Twenty Thousand Hertz (Dallas Taylor)

The names of pop and rock stars are known by millions of people around the world, but the people who actually write their music often stay in the shadows. In this episode, we peel back the curtain on the songwriters behind some of the biggest hits of the last forty years, and find out how this unseen part of the industry really works. Along the way, we’ll get the inside scoop about working with KISS, Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin, Snoop Dogg, Puff Daddy, and more. Featuring songwriter Desmond Child and rapper/songwriter Gizzle. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp online therapy at betterhelp.com/20k. Visit zocdoc.com/20k to download the Zocdoc app and sign up for free. Get one month free of Headspace at headspace.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/hiddenhitmakers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1980s, every movie that aired on HBO began with a truly epic theme song—a sweeping orchestral piece that triggers instant nostalgia for anyone who grew up with it. Then in the 90s, HBO introduced a 5-second audio logo for their original content. Today, we associate that sound with some of the most groundbreaking TV shows of all time. In this episode, we reveal the story behind the creation of these two iconic sounds. Featuring composer Ferdinand Jay Smith and former HBO Executive Vice President Bruce Richmond. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at betterhelp.com/20k. Visit zocdoc.com/hertz to download the Zocdoc app and sign up for free. Check out SONOS at sonos.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/itsnottvitshbo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sci-fi and fantasy creators often use constructed languages (or conlangs) to help us believe that the characters come from ancient times or distant galaxies. But what happens when a fictional language jumps off the screen and into the real world? This story comes from the Imaginary Worlds podcast. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Discover more at lexus.com/curiosity. Subscribe to Imaginary Worlds wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/conlang Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last few decades, Apple has produced some of the most recognizable sounds ever made. In this episode, the Apple design team pulls back the curtain on their sound design philosophy and process, from the evolution of the classic “Tritone” alert, to the surprising origins of the Apple Watch sounds, to the inspiration behind the latest notification tones. Featuring Billy Sorrentino, Hugo Verweij and Kelly Jacklin. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Facebook. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/20k. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Get a free Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/the-sound-of-apple Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When we think about sound, our only reference is what it’s like here on Earth. What happens when we leave this thin blanket of atmosphere, and what do other planets sound like? Featuring Dr. Lori Glaze, Dr. Keith Noll, Dr. Scott Guzewich from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/space Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2018, voiceover artist Bev Standing recorded 10,000 sentences for the Chinese Institute of Acoustics. Bev was told the recordings would be used for a translation app, but three years later, she was shocked to discover that she had become the default voice of TikTok in North America. On TikTok, Bev heard herself saying all kinds of wild and inappropriate things. So, she decided to sue. In this episode, Bev tells her story, and we hear from the voice who replaced her. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Listen to Ahead of Its Time, a new podcast by Setapp, on all of your favorite platforms. Get a $75 credit to upgrade your job post at indeed.com/hertz. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/tiktalk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Language is a uniquely human gift. We have shaped it to our individual and cultural needs, and it has shaped us in return. Professor Lera Boroditsky reveals how the sounds we make with our mouths influence what’s going on inside our brains. And podcaster Helen Zaltzmann shows us how important language can be to our identities, and what happens when those language identities are challenged. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  The Allusionist is on tour! Check dates and locations at theallustionist.org/events. And if you haven’t already, listen and subscribe to The Allusionist wherever you get your podcasts. Check out and subscribe to Risk! wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/historicallyspeaking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The world of headphones is a deep rabbit hole. With thousands of options and endless technical jargon, it’s hard to know which factors really matter, and which ones are just marketing gimmicks. In this episode, we cut through all of the gobbledygook, and break down the ins and outs of headphones to help you find your perfect pair. Featuring Wirecutter’s resident headphone expert Lauren Dragan. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Explore headphone recommendations from Wirecutter. Buy Dr. Chesky’s Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc. Go to Zocdoc.com/20K and download the Zocdoc app for free. Over at Liquid IV, use promo code 20K at for twenty percent off anything. Start your one-dollar-per month trial period at Shopify.com/20K.  Get fifty five percent off your subscription at Babbel.com/20K. Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/headphonehandbook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our fourth annual Mystery Sound Game Show, we pitted the winners from the past three years against each other. The result? Chaos and hilarity. So unclog your ears, put on your listening cap, and get ready to play along. Featuring Travis McElroy, John Lagomarsino and Emily Jankowski. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Subscribe to our guests’ podcasts, including My Brother, My Brother and Me, Underunderstood and Endless Thread. Get 15% off an annual MasterClass subscription at masterclass.com/20k. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Go to Zocdoc.com/20K and download the Zocdoc app for free. Get 55% off your subscription at Babbel.com/20K. Start your one-dollar-per month trial period at Shopify.com/20K.  Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/tournamentofchampions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In World War II, the Japanese military operated a propaganda station called Radio Tokyo. Along with jazz music, the station featured several English-speaking female announcers, who became collectively known as Tokyo Rose. But who was Tokyo Rose? And was she really the treacherous villain that the US government made her out to be? This story comes from the History Daily podcast. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Subscribe to History Daily wherever you get your podcasts. To learn more about immersive audio production, visit pro.focusrite.com. Get 10% off your first month of online therapy with our sponsor BetterHelp at betterhelp.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k to get a free 14-day trial with Shopify’s entire suite of features. Try out Harry’s with a $3 starter set at harrys.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/tokyorose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our ears are sensitive, but we often don’t treat them that way. We are born with the ability to hear up to 20,000 Hz. As we age, our hearing range diminishes. On top of that, the more exposure we have to loud sounds, the greater the impact it has on our ability to hear. Find out what happens once we start to lose our hearing. Featuring Lindsay Prusick and Shaheem Sanchez (Instagram).  20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/hearingloss Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our world is filled with sound. It exists in even the quietest corners of the planet. But what happens when all that sound is taken away? What is silence? There are very few places on Earth where silence actually exists, but in this episode, Dallas experiences it for himself thanks to a special room called an anechoic chamber. How do our brains process the complete nothingness of silence? Find out as Dallas locks himself alone inside the chamber. Featuring David Alvord and Nick Breen from the Georgia Tech Research Institute.  20k is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/silence  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the oldest recorded sound in history? For over 100 years researchers thought they knew until a mind-blowing discovery by historians found something new - and technological advances allowed it to be played back for the first time in history. What is the oldest recording of a musical performance, president, battlefield, television broadcast, cell phone call, and more? Featuring Patrick Feaster, co-founder of FirstSounds.org, three-time Grammy nominee, and Ph.D. in Musicology as well as Lynn Novick, award-winning filmmaker, and co-directing partner of Ken Burns.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/soundfirsts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

71% of the Earth is covered by water. And most of us imagine it to be a serene, almost silent world. But why should we have all the fun up here? Discover what sound is like just below the surface and all the way down to the ocean's depths. And see how mankind might be making it unpleasant for everyone and everything that calls the oceans home.Featuring underwater acoustician Al Jones, Professor John Hildebrand from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Christophe Haubursin from Vox.com on special assignment.  20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/underthesea Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Singing with others is a powerful form of expression. That's why the composer Eric Whitacre started the Virtual Choir; an experiment that connects singers from every corner of the globe. In this episode, we hear how a choir can unite people from different backgrounds to achieve a common goal - creating beautiful music. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/virtualchoir Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you listen to vintage music, one of the first things you’ll notice is the complete lack of bass. But turn on a Top 40 station today, and you’ll hear song after song with deep, sub-ratting bass tones. So how and why did this change happen? For this episode, we worked with OnePlus to tell the story of our collective obsession with bass, and the one device that transformed the sound of popular music. Featuring hip-hop legend DJ Jazzy Jeff and Roland's Paul McCabe. Buy the OnePlus Buds 3, featuring dual drivers and BassWave enhancement. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/allaboutthatbass. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You might not realize it, but audio can be just as crucial to solving a case than video or eyewitness testimony. But understanding how to interpret audio evidence, or having the ability to enhance it to a point of intelligibility, requires highly-specialized training and expensive software. Meet Kent Gibson, one of the country's leading forensic audio experts, who's done audio analysis for the FBI, the Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security, among many others, and get his take on audio evidence from the missing Malaysian Airlines flight, the Trayvon Martin case, and Mel Gibson's infamous domestic dispute.  20K is made out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/forensicaudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When writer Paige Towers moved to one of the loudest cities in the world, she found herself overcome with anxiety and depression. She came to realize that the noise of the city itself, and the inability to escape from it, was having a huge impact on her mental health. With the help of the internet, Paige was able to discover a deceptively simple solution. But the negative health implications of noise pollution are anything but simple. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/citythatneversleeps Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, NFL strategy slowly evolved from each team running a dozen different plays, to rigid schemes with coaches sending in orders through codewords and secret signals. Then, one piece of audio technology revolutionized the game. Beginning in the early 1990's, the NFL allowed coaches to speak directly to their quarterbacks through radios in their helmets. What followed was an instant increase in excitement for the nation's most popular sport, spawning a high-scoring era of fast paced offenses. Featuring former Super Bowl winning coach, Dick Vermeil, current LA Rams Head Coach Sean McVay, Bose Senior Project Manager Matt Ruwe, and Bose Distinguished Engineer Dan Gauger. Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. Visit mystery.20k.org to enter this weeks mystery sound. Subscribe to The Truth wherever you get your podcasts. Or go to the truthpodcast.com.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/blue42  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's this place right at the border between Detroit, MI, and Windsor, ON where there's this hum… It rattles dishes, makes people sick, it's even making people move away. And the government does not want you to know what's making it. Explore the mystery of the Windsor Hum with the man who is working to get to the bottom of this strange government secret. Featuring documentarian Adam Makarenko.  20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/mystery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you hear when you walk into a Casino? It can feel like chaos, but each sound is carefully curated to draw you in and make you stay. One collection of sounds are scientifically and artistically designed to keep the gambler, gambling. Slot machines. This episode features interviews with Willie Wilcox, Chief Sound Designer at Scientific Games in Las Vegas, Laura Taylor, composer and sound designer for a number of slot machines across the US, and Karen Collins, who has led extensive research into the sound and music behind these games. Is it addiction or entertainment? Maybe it's both. Pull the lever and listen for yourself.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/slotmachines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the forty years since The Joy of Painting first started airing, Bob Ross has become a cultural icon. His gentle, soothing voice is instantly recognizable, and still gives comfort to millions of people around the world. But despite his unshakably cheery demeanor, Bob’s life wasn’t always easy. This is his story. Featuring Sarah Strohl, Executive Assistant at Bob Ross Inc., and Kristin Congdon, author of Happy Clouds, Happy Trees: The Bob Ross Phenomenon. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications, and quicker hiring times. Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp online therapy at betterhelp.com/20k. Find coupon codes on over 30,000 sites with Honey. Sign up for free at joinhoney.com/20k. Get 83% off Surfshark VPN plus an extra 3 months free at surfshark.deals/20k, or use promo code 20K. Watch The Sounds of Space, a collaboration between Twenty Thousand Hertz and melodysheep. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/happylittleepisode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Movie trailers have undergone a huge evolution. They’ve gone from those cheesy voice-of-God narrators in the ‘80s and ‘90s, to boojes and bwaas. Professor James Deaville delivers the history of trailers, and Youtuber Craven Moorhaus offers a hilarious takedown of the sounds and dialogue that are common in the modern trailer style. After you hear this episode, you’ll never be able to watch a blockbuster trailer the same way again.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Check out more videos from the Auralnauts at youtube.com/Auralnauts.  Check out Song Exploder wherever you get your podcasts.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/thebooj  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baseball fan or not, there’s one song that virtually every American knows… or at least, we think we do. “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is one of the top three most recognizable songs in the country, next to “The Star Spangled Banner'' and “Happy Birthday.” But if you dig into the lyrics, you’ll find a forgotten message buried among the peanuts and Cracker Jack. This story comes from the Smithsonian’s Sidedoor podcast. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Subscribe to Sidedoor wherever you get your podcasts. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit fastgrowingtrees.com/20k to get 15% off your entire order. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/seventhinningstretch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The "golden age of radio drama" may have been a stellar period for storytelling -- but the stories weren't all golden bright. Sci-fi and horror radio dramas explored deep anxieties people felt from the Depression through the Cold War, and set the stage for later stories that couldn't be told yet without special effects. Eric Molinsky of the podcast Imaginary Worlds co-hosts this episode as we hear from historians like Neil Verma and Richard J. Hand, and radio drama veterans like Dirk Maggs and Richard Toscan. Plus Emory Braswell recalls the day he thought Martians invaded New Jersey.   20K is made out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/theaterforthemind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 80s and 90s, movie trailers were ruled by “voice-of-God” narrators who used stock phrases like, “In a world…” Today, movie studios have a different trick up their sleeves: epic sound design. In this episode, Professor James Deaville explains the history of trailers, and Youtuber Craven Moorhaus crafts a hilarious takedown of the overused clichés of modern blockbuster trailers. We’ve remixed one of our most popular episodes for your listening pleasure. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Use promo code 20k to get $20 off your next purchase over $100 at American Musical Supply. Get 10% off your first month of online therapy with our sponsor BetterHelp at betterhelp.com/20k. Subscribe to Björk's Sonic Symbolism show wherever you get your podcasts. Visit shopify.com/20k to get a free 14-day trial with Shopify’s entire suite of features. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/boojstrikesback Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a sample of music that’s been heard in over 2,000 songs. Odds are you’ve heard it many times and didn’t even realize you were listening to the same breakbeat. The amen break might be the most sampled piece of music in history. Where did it come from? This episode features interviews with artist Nate Harrison and Grammy-winner Richard Louis Spencer.  20K is made out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Visit amen.20k.org to donate to Richard Louis Spencer.  Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/amenbreak Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Using artificial intelligence, someone can make an algorithm that sounds just like you. And then they can say... whatever they want you to say. We're entering a brand new era: One where you can no longer trust your ears. Welcome to the world of audio deepfakes. Featuring deepfake wizard Tim McSmythurs, cybersecurity expert Riana Pfefferkorn and a brand-new host: Deepfake Dallas. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/deepfakedallas Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know there might be a track of audio on your favorite movies and television shows that describe all of the actions on screen? This technology was designed for the visually impaired, but it could be used for the masses. It’s still not as widely provided as some would hope. Meet the consumers and activists fighting for a better-described tomorrow. Featuring Tommy Edison, Robert Kingett, and Colleen Connor.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/audio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We live in a designed world, and alert tones are no exception. Every beep and ping that your phone or laptop makes probably went through multiple rounds of revisions and approvals. So what separates a good device sound from a bad one? This story comes from the Wireframe podcast, and features sound designer Connor Moore and psychoacoustic expert Susan Rogers. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Check out Wireframe wherever you get your podcasts Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/auditoryicons Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alarm sounds have been around almost as long as humans themselves. But as our world has transformed, so have they. Today’s alarms are having an unexpected effect on our minds and bodies, and can even be putting our lives at risk when we’re at our most vulnerable. Dr Judy Edworthy and Yoko Sen talk to us about our alarming sound environment, and how it can be improved.   20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  Visit mystery.20k.org to enter this week's mystery sound.  You can find HowSound at transom.org/topics/howsound or wherever you listen to podcasts.   Check out Moonshot at moonshot.audio or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/donotdisturb  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stradivarius violins are reputed to have an exquisite sound that cannot be replicated or explained. Why is that? And what, exactly, is a Stradivarius violin anyway? This episode features interviews with The Strad magazine’s managing editor, Christian Lloyd, and violin maker Joseph Curtin.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Can you tell the difference between a Stradivarius violin and a modern violin? Take the informal test here!  Our classical tracks came from Musopen. Check them out at musopen.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/stradivarius   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some sounds are like rug burn for your ears, while others are pleasant and soothing. We explore these sounds and get to the bottom of why we might interpret them as “good” or “bad”. Featuring Tommy Edison and David Poeppel.   Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/good-bad-and-irritating Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over a century, humans have been using technology to shape our sonic environment. White noise machines, nature recordings, noise canceling headphones and high-tech hearables all allow us to create an auditory safe space we can escape into. But is it possible to have too much control over what you hear? Featuring media studies professor Mack Hagood. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Purchase Hush: Media and Media and Sonic Self-Control, by Mack Hagood. Subscribe to Phantom Power wherever you get your podcasts. Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at betterhelp.com/20k. Visit monday.com/podcast for your free two-week trial. Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at Stamps.com. Just click the microphone at the top right corner and type the promo code 20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sonicbubbles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We uncover how scary sound effects are created in horror films as well as dissect how sound triggers the fear mechanisms in humans. Featuring Formosa Group Senior Sound Editor/Sound Designer Trevor Gates and Dan Blumstein, professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA.  20K is made out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/spookysounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are constantly exposed to sonic branding in television, radio, and web commercials. We deconstruct some of the most impactful audio logos in history and explain how the brain interprets them. Featuring Scott Simonelli, CEO of Veritonic and Walter Werzowa, founder of Musikvergnuegen.   Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sonicbranding Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some car sounds are more obvious like the horn or engine... but what about the not-obvious-until-you-point-them-out sounds like the hollow thud of a trunk or the click of a latch? The sounds a car makes are so closely associated with quality, so how, exactly, do car makers handle this aspect of the driving experience? Featuring Car Enthusiast & Sound Mixer Brian Garfield, David Zenlea from Road & Track, and Tom Teknos from Ford.  20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/cars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do certain sounds give you the head tingles? If yes, this episode is full of ear candy for you! In this episode, we learn all about the phenomenon called autonomous sensory meridian response—or ASMR for short. This soothing episode features researchers Giulia Poerio (University of Sheffield), Craig Richard (ASMRuniversity.com), and ASMR artists Gentle Whispering, Jellybean Green, and Somni Rosae - as well as the team at Defacto Sound!  Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/asmr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Siri launched in 2011, she permanently changed the way people interacted with their technology. What was it like to be the voice behind that voice? And how did they make that voice come to life? Featuring the original voice of Siri, voice actor Susan Bennett, and Director of Speech to Text Technology for Nuance, Dr. Andrew Breen. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/siri Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The history of recorded sound stretches back over a hundred and fifty years, starting with a device that could “record” a voice on a piece of paper. Today, we can enjoy lossless streaming anywhere we go… but getting here wasn’t easy. In this episode, we worked with Qobuz, the high quality music platform, to chart the history of audio mediums, from cylinders made of tin foil and wax, to vinyl, 8-track, cassette, CDs, and mp3s. Along the way, we explore the innovations and quirks of each format, with memories sent in from our listeners and the 20K team. Featuring Adam Tovell from the British Library Sound Archive. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Rediscover music with Qobuz. Sign up for a 1-month trial period at qobuz.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/fromcylinderstostreaming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the late 80s, a small French company found a way to pair analog film with pristine digital audio. But getting their system into theaters would involve a long legal battle, hiding out in a Vegas bathroom, and a last-ditch meeting with a famous director. Their struggle is part of a larger narrative about the groundbreaking work of women in the field of professional audio. Featuring audio engineer Leslie Gaston-Bird and LC Concept co-founder Elisabeth Löchen. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Get a free one month trial of Headspace at headspace.com/hertz. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/20k. Purchase Women in Audio, by Leslie Gaston-Bird. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/theleakypipeline Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you turn on the radio, there’s one thing you’re almost guaranteed to hear: a catchy, over the top jingle proclaiming the name and call letters of the radio station. But where did these little tunes come from? Who makes them? And why are they still so common? In this episode, we explore the history of radio ID jingles, and pack in so many earworms, you’re going to need an exterminator. Featuring Jeanna Isham of Dreamr Productions, Jon Wolfert of JAM Creative Productions, and Erik Huber of ReelWorld Productions. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Follow Jeanna’s podcast, Sound in Marketing wherever you get your podcasts. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k. Get an exclusive 60% discount on Incogni and a 30-day money-back guarantee at incogni.com/20k. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/radio-station-jingles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the earliest days of commercial radio, companies have been using sound to worm their way into our brains. And over the decades, they’ve come up with all kinds of sonic tactics to make us want, crave and remember their products. In this episode, we take a whirlwind tour through the sounds of persuasion. This story was adapted from Under the Influence with Terry O’Reilly. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Send us a message with your Bass Tape memories at hi.20k.org. Subscribe to Under the Influence with Terry O’Reilly wherever you get your podcasts. Enter to win a free Scarlett audio interface at focusrite.com/20khz. Listen and subscribe to Class of 88 on Wondery. Get 15% off an annual MasterClass subscription at masterclass.com/20k. Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/soundsthatsell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Soundalikes,” also called “voice doubles,” are voice actors who perform as characters that were originally played by someone else. They’re used extensively by studios like Disney and Pixar, in order to keep their iconic characters consistent across games, rides, toys, and TV shows. In live action movies, soundalikes fill in for the leads, and record lines for the film’s many rough cuts. But being a great voice double is about much more than just being a good impressionist. Featuring Rick Dempsey, Holly Dorff, and a surprise guest… Snag a $20 super soft tee at shop.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Check out headspace.com/20KHERTZ and use promo code 20KHERTZ to try Headspace free for 30 days. Go to hellofresh.com/hertz60 and use code HERTZ60 for 60% off plus free shipping. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/soundalikes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hans Zimmer is responsible for some of the most iconic film scores of the last 35 years. So how does one person create so much amazing music? It turns out, he doesn’t do it alone. In this episode, Hans Zimmer’s incredible team pulls back the curtain to reveal their extraordinary creative process, and uncover the secrets behind the otherworldly music of Dune. Featuring Raul Vega, Taurees Habib, Suzanne Waters, Tina Guo, and Steve Mazarro. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Listen to NASA's Curious Universe at nasa.gov/podcasts/curious-universe Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Find the right candidates with a seventy-five dollar sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz.  Try America's #1 ready-to-eat meal kit with fifty percent off using promo code TTH50 at factormeals.com/tth50. Learn a new language with fifty-five percent off at babbel.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/hans-zimmers-remote-control Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2011, residents of Windsor, Ontario started experiencing a strange rumbling hum that rattled dishes and kept people awake at night. Then, after years of getting nowhere, the mystery of the Windsor Hum was finally solved... Or was it? This is a totally remixed, revoiced, and updated version of one of our oldest and most popular episodes. Featuring documentary filmmaker Adam Makarenko. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications, and quicker hiring times. Visit monday.com/podcast for your free two-week trial. Get a one-month free trial of a Premium Membership at skillshare.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/thewindsorhum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People with perfect or "absolute" pitch hear every single sound as precise musical notes. Is this extraordinary talent a blessing or a curse? In this episode, we dive into the neuroscience, pluses and pitfalls of absolute pitch. Featuring neuroscientist Daniel Levitin and Grammy-winning musician Jacob Collier. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Discover more at lexus.com/curiosity. Check out Barnaby Martin’s YouTube channel, Listening In. Order Daniel Levitin’s book, This Is Your Brain On Music. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/perfectpitch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this special episode, we’ve passed the mic to our listeners to hear six unexpected stories about sound. Featuring auditory hallucinations, amplified heartbeats, long remembered voices, and whistles both strange and familiar. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Get a FREE Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Learn a new language with 55% percent off at babbel.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/listenerstories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 808 is arguably the most iconic drum machine ever made. Even if you’ve never heard of it, you’ve definitely heard it. It’s in dozens of hit songs -- from Usher to Marvin Gaye, Talking Heads to The Beastie Boys -- and its sounds have quietly cemented themselves in the cultural lexicon. In this episode, we try to understand how that happened and follow the unlikely path of the 808. Featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff and Paul McCabe from Roland.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/808  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know that dogs are smart, sensitive creatures, but interpreting their vocalizations and behaviors can still be a challenge. In this episode, animal behaviorist Daniel Mills reveals the true meanings behind dogs’ noises, actions, and body language. Then, author Pilley Bianchi tells the story of Chaser, the border collie who became known as “The Smartest Dog in the World” for the way that she learned language. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Facebook. Learn about Daniel’s work with the Animal Behaviour, Cognition and Welfare Research Group. Buy Pilley’s book, For The Love of Dog. Learn more about The Chaser Initiative. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k Make your world sound amazing at sonos.com/hertz This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/20k Get a free Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/dog-translation-guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hear disembodied voices all the time, in everything from cartoons and anime to commercials and trailers. It seems easy, but it's actually an intricate craft involving a great amount of training. What does it take to create multiple, unique personalities using only a voice? Featuring voice actors Christopher Sabat (Dragonball Z, One Piece) and Cissy Jones (Firewatch, The Walking Dead).  Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/voiceacting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No bass for you!! In 1987, TV composer Jonathan Wolff was still trying to make a name for himself in Hollywood. Then one day, he got a call from Jerry Seinfeld, who needed music for his new sitcom. This is the story behind the unforgettable music of Seinfeld, and how Jonathan Wolff’s unique approach helped make Seinfeld a TV classic." Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Find Jonathan on Instagram and on Twitter. You can reach Steve at stevelack.com Check out An Arm and a Leg wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/seinfeld Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For more than three decades, it was common for American companies to put on “industrial musicals” for their employees. These elaborate productions could rival Broadway shows, and featured original songs about the company and its products. And while this music was never intended for the general public, once you hear it for yourself, you might just get hooked. This is a story about bathroom remodeling, corporate art, and one man’s obsession with a forgotten corner of pop culture. Featuring comedy writer and collector Steve Young. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Go to zocdoc.com/20k and download the Zocdoc app for free. Listen to Wondery Class of ‘88 at wondery.com/class of 88. Get 50% off your first Factor order at factormeals.com/tth50. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/industrialmusicals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The transition from analog to digital seemed like a fairly simple and expected process. So why are so many people reverting back to analog? In this episode, you'll learn about the Jedi skills old radio DJs had to have to spin vinyl on the radio, and meet a man who’s found himself trapped in a digital world and learn what he does to escape. Featuring Rick Adams and Craig Crane.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/analog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Broadway’s award-winning, record-breaking, smash hit, Hamilton, is a musical unlike any other. Get the story from people in the room where it happens of how sound helps tell the musical’s story eight times a week. We talk to Nevin Steinberg, Hamilton’s Tony-nominated sound designer, Benny Reiner, Grammy-winning Hamilton percussionist, Anna-Lee Craig, Hamilton on Broadway A2, and Broadway sound design legend Abe Jacob.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/hamilton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Blah, blah, blah” and “yada, yada, yada” have had plenty written about them. But there’s a longtime cousin of these phrases that’s much less understood. We use it all the time, yet it’s not in the dictionary. It’s not even Google-able. In this episode, we investigate the linguistic mysteries of the Five Dah Phenomenon. Featuring linguist & philosopher Paul Saka, and psychologist Helen Abadzi. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Facebook. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Get a discount on your NordVPN plan at nordvpn.com/20k Take a free test drive of OCI at oracle.com/20k. Get a free Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/blahblahblah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How a simple soundbite on America Online became one of the most recognizable sounds of the internet age, plus the creation of a whole new musical instrument. This episode features Elwood Edwards, the man behind the famous AOL “You’ve Got Mail” soundbite, and Bosco and Maya Kante, inventors of the ElectroSpit. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Check out and subscribe to Gastropod wherever you get your podcasts. Check out and subscribe to Just the Beginning wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/youvegotmail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of today’s biggest songs are written and produced by people whose names don’t appear anywhere in the credits. They’re called ghostwriters and ghost producers, and they’re a huge part of the music industry. So what’s it like to watch your song become a hit when you can’t legally talk about it? And how do you get in the mindset of a legendary rap star, in order to write verses for them? Featuring rapper and ghost songwriter Skyzoo and producer Dame Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Explore music education classes with Monster Sessions. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications, and quicker hiring times. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/ghostsinthehitmachine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you heard a dial-up modem? A dot matrix printer? A CD dropping into its plastic tray? Did you know it would be the last time? We talk to Rick Adams, a British reporter, about the impact of Big Ben being silenced for repairs next year and Madeline Ashby, a futurist, who has some pretty wild ideas of what sounds we’re about to lose... and have already lost but haven’t realized it yet.   Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/extinction Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you think about Star Wars, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Lightsabers? Spaceships? Alien creatures? What about all of the sounds that go with those things? How were those sounds made, and what makes them so good? In this episode, we explore how legendary Sound Designer Ben Burtt created the sonic universe of Star Wars from scratch, one sound at a time. Featuring Marshall McGhee. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Check out Marshall’s Youtube channel Waveform.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/starwarspewpew Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The original Zelda game featured three melodies that would come to define the franchise: the Secret Unlocked Sound, the Treasure Chest sound, and the classic Zelda theme. Throughout the series, these melodies have been transformed again and again. Each version reflects the hardware it was made for, and Nintendo’s evolving approach to these iconic games. Featuring Thomas of Thomas Game Docs, and Kirk Hamilton of Strong Songs. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Get your super soft 20K tee and more at 20k.org/shop Subscribe to Thomas Game Docs on Youtube. Subscribe to Strong Songs wherever you get your podcasts. Enter to win a special edition 50th Anniversary Shure SM7B. Go to masterclass.com/20k for 15% off your annual subscription. Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/zeldatones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking dolls have been around for over a century, but the fascination with making inanimate objects seem human reaches back into our early history. What is it about creating a companion that can interact with us, especially for a child, that fascinates us so? And what will that look like as our technology continues to advance? Featuring Carlene Stephens, Curator for the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and Claire Gartland of the Electronic Privacy Information Center.  Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/dolls Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sound of Late Night television is a complex beast with many moving parts. In this episode, we step inside the daily hustle of Broadcast Mixer Fred Hedemark as he and his team bring the sound of Late Night with Seth Meyers to life. Along the way, Fred reveals the highs and lows of working on a high-adrenaline, live-to-tape TV show, and shares some never-heard recordings from his years on the show. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Learn more about Fred Hedemark’s work at audiofred.com. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Learn a new language with fifty-five percent off at babbel.com/20k. Find the right candidates with a seventy-five dollar sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz.  Get a FREE Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/latenight Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The voices inside our navigation systems are with us nearly every day. They frustrate us when they lead us astray, and guide us through our most memorable adventures. But who are the people behind those voices? In this episode, an Australian musician discovers she is the voice inside millions of GPS units, and the Polish voice of Google Maps goes head to head with a robot. Featuring “The GPS Girl” Karen Jacobsen and “Głos Google Maps” Jarosław Juszkiewicz. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Watch Jarek’s farewell video that inspired the online protest. To learn more about Karen's work, visit thegpsgirl.com. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/recalculating Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to film sound, "Foley Artist" might be the most important job you've never heard of. These performers record custom, synchronized sound effects to create the sounds for characters' footsteps, movements, and much more. It's exhausting and delicate work, and when it's done right, the audience doesn't even notice it's there. In this episode, we tour the Warner Brothers Foley stage with Foley Artists Alyson Moore and Chris Moriana, and Foley Mixer Darrin Mann. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/foleyartists Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Xbox startup sound is an audio logo that’s become synonymous with the game console. But its origins are rooted in solving a logistical problem; how to entertain gamers while they wait for their machines to finish booting up. Featuring Sound Designer and Composer Brian Schmidt and Sound Designer, Composer and Berklee Professor, Michael Sweet.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/xboxstartupsound  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Long-Range Acoustic Device, or LRAD, was developed for the military for long-range communication at sea. But this ear-splitting device has also been fired on protesters across America, resulting in lawsuits and permanent hearing loss. In this episode, we explore the history, science and effects of the so-called “sound cannon.” Featuring tech journalist Lynne Peskoe-Yang and activist Michele Lindor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Check out Lynne’s work at lynnepeskoeyang.com Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at Stamps.com. Just click the microphone at the top right corner and type the promo code 20k. Compare home and car insurance rates at policygenius.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/thedeterrenttone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your name is so much more than the sound that people call you by. It’s an entire human identity, distilled into a few syllables. So what do six people who share the exact same name have in common? It turns out, much more than you might expect. Follow Dallas down the rabbit hole as he speaks to name expert Laura Wattenberg and five other people named Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at betterhelp.com/20k. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications, and quicker hiring times. Visit monday.com/podcast for your free two-week trial. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/beingdallastaylor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, we’ve revamped one of the most personal episodes we’ve ever worked on. To create it, Dallas worked with the team from Meditative Story to tell a story from his former life as a musician. It’s about losing the thing that had defined his life for more than a decade, and finding something entirely different in the process. This remix concludes with an all-new segment where Dallas reflects on what it was like to finally share this story. Check out our new store at 20k.org/shop. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Subscribe to Meditative Story wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/breathedeep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Movie trailers have changed dramatically over the decades, from the classic “Voice of God” narrators of the ‘80s and ‘90s, to today’s thunderous “bwaahs” and “boojes.” In this episode, Dallas and producer Andrew Anderson take a deep dive into the evolving art of trailer sound design, breaking down the most iconic trends and overused tropes. Featuring legendary trailers from Star Wars to Predator, plus an intimidating encounter with the most famous trailer voice of all time. Enter the “Sound Off” Story Contest at 20k.org/soundoff. Submissions close on May 7th, 2025. Explore the all new Defacto Sound website, and click the Contact Form to get in touch. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/hertz. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k. Get an exclusive 60% discount on Incogni and a 30-day money-back guarantee at incogni.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/in-a-world Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our third annual Mystery Sound Game Show, the crew from Endless Thread compete to guess the most sounds from this year’s batch. Get ready to listen along and test your knowledge of classic sci-fi movies, strange animal calls, video game themes, UI sounds, and more. One thing is certain: It’s gonna get toasty. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Vote for Twenty Thousand Hertz in the Listener’s Choice Signal Awards! Follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, & Reddit. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Use promo code 20k to get $20 off your next purchase over $100 at American Musical Supply. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k to get a free 14-day trial with Shopify’s entire suite of features. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/endlesshertz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Companies spend a lot of time and effort perfecting the look of their brands. But now what a brand sounds like matters just as much. We trace the history from songs to jingles to what's called sonic branding, following the creative process that led to AT&T’s iconic four-note sound logo. And we'll explore what comes next: multi-sensory marketing. Can sound change how beer tastes? This episode originally aired on Household Name.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/soundmarks  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baby Shark is a mega viral YouTube video, an unstoppable earworm, a top 40 hit, a Eurodance smash, a decades old campfire song, and the center of an international copyright dispute. In this episode from the podcast Decoder Ring, we explore the strange history of the song, what makes it so catchy, and who it really belongs to today. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Check out and subscribe to Decoder Ring wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/babyshark Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part 2 of our series on the Windows startup sounds picks up when Microsoft made the radical decision to kill the startup sound in Windows 8. In this episode, we explore the forces that led to that decision, unpack how Microsoft channeled the music of language into their new UI sounds, and reveal 2 secret startup sounds that were nearly lost to time. Featuring former Microsoft Lead UI Designer Jensen Harris and Sound Designer Matthew Bennett. Apply for the full time Associate Producer position here. The application closes on May 11th. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Subscribe to Jensen Harris’ Youtube channel. Learn about Matthew Bennett’s latest work here. To check out full sets of default Windows sounds, visit winsounds.com. Offset your carbon footprint at wren.co. Select "Podcast" at checkout and type "Twenty Thousand Hertz" to get 10 extra trees planted in your name. Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp online therapy at betterhelp.com/20k. Visit zocdoc.com/20k to download the Zocdoc app and sign up for free. Visit shopify.com/20k to get a free 14-day trial with Shopify’s entire suite of features. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/windowslogonwav Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the same way that optical illusions can trick our eyes, auditory illusions can trick our ears. This raises a serious question: what is hearing, and how much of it is actually made up by our brains? In this story from the Unexplainable podcast, we explore how our brains create the sonic world around us, and what it takes to harness that mysterious power. Featuring psychologist Diana Deutsch, hearing researcher Matthew Winn and author Mike Chorost.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Subscribe to Unexplainable wherever you get your podcasts. Visit sonarworks.com to get a free 21 day trial of SoundID Reference. Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp online therapy at betterhelp.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k to get a free 14-day trial with Shopify’s entire suite of features. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/relearningbolero Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood films are huge internationally. But how are these films adapted for foreign languages? We delve into the not so talked about process of dubbing. Featuring the world's most popular voice actors, directors, and producers.  Featuring: Andre Sogliuzzo, John Ptak, Shaktee Singh, Debra Chinn, Martin Umbach, Tamer Karadagli, Francesco Pannofino, Detlef Bierstedt, Marco Antonio Costa, Paul Dergarabedian, Rajesh Khattar, Christian Brückner, Emanuela Rossi, Chiara Barzini, Irene Ranzato, Claudia Urbschat-Mingues, Alexandre Gillet, Ezra Weisz, Vanessa Beltran, Samuel Labarthe, Ashwin Mushran, Chuck Mitchell, Christoph Bregler, Gabrielle Pietermann, Luise Helm, Claudia Gvirtzman Dichter, Guilherme Briggs, Samuel Labarthe, Hester Wilcox, Malavika Shivpuri, Viraj Adhav, Mona Shetty, Sheila Dorfman.   20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  A huge thanks to Director Paul Mariano for allowing us to create this adaptation of documentary!  Thanks to APM Music for all of the music in this episode. Find out more at apmmusic.com.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll love the full documentary. You can find it on iTunes or on Amazon.  Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/beinggeorgeclooney  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since World War I, countries around the world have been broadcasting mysterious numerical messages via shortwave radio. Though concrete evidence is hard to come by, the general consensus is that these coded messages are meant for undercover agents operating abroad. And one particular Russian station may have an even more sinister purpose. Featuring computer engineer Andrus Aaslaid, historian Maris Goldmanis, and documentary photographer Lewis Bush. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. We’re hiring! Visit defactosound.com/careers for more info. To dive deeper into numbers stations, visit numbers-stations.com and priyom.org, or check out Lewis’ book, Shadows of the State. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/thebuzzer Visit monday.com/podcast for your free two-week trial. Go to everyplate.com and enter the promo code, 20k199 to get started for just $1.99 a meal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part 2 of the story of mastering, we explore the consequences of the Loudness War and call out some of the worst offenders. We’ll also hear about the artists and mastering engineers who have been fighting back, and learn how modern listening habits might finally put an end to this sonic arms race. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Check out Ian Shepherd’s podcast The Mastering Show. Check out Greg Milner’s book, Perfecting Sound Forever. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/loudnesswars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over his long career, Gordon Hempton has mastered the art of truly listening. He’s known as the Sound Tracker. Some people call him an acoustic ecologist. His recordings and books have made him an international expert on the beauty and importance of undisturbed, natural soundscapes — and the ways human beings have changed them. Now, Gordon Hempton is losing his hearing. But with that loss has come an intense urgency to share his life’s work — and his passion — with as many people as are willing to listen.   Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Check out the whole Sound Escapes series at BirdNote.org/SoundEscapes, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Check out Gordon’s work and buy recordings on his website soundtracker.com.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/soundescapes  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since its debut in 2018, Bluey has become one of the most popular and beloved TV shows of all time. In this episode, Bluey’s sound designer and mixer Dan Brumm walks us through how the show began, the unique challenges of season one, and the lengths he goes to give the show its organic sound. Plus, Dallas reveals the secret timing of the Bluey theme song. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Facebook. Take a free test drive of OCI at oracle.com/20k. Get the CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k. Subscribe to the Ad Infinitum podcast. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: 20k.org/episodes/thesoundofbluey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sound of a roaring combustion engine is a fixture of modern life. But as electric vehicles become more and more common, these mechanical sounds will gradually be replaced with artificial tones that have been designed from scratch. And once self-driving cars start to take over, there will be an even bigger need for creative and intuitive sound design. In this episode, we explore the future of car sounds with Audio UX Co-Founder Dexter Garcia and Creative Consultant/Futurist John LePore. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Check out Dexter Garcia’s work with AudioUX. Learn more about designing the Sounds of Rivian. Explore John LePore’s work designing the future. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit babbel.com/20k to get 55% off your subscription. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/autotone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many of the songs we sing to our children are hundreds of years old, with their original meanings obscured by history. In this episode, producer Leila Battison takes Dallas on a dark, surprising journey through history’s most famous nursery rhymes and lullabies, and up through the “Baby Sharks” and “Happy Songs” of today. Along the way, they share the songs they’ve made up for their own children, and explore why this music is just as important to parents as it is to kids. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Follow Leila’s channel Science Baby on TikTok, Youtube, Instagram, and Facebook. Enable episode notifications & automatic downloads on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Five Twenty Thousand Hertz episodes that kids would love: Space Remix (Apple/Spotify) Minecraft (Apple/Spotify) Sound 101 with Bill Nye (Apple/Spotify) Tyrannosaurus FX (Apple/Spotify) Songbugs (Apple/Spotify) Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/nurseryrhymes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bugs Bunny, Barney Rubble, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, and many more were all voiced by one man, Mel Blanc. Discover the incredible life and talent that helped to elevate the animation industry into big business. Featuring interviews with Mel’s son, Noel Blanc, and voice actors Debi Derryberry and Bob Bergen. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Check out more of Debi’s work at debiderryberry.com. Discover Bob’s work at bobbergen.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/whatsupdoc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In less than two years, Napster became a global sensation... and then record labels and multi-platinum artists brought it crashing down. But in its short lifespan, Napster transformed our ideas about how we consume music, and how much we're willing to pay for it. This story comes from the podcast Spectacular Failures. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Subscribe to Spectacular Failures wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/napster Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Technology has the power to transform the way our world sounds. It could even give us entirely new ways to experience our surroundings. In this episode, we explore the sounds of the future, and how we can use the tools we already have to build a better sounding world. Featuring Rose Eveleth, Creator and Host of the podcast Flash Forward, Acoustician Andrew Pyzdek, and Architect Chris Downey. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. To get your 20K referral link and earn rewards, visit 20k.org/refer. Discover more at lexus.com/curiosity. Subscribe to Flash Forward wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sonicutopia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, the jingle was king. But in the last twenty years, jingles have nearly gone extinct. Many brands have now dropped their melodic earworms in favor of spoken word slogans. Today, there’s just one industry where jingles are still as common as ever: insurance. The question is, why? Featuring Jeanna Isham of the Sound in Marketing podcast, audio branding expert Colleen Fahey, and Brand Manager Sergio Trujillo. Snag a $20 super soft tee at shop.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org To learn more about sonic branding, subscribe to Jeanna’s podcast, Sound in Marketing, and buy Colleen’s book, Audio Branding: Using Sound to Build your Brand. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/insurancejingles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since 1983 one of the most memorable parts of going to the movies has been the THX certification played during the previews. The accompanying sound logo called “The Deep Note” has fascinated, terrified, and mystified audiences for over three decades. What is THX really? How was “The Deep Note” created? And why does it elicit such a reaction from those who hear it? Featuring Andy Moorer, creator of “The Deep Note” and global director of marketing for THX, Rob Cowles.   Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/thxdeepnote Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After 10 years and 400 episodes, our friends at Switched on Pop decided it was finally time to revamp their outdated theme song. In this episode, they take us inside the chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly emotional process of making a new one. Along the way, they get brutally honest feedback from top music critics, craft over a hundred layers of swirling synths and cinematic sound effects, and even get some sonic strategy from our very own Dallas Taylor. Enter the “Sound Off” Story Contest at 20k.org/soundoff. Submissions close on May 7th, 2025. Explore the all new Defacto Sound website, and click the Contact Form to get in touch. Follow Switched on Pop wherever you get your podcasts. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sonic-brand-makeover Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Netflix "Tudum" sound has quickly become one of the most iconic sound logos of our generation. I bet you can hear it in your head right now. This sound is heard countless times, every single day, all over the world. But the Netflix sound was almost very different than the one we know today. Hear the story of how one of the biggest sound logos of all time was made. Featuring Todd Yellin - VP of Product at Netflix, Tanya Kumar - Brand Design Lead at Netflix, and Lon Bender and Charlie Campagna from the Formosa Group. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/netflix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When people in Hawaii were falsely alerted of a Ballistic Missile threat, the first thing they heard was the sound of an emergency alert. For decades, this tone has alerted us to local weather emergencies and other important events, but it has never been used for its original purpose. In this episode, we explore the history of the Emergency Alert System and its predecessors. Featuring Kelly Williams, from the National Association of Broadcasters, Frank Lucia former EAS advisor for the FCC, and Wade Witmer from FEMA.  Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/emergencyalert Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The last few decades have seen amazing improvements in cochlear implant technology. Professor Michael Dorman reveals what they really sound like, and how they can help out with more than just our hearing. But should we be advocating cochlear implants at all? We chat with deaf graphic designer Brandon Edquist about why he chooses not to use his implant, and why the Deaf community is up in arms against them.   Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/deafgain  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The way you speak has rhythm, timbre, and pitch. It’s more like music than you might think. We chat with The Allusionist host Helen Zaltzman, Martin Zaltz Austwick from Song by Song, Music Psychologist Dr. Ani Patel of Tufts University, and Drum Composer David Dockery on how musical our speech really is.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/themusicinspeech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Elevator music” was once the sound of restaurants, offices, and elevators in mid-20th century America. But ironically these bland, string-driven instrumental tracks are never heard in elevators anymore. In this episode, we speak with Joseph Lanza, the author of “Elevator Music,” and Julian Treasure, chairman of The Sound Agency, about the sound of Muzak -- the company that changed the way we think public spaces should sound.   20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/muzak Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the sixties to the nineties parents worried messages hidden in rock albums would make their children do drugs and worship the devil. The truth could only be revealed if these records were played backwards. Bryan Gardiner unveils the history behind the backmasking panic and Curiosity Daily’s Ashley Hamer explains why our brains hear hidden messages... even when they’re not there! Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Check out Curiosity Daily Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/satanicpanic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a noisy, tumultuous world, how can we find inner peace? This episode features two stories about the transformative power of silence. In the first, the Lieutenant Governor of Washington State abandons politics to become a Jesuit novice, and takes a temporary vow of silence. In the second, a death row inmate at San Quentin discovers Buddhist practices that help to calm his mind, and embrace compassion. Featuring Cyrus Habib, Jarvis Masters, Leigh Marz, and Justin Zorn. Snag a $20 super soft tee at shop.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Purchase Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise, by Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz. To learn more about Jarvis Masters, read the story and timeline of his case, and subscribe to the Dear Governor podcast. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/golden Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over two decades, every time you turned on a Mac, you were greeted by a familiar sound. It’s appeared as a punchline in The Simpsons, and in movies like WALL•E. It’s a sound some of us tried to hide from our parents as we turned on the computer in the middle of the night. It’s a sound that’s transcended technology; the sound that makes a Mac feel like a Mac. But no longer; the iconic Mac startup chime is going away.  But, while we all recognize the sound, we rarely think of who made it. On the eve of the boot beep's retirement, Mark Bramhill, from the podcast Welcome to Macintosh talks with creator Jim Reekes about the most fun and iconic sounds he designed during his time at Apple.  20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/letitbeep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part 2 of our exploration of Foley, the Warner Brothers Foley team takes us into the all-important prop room. Along the way, they demonstrate how they make the sounds for flapping birds, breaking bones, cracking ice, handling guns, and more. Featuring Foley Artists Alyson Moore and Chris Moriana, and Foley Mixer Darrin Mann. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Watch The Sounds of Space: A sonic adventure to other worlds Subscribe to our Youtube channel here. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/20k. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications, and quicker hiring times. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/proptilyoudrop Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The melodic fanfare that introduces every 20th Century Fox movie was first composed almost a hundred years ago. Since then, it's become one of the most enduring and recognizable pieces of music in modern history. It's survived company acquisitions, competition from television, and changing trends in Hollywood. But nothing lasts forever. Featuring interviews with Academy Award-nominated composer David Newman and film historian Aubrey Solomon. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications and quicker hiring times. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/20thcenturyfox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For our fifth annual Mystery Sound Game Show, Dallas invited three friends from the world of professional audio to compete against each other. So crank up the volume and see how many sounds you can guess. Featuring Dialog & ADR Editor Austin Olivia Kendrick, Sound Designer Mike James Gallagher, and Sound Designer Zachary Quarles. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Facebook. Follow Austin’s channel aok.wav on Tiktok. Follow Mike’s channel Indepth Sound Design on Instagram & Youtube. Explore Zach’s sound libraries at zq-sfx.com/shop. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Get a new three-month premium plan at mintmobile.com/20k Get a free Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/sound-pro-smackdown Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know that music has the power to affect our moods, but you might be surprised by just how deep the rabbit hole goes. Music can affect our brains and bodies in profound ways. Professor Jessica Grahn tells us how our love for music has shaped us as humans while Nate Sloan unpacks our appreciation of music, and reveals how it can be used to manipulate us, both for bad and for good. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.  Check out Switched On Pop wherever you get your podcasts. Also, check out Nate Sloan’s new book, Switched on Pop, wherever you get your books. Follow Jessica Grahn’s music and neuroscience research at the Twitter handle @Neurobeats. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/goodvibes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices