Twenty Thousand Hertz
Dallas Taylor
The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds.
Whether you're a professional audio engineer with decades of experience, a fourth grader who loves sound and music, or anyone in between, Twenty Thousand Hertz will help unlock your sonic world… from the sound design secrets of hit movies, to the sonic craft of jingles and device sounds, to the forgotten backstories of classic theme songs, to linguistic mysteries, psychoacoustics, video game music, animal communication, and beyond. With moving human stories, immersive sound design, and the guiding voice of host Dallas Taylor, Twenty Thousand Hertz has grown into the world’s leading podcast about sound.
New to the show? Start here:
• I'm Lovin' It: How “Ba da ba ba ba” took over the world
• The Art of Foley: Bringing Slimer & Batman to life
• Tudum! The story behind the iconic Netflix sound
• The Legend of Zelda: A Beep to the Past
• Inside Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Studios
• A sonic journey through the Solar System
• Mind the Gap: NYC & London’s iconic transit voices
Whether you're a professional audio engineer with decades of experience, a fourth grader who loves sound and music, or anyone in between, Twenty Thousand Hertz will help unlock your sonic world… from the sound design secrets of hit movies, to the sonic craft of jingles and device sounds, to the forgotten backstories of classic theme songs, to linguistic mysteries, psychoacoustics, video game music, animal communication, and beyond. With moving human stories, immersive sound design, and the guiding voice of host Dallas Taylor, Twenty Thousand Hertz has grown into the world’s leading podcast about sound.
New to the show? Start here:
• I'm Lovin' It: How “Ba da ba ba ba” took over the world
• The Art of Foley: Bringing Slimer & Batman to life
• Tudum! The story behind the iconic Netflix sound
• The Legend of Zelda: A Beep to the Past
• Inside Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Studios
• A sonic journey through the Solar System
• Mind the Gap: NYC & London’s iconic transit voices
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 21, 2020 • 29min
Dies Irae: The death melody haunting Hollywood
For hundreds of years, composers have been using a specific four-note melody to evoke death. It's appeared in dozens of famous movies, and you probably never even realized it. But once you hear it, you'll start noticing it everywhere. Featuring musicologist Alex Ludwig and Strong Songs Host Kirk Hamilton.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
Discover more at lexus.com/curiosity.
Check out Alex’s list of Dies Irae examples at alexludwig.net.
Subscribe to Strong Songs where ever you get your podcasts.
Check out The Graduale Project’s Youtube page for more Latin chants.
Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/diesirae Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
7 snips
Oct 14, 2020 • 30min
Perfect Pitch: Unlocking Jacob Collier’s musical brilliance
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 by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
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
Oct 7, 2020 • 26min
Tyrannosaurus FX: What dinosaurs really sounded like
When you imagine the sound of a dinosaur, you probably think of a scene from the Jurassic Park movies. How do sound designers make these extinct creatures sound so believably alive? And what does modern paleontology tell us about what dinosaurs REALLY sounded like? Featuring Jurassic World sound designer Al Nelson, and paleontologist Julia Clarke.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
Discover more at lexus.com/curiosity.
Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/tyrannosaurusfx Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 30, 2020 • 39min
Napster: How free music broke the industry
Explore the rise and fall of Napster, its impact on the music industry, legal battles with record labels, and the transformation of the music consumption landscape. Discover how Napster revolutionized music distribution, challenged industry norms, and paved the way for modern streaming services.
Sep 16, 2020 • 24min
Vocal Discords: When nodules silence singers
Musicians like Justin Timberlake, Adele, Björk and Rod Stewart have all had surgery to treat vocal nodes. Nodes are so widely discussed, they've almost become a boogeyman in the singing community. But is this condition really as common as people fear? And when nodes do develop, is all hope truly lost? Featuring vocal coach Katie Talbot and Professor and Chairman of the Ear, Nose, and Throat Department at Drexel University of Medicine Dr. Robert Sataloff.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
Learn how you can protect your voice at nidcd.nih.gov.
Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/vocaldiscords Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sep 2, 2020 • 25min
Deepfake Dallas: How AI learned to speak like me
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 by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
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
Aug 19, 2020 • 25min
The Weight of Noise: One writer’s struggle in New York City
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 by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
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
Aug 5, 2020 • 24min
Tudum! The story behind the iconic Netflix sound
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 by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
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
Jul 22, 2020 • 44min
Guess That Sound 2020: My Brother, My Brother & Me
Join Dallas and the McElroy brothers (hosts of My Brother, My Brother and Me) as they compete to see which brother has the best ear. We dust off our old mystery sounds to test the McElroy's on their knowledge of pop culture, science, and the mundane. Which brother has the best ear? Find out, in this heated and hilarious game... of mystery sounds.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
Check out the McElroy brothers' podcasts My Brother, My Brother, and Me and The Adventure Zone at themcelroy.family or wherever you get your podcasts.
Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/mcelroysmysteriesandme Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 8, 2020 • 31min
Hamilton’s Sonic Secrets: Behind the Broadway phenomenon
Broadway’s award-winning, record-breaking, smash hit, Hamilton, is a musical unlike any other. In this special episode, we have re-voiced, remixed, and remastered one of our shows about our favorite broadway musical! Featuring 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 by Defacto Sound.
Subscribe on YouTube to see our video series.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/hamiltonremix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
