skills in recording and production. But as Jess shares in her chat with Isobel, it wasn’t a straightforward...

Send us Fan Mail Most musicians will have to make a big, bold, scary decision at some point in their career if they’re going to keep growing and developing as an artist. But how do you know when it’s time to take a risk, take the plunge and get out of your comfort zone?  Inside this special BONUS episode, Isobel unpacks the types of big decisions you might face as a woman in music and when to know...

Send us Fan Mail Have the last few months of financial insecurity made you question if you can keep investing in your music? Many musicians are having to make some tough decisions when it comes to basic living costs, let alone their music careers. But inside this episode, Isobel shares how having the ability to record and produce yourself will not only save you money but can make you money too. No...

Send us Fan Mail There’s nothing more frustrating than being creatively restricted by the skills and tools at your disposal, and oftentimes this leads to musicians being overly-reliant on others to get our music out into the world. But this week’s podcast guest, VOLTA HYMN (AKA Delali Zevon-Aniakwah), decided to develop her music tech know-how in order to forge her own artist project and become fu...

Send us Fan Mail If you want to make 2023 the year you finally have amazing recordings of your music without breaking the bank, this episode is for you. Inside, Isobel shares 5 Key Strategies to Home Record Your Music Like a Pro! Even if you’ve worried that recording your music at home will automatically make it sound amateur in comparison to paying for commercial studio time, this episode will sh...

Send us Fan Mail Adversity can be one of the most creativity-enhancing experiences for many musicians, but when you’re faced with chronic illness that may dictate your energy and ability to work, it’s a whole different story. Inside this episode Isobel chats to musician and producer April Rose Gabrielli about her experience developing epilepsy, totally out of nowhere, and how it informed her debut...

Send us Fan Mail How many times have you been given advice on your music, recording or production, even though you didn't ask for it? Or perhaps you’re always looking for advice rather than trusting your own internal resources and instincts? For many women in music, getting advice can feel like a tricky terrain to traverse without getting mansplained at, stereotyped or thrown a unhelpful red...

Send us Fan Mail It’s not uncommon for musicians to feel disheartened by recording and releasing their music when they don’t receive the recognition or respect they’d like. But inside this episode, Penny White (AKA Jenny Welch) shares how this all changed once she became more involved in the process of recording and production. This is a journey that has resulted in Jenny recording and releasing t...

Send us Fan Mail Recording and producing as a woman in music is still pretty nonconformist, but in the context of the Middle East, it’s a down-right act of resistance, as this week’s guest Blu Fiefer explains. The Lebanese based artist has had to face many of the familiar challenges regarding accessing safe-spaces in which to record, being taken seriously as a female artist and forging a career in...

Send us Fan Mail Nowadays, pretty much everyone feels busy, but for musicians this can really start to eat into vital music making time. Urgent tasks can seem to dominate your schedule, and before you know it, the day’s gone and your music’s been left to the bottom of your to-do list. Inside this episode, Isobel shares how she’s managed to make time for her music, even though her diary seems busie...