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In this deeply honest and reflective conversation, Isobel Anderson is joined by musician, educator and Radical Songwriting founder Rosie Bans to talk openly about the full journey of Girls Twiddling Knobs, from its beginnings as The Female DIY Musician to the decision to close the project after five years.

This episode exists because this story was too complex, emotional and important to unpack alone. Rosie has been part of Girls Twiddling Knobs as a student, collaborator, team member and peer support, making her uniquely placed to hold this conversation with care, insight and challenge.

Together, they explore:

• Why Girls Twiddling Knobs was started in the first place
• Chronic illness, disability, precarity and survival as a musician
• Building a business with no capital, no safety net and no investors
• Gender inequality, anger, activism and the limits of individual change
• Burnout, parasocial relationships and emotional labour
• Why ethical online education is so hard to sustain
• The pressure to scale, promise outcomes and commodify creativity
• Why Isobel chose to step away rather than compromise her values
• What she would do differently if she started again
• Reconnecting with artistic practice after years away
• What comes next, and what success now means

This is not a takedown or a farewell filled with regret. It is a clear-eyed reflection on care, sustainability, integrity and choosing yourself.

If you’ve ever run a creative business, worked in the music industry, supported women in marginalised spaces, or wondered why so many meaningful projects struggle to survive, this episode will resonate deeply.

📣 📆 Mark Jan 5-12 in your diary because that's when you can grab our "life changing" online programmes for the very last time and with a whopping 60% OFF (or more) in the Girls Twiddling Knobs CLOSING DOWN SALE 🤩 🎉

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

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n this Ask Me Anything episode of the Girls Twiddling Knobs podcast, Isobel Anderson answers listener questions spanning music careers, collaboration, production, business sustainability, sound art, and gender equity in the music industry.

Recorded as one of the final episodes before Girls Twiddling Knobs comes to a close, this conversation is candid, thoughtful, and deeply reflective. Isobel shares hard-won insights from five years of running a feminist music tech platform, alongside practical advice for artists, producers, educators and organisers working at the grassroots.

Topics covered include:

• How to run a creative business without burning out
• Setting boundaries around time, money and energy
• When collaborations are no longer serving you and how to walk away professionally
• Finding a co-producer when you are not part of established music circles
• Making a living as a producer or mixer today
• Creating safer, more intentional spaces for women in songwriting and music
• Reducing noise in field recording, contact mic and hydrophone work
• The thinking behind Isobel’s recent ceramics and voice installation
• What cis men can do to actively support gender equity in music
• How the Girls Twiddling Knobs podcast will be archived for future listeners

Whether you are an emerging artist, an experienced practitioner, or someone thinking about building community in music and sound, this episode offers reassurance, honesty and practical guidance for navigating creative work on your own terms.

📣 📆 Mark Jan 5-12 in your diary because that's when you can grab our "life changing" online programmes for the very last time and with a whopping 60% OFF (or more) in the Girls Twiddling Knobs CLOSING DOWN SALE 🤩 🎉

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

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.

📣 📆 Mark Jan 5-12 in your diary because that's when you can grab our "life changing" online programmes for the very last time and with a whopping 60% OFF (or more) in the Girls Twiddling Knobs CLOSING DOWN SALE 🤩 🎉

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

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🎧 Listen on headphones 🎧

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 is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

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Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Join the Girls Twiddling Knobs Podcast Community here >>

Send us a text

🎙️ What if classical music wasn’t meant to stay in its box?

In this episode of Girls Twiddling Knobs, we meet violinist, composer and loop pedal artist Rebekah Reid, who’s 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.

🎻 We explore how she carved out her own artistic identity, the joy and vulnerability of solo performance, and how to stay creatively free in a world that often expects musicians to stay in their lane.

✨ If you’re a musician, composer or creative who’s felt the pressure to “stick to the rules,” this episode will inspire you to start breaking them—with intention.

🔗 LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 🔗

Connect with Rebekah:

• Website >>
• Instagram >>
  
  

🎛️ Beginner-Friendly Gear Links

• Boss RC-1 Loop Station >>
• TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay Pedal >>
• Roland SPD::ONE Percussion Pad >>
• Korg microKORG Synthesizer/Vocoder >>
• Yamaha P-45 Digital Piano >>
• Logic Pro (Mac DAW) >>
• Valhalla Supermassive (Free Delay/Reverb Plugin) >>
• TAL Reverb 4 (Free Plugin) >>

📣 📆 Mark Jan 5-12 in your diary because that's when you can grab our "life changing" online programmes for the very last time and with a whopping 60% OFF (or more) in the Girls Twiddling Knobs CLOSING DOWN SALE 🤩 🎉

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by music PR, you’re 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 effectively—without the stress.

🌟 Inside You’ll Learn:
✔️ What PR actually is and why it’s different from advertising
✔️ The biggest mistakes DIY artists make when pitching their music
✔️ A step-by-step guide to building your own music PR campaign
✔️ How to research the right blogs, playlists, and press outlets for your genre
✔️ The art of writing a pitch that gets noticed (and when to follow up!)
✔️ Why consistency is the secret to PR success—even if you don’t get immediate results

Rachel’s insights, practical advice, and no-nonsense approach make this a must-listen for any independent artist looking to cut through the noise and get their music heard.

🎧 Hit play now and take control of your PR! 🎵

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

📌 Brick London >>

📌 House of DIY >>

📌 Rachel’s FREE PR resources for DIY artists >>

📌 Connect with Rachel on Instagram >>

📣 📆 Mark Jan 5-12 in your diary because that's when you can grab our "life changing" online programmes for the very last time and with a whopping 60% OFF (or more) in the Girls Twiddling Knobs CLOSING DOWN SALE 🤩 🎉

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

What 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 audiences—and 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 “Junglist Historian.” Julia takes us through jungle’s 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 Rap and EQ50, the barriers women faced breaking into male-dominated spaces, and the exciting resurgence of jungle led by a new generation of diverse artists. Along the way, you’ll discover the unique sounds that define jungle and the enduring impact of reggae sound system culture.

Tune in for an eye-opening exploration of jungle’s history, its cultural shifts, and its bold future—plus a playlist of tracks that showcase its iconic legacy.

Listen to the What Makes Something Playlist (specially curated for GTK by Julia) >>

Find out more about Julia’s research >>

Connect with Julia on X >>

Nzinga Sound >>

EQ 50 Collective >>

📣 📆 Mark Jan 5-12 in your diary because that's when you can grab our "life changing" online programmes for the very last time and with a whopping 60% OFF (or more) in the Girls Twiddling Knobs CLOSING DOWN SALE 🤩 🎉

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.

Send us a text

What 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 & Flora—an 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 musicians, producers, and folk music lovers!

Stream and download Precious Collection >>

Fran & Flora website >>

Connect with Fran & Flora on Instagram >>

📣 📆 Mark Jan 5-12 in your diary because that's when you can grab our "life changing" online programmes for the very last time and with a whopping 60% OFF (or more) in the Girls Twiddling Knobs CLOSING DOWN SALE 🤩 🎉

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Girls Twiddling Knobs is hosted by Isobel Anderson and produced by Isobel Anderson and Jade Bailey.

Watch this episode on YouTube

Explore more episodes here.

Listen on Spotify.