Girls Twiddling Knobs

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Inside this episode, Isobel is joined by The Anchoress, AKA Catherine Anne Davies, as she candidly shares the experiences that led her to seriously invest in the skills, gear and home recording space necessary to take ownership of how, and with whom, she makes music.

In fact, having her own home recording set up and knowledge of how to record and produce has meant that her latest release, the Top 40 album The Art of Losing, was largely made by her, from her house and counts Elton John as a no.1 fan.

Catherine’s garnered sparkling reviews in NME, Mojo and countless other top music press, and was listed as one of The Sunday Times’ albums of the year.

So, if you needed any convincing that creating your own home recording space and developing your recording skills was an absolute must for any C.21st woman in music, this episode’s for you!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{02:50} Intro
{04:45} Catherine's honest experience of the music industry
{25:23} Combating low confidence and performance anxiety as a solo artist
{36:13} How building a DIY home-recording space enabled her to regain control over her music and create a No #1 chart-topping album
{53:13} Why you don’t have to prove yourself
{1:00:18} The process, finance and people involved in the success of her album
{1:16:46} The 3 best vocal mics for every budget
{1:30:22} Episode Summary

Join the Clean Up Your Recordings (you dirty girl) FREE 5 Day Challenge waitlist HERE >>

Listen to The Art of Losing HERE >>

Catherine’s top vocal mic picks:

1. Neumann U87 condenser mic >>
2. SE Electronics dual valve mic >>
3. Coles 4104 commentators ribbon mic >>

      BONUS: Shure SM58 dynamic mic >>

Golden Age Project PRE-73 MKIII pre amp >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify

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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 Fan Mail

This week on Girls Twiddling Knobs I'm joined by musician, mother, small business owner and Home Recording Academy alumni student, Cat Lawless, who, despite being suuuuper busy, learnt to record her music from home.

Maybe you're reading this thinking, "That's alright for Cat but I literally don't have a minute in the day - I'll NEVER find time to do this myself"? Cat has been there too!

But this issue isn't just about the next 10 minutes, 24 hours, 7 days or even 12 months. Making the time to invest in recording and production skills will serve you for years to come giving you more creative control, personal freedom and professional opportunities.

So, leave your exhaustion and disbelief at the door. I promise you, this podcast episode is worth your time!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{0:00} Intro
{04:46} Introducing Cat Lawless and her journey into music
{20:41} Turning her passion for music into a business
{28:27} How Cat found her voice and confidence to record her music
{39:11} Cat’s Top 3 Tips on making time for your music
{59:13} Episode Summary

Grab your FREE 3 Step Guide to Sound Treat your Home Recording Space HERE >>

Find out more about all the wonderful things Cat is doing:
Cat Lawless Music >> 
Little Folk Nursery Rhymes >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify

Join the Girls Twiddling Knobs Podcast Community here >>

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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 Fan Mail

Technophobia is one of the biggest reasons so many women fail to record and release their music, especially on their own terms. Even though it’s so commonplace, very few of us are truly aware of what it is, the REAL underlying triggers and how to fix it.

But, by getting a handle on the key concepts Isobel shares in this episode it is possible to gain the tools and confidence to start using technology to achieve the things you always wanted to with your music.

That could mean finally holding your own album in your hands, or collaborating with people all over the world. Whatever it is that technophobia is holding you back from doing, now’s the time to move past it and really shine as a woman in music.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{01:15} Intro
{03:13} What is Technophobia and how does it affect musicians?
{05:38} Are women more likely to have technophobia?
{08:02} What are the common narratives that contribute to this in female musicians?
{09:32} What’s really going on?
{11:24} What are the consequences for your music if you don’t learn to move past technophobic self-talk?
{13:07} 3 practical tips for overcoming technophobia and start using music tech in ways that feel supportive to your music
{16:43} The most important step you need to take to move past your technophobia
{17:35} Episode Summary

Join the Girls Twiddling Knobs Podcast Community HERE >>

Check out Technophobia: The Psychological Impact of Information Technology (1998) By Mark J. Brosnan HERE >>

Read ‘Technophobic Women’ on ie Women Blog HERE >>

Read the EOCD’s Bridging The Gender Divide 2018 report HERE >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify

---------------------------------------------------

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 Fan Mail

Are you ready to follow the journey of a sound wave and expand the horizons of your audio knowledge? If so, boy is this a corker of an episode to kick off Season 2 of the podcast as Isobel takes you on a virtual tour of the National Science and Media Museum’s new exhibition series SONIC, BOOM.

Inside, Curator of Sound Technologies, Annie Jamieson, shares her personal take on all the weird and wonderful audio objects on display, how she curates sound and the commissioned artist works on display at the gallery spaces.

Plus, you’ll get a sneak peak of the galleries’ soundscapes too!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{0:00} Intro
{04:12} Annie Jamieson’s pathway into music
{10:03} Replicate everyday sounds using technology at the National Science and Media Museum
{22:42} The instruments, objects and apparatus used to deepen our understanding of sound
{44:52} Sound-treating a gallery space to create an immersive experience
{56:25} How you can get involved with their interactive exhibitions
{01:02:18} Working within an all-female workplace
{01:08:25} Episode summary

Subscribe to the podcast now so you never miss an episode.

Check out both ‘Sonic: Adventures in Audio’ and ‘Boom: Experiments in Sound’ and other associated events at the National Science and Media Museum HERE >>

Both exhibitions run until the 5th of December, 2021.

See images and more info for some of the objects mentioned in the podcast by searching HERE >>

Listen to the episode here
Listen on Spotify

Join the Girls Twiddling Knobs Podcast Community here >>

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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 Fan Mail

Music production isn't just about expensive gear and nerding out on the latest plug-in. It’s as much, if not more, about your ability to translate emotion through sound.  But this process is often difficult to pin down or articulate and rarely gets talked about on your average music tech course or YouTube video. So inside this week’s episode, Isobel is diving into the intangible process of translating emotion into sound. You’ll also learn three emotion driven production techniques that will help your music stop listeners in their tracks and speak to their soul.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{04:43} What we’re defining as emotion
{06:00} What we’re defining as sound
{06:51} How are they connected?
{10:02} Why this connection is the key to great music and professionally produced music
{15:15} 3 emotion driven production techniques to try in your own music
{23:26} Episode summary

Discover your Female Producer Spirit Guide. Take the quiz NOW >>

Check out Seth Horowitz’s book, The Universal Sense: How Hearing Shapes the Mind HERE >>
Read more about Harmonic Organisation and Culture-Specific Emotional Cues HERE >>
Listen to BBC Radio 4’s The Why Factor all about why we listen to sad songs HERE >>
Watch Rachel Claudio’s Ted Talk, ‘How to Translate the Feeling Into Sound’ HERE >>
Listen to David Oyelowo on BBC Radio 4’s The Film Programme HERE >>
Read Ana Tajadura-Jimenez’s PhD thesis on Embodied Psychoacoustics 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 Fan Mail

Have you ever wanted to start your own recording studio? One where you can pick all your favourite gear, get the mood just right and work with artists you truly believe in too? Well, that’s exactly what this week’s guest, Majelen, did with her fiance Courtney… during lockdown… while they already have two other businesses! #lifegoals. But, as you’ll hear when Isobel sits down with the musician and producer, Majelen has a DIY ethos that is only surpassed by her passion to make women feel more confident, safe and welcome in the studio. If you haven’t loved these spaces in the past and you’re curious about what recording in a female-centred studio would feel like, keep listening!

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{03:46} An overview of Majelen’s music journey
{06:55} Her personal experience of being a woman in music
{14:13} How a negative studio session inspired Majelen to become a producer
{21:38} The most important lessons learned from setting up her own recording studio, Liondance Studios
{37:20} Creating a safe and supportive space for women in her studio
{45:26} The differences between her experience of music tech spaces as a lesbian, as opposed to a woman, in general
{50:32} Top tips for getting the most out of your studio session
{56:40} Episode summary & next week’s teaser

Grab your FREE 3-Step Guide to Sound Treating your Home Recording Space now HERE >>

Find out more Liondance Studios HERE >>

Listen to Majelen’s Music HERE >>

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

---------------------------------------------------

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 Fan Mail

Computer coding can often feel like a totally foreign language to newbies or even just anyone who isn’t a coding wizard. But today’s podcast guest, musician, artist and coder Melody Loveless is here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be. Melody uses live coding in live performance, music composition and sound installation and teaches MAX/MSP both privately and to groups. Inside this episode, Isobel learns why Melody’s ethos is one of inclusion and openness and the exciting possibilities coding can bring to your creative practice.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{04:02} How did Melody get started with music tech?
{08:16} Bringing the worlds of music and tech together
{13:34} How Melody uses code to create auditory installations and live experiences
{22:32} Free tools to get started with Live Coding
{35:15} Demystifying MAX/MSP so you could use code with confidence
{52:22} Episode summary & next week’s teaser

Rate and review the podcast NOW >>

Sign up for Melody’s FREE Getting Started with MAX course on Music Hackspace HERE >>

Check out Melody’s work HERE >>

Find out more about MAX/MSP HERE >>

Find out more about Sonic Pi live coding software HERE >>

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

---------------------------------------------------

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 Fan Mail

If the thought of self-releasing your music feels a tad overwhelming, you’re not alone. It’s a daunting prospect for many DIY artists. But, as Isobel shares in this week’s episode, even veteran DIY musicians can have their own self-releasing wobbles because there are many disruptive factors that have changed the process of releasing music over the last 10 years. Isobel explores exactly what these are and, crucially, what she intends to do to shake up her own music releasing strategy and still love the process of sharing her music.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{01:38} Why I’m sharing this on the podcast
{06:19} What is conventional music releasing?
{08:46} Three forces that have disrupted DIY music releasing
{18:04} How personal circumstances can shape how you share your music
{22:57} The opportunities this also brings
{24:30} My plans for sharing my music in the future
{26:36} Episode summary & next week’s teaser

Download your FREE PDF GUIDE, 10 FREE Tools to Start Recording your Music, Right Now >>

Read The Local’s article on Spotify HERE >>
Read Fortune’s article on Spotify playlist pitching HERE >>
Listen to Episode 01 of the podcast about my pathway into self-producing and self-releasing HERE >>
Listen to Episode 32, our live panel discussion at Women’s Work Festival about Motherhood and Music HERE >>

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

---------------------------------------------------

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 Fan Mail

How well are mothers supported in the music industry, how does it change a woman’s music career and how can it affect your creativity? These are all questions that Isobel explored with three musician mothers, Olga Fitzroy, Ruby Colley, Abigail Smith during a Live panel discussion at Belfast’s Women’s Work Festival on June 17th, 2021 and boy was there a massive response from women of all ages. Also discussed inside this recording of the event, is the choice not to have kids, as well as making music without children when you’d desperately love to become a parent.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{01:15} Episode overview
{04:48} Panel introductions
{08:11} Parental Pay Equality
{14:17} How to reserve energy for your music as well as your children
{19:42} How does becoming a mother affect creativity?
{26:10} How does the public perceive a mother in music?
{32:27} Can we relate to those in the commercial world?
{34:20} Panellist tips for mothers-to-be
{42:47} Balancing work pressures and motherhood
{48:39} Touring with children
{51:24} How to keep your passion for music
{54:34} Challenges as a single parent
{58:43} Finding the time to be creative
{01:03:00} The Oh Yeah Music Centre ‘Mothers in Music’ Project
{01:07:18} What support is available for mothers in the industry?
{01:12:31} Episode summary

Tell us what you think about this topic and the podcast by leaving a rating and review HERE >>

Find out more about Olga Fitzroy HERE >>
Listen to Ruby Colley’s Work HERE >>
Check out Abigail Smith’s music HERE >>
Find out more about the work of Parental Pay Equality HERE >>
Check out the Music Producer’s Guild HERE >>
Find out about Women’s Work HERE >>
Read the article ‘18 Musical Moms Talk Motherhood’ in Paste Magazine HERE >>
Read The Guardian’s interview with Marina Abramovic HERE >>
Check out Parents In Performing Arts HERE >>
Find out more about The Musicians’ Union HERE >>
Find out more about Pregnant Then Screwed >>

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

---------------------------------------------------

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 Fan Mail

Music is a blend of many things, but perhaps one of the most important elements is the ability to craft sound? Inside this week’s episode, Isobel is joined by composer, producer and performer Caro C and hears about why musicians who are truly dedicated to their craft have shaped her music so profoundly. This fascination led her to founding the Delia Derbyshire Day in 2013, which is now a yearly event that champions the work of female electronic musicians. As she shares, Caro’s new album, Electronic Mountain, embraces this dedication to sonic experimentation and meticulous absorption in both technical detail and artistic expression.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
{00:00} Intro
{03:47} How Caro got started in music
{09:04} Your music doesn’t have to be commercial to be successful
{13:24} Setting boundaries and knowing your values
{23:39} How electronics opened up a world into music production and live sound
{31:14} Honing her craft while exploring the Berlin music scene
{39:34} Launching Delia Derbyshire Day to celebrate women in electronic music
{55:06} Exploring nature in Caro’s new album ‘Electronic Mountain’
{01:06:00} Recognising female electronic producer pioneers in ‘Sisters With Transistors’
{01:11:34} Summary and next week’s teaser

Discover your Female Producer Spirit Guide NOW >>

Listen to Caro’s new album, Electronic Mountain, HERE >>
Find out more about Delia Derbyshire Day HERE >>
Register FREE for Girls Twiddling Knobs LIVE at Women’s Work Festival HERE >>

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

---------------------------------------------------

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.