Twenty Thousand Hertz

Dallas Taylor

The stories behind the world’s most iconic and fascinating sounds.

214 Episodes

The Deaf Composer: How Beethoven wrote music he couldn’t hear
4/30/2025
31:39
What happens when one of history’s greatest composers begins to lose the very sense he relies on most? In this episode, we explore how Ludwig van Beethoven continued to create groundbreaking music even as his world fell into silence. Along the way, we uncover the myths, inventions, and raw determination that fueled Beethoven’s defiant creativity, and hear how his lifelong struggles are reflected in his music. Featuring musicologist Laura Tunbridge, author of Beethoven: A Life in Nine Pieces. 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. Start your free online visit for hair loss treatment at hims.com/20k. Cut your current cloud bill in half with OCI at ⁠oracle.com/20k⁠. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: ⁠www.20k.org/episodes/the-deaf-composer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Sonic Brand Makeover We Didn’t Know We Needed
4/16/2025
44:54
After 10 years and 400 episodes, our friends at Switched on Pop decided it was finally time to revamp their outdated theme song.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
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Inside Apple: Sonic Accessibility
4/2/2025
36:10
If you want to know where the future of sound is headed, accessibility is a great place to look. And for decades, Apple has been leading the charge in accessible technology. In this episode, the Apple team breaks down the philosophy and craft behind their most impactful accessibility features. Along the way, we reveal how these innovations have transformed the way we interact with our devices, and could even lead to a revolution in hearing health. Featuring Sarah Herrlinger, Deidre Caldbeck, Ron Huang, and Eric Treski. Enter the “Sound Off” Story Contest at 20k.org/soundoff. Submissions close on May 7th, 2025. Get in touch with Apple’s accessibility team by writing [email protected]. Vote for Twenty Thousand Hertz in the Webby Awards by April 17th, 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. Follow You’ll Hear It, the #1 jazz podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Cut your current cloud bill in half with OCI at oracle.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/sonic-accessibility Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
“In a World…” The epic evolution of movie trailers
3/19/2025
27:11
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
“The Autumn, She’s Been Hit!” The wish that changed Halo forever
3/5/2025
46:35
In the late ‘90s, Brian Johnson and Brian Morden were suburban teenagers obsessed with video games and music. And then, through an extraordinary wish, the two friends found themselves on a journey that made gaming history. In this episode, we explore how a single line of dialogue became a timeless piece of Halo lore, and the profound impact it had on everyone involved. Donate to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Brian Morden Foundation. 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. Follow You’ll Hear It, the #1 jazz podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Cut your current cloud bill in half with OCI at oracle.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Get 50% off your first meal box plus free shipping at factormeals.com/factorpodcast. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/the-autumn-shes-been-hit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Solar Symphony: Listening to the Sun’s hidden “music”
2/19/2025
37:34
What sound can teach us about our Sun? In this episode, we explore how NASA scientists translate electromagnetic waves from the Sun into sound, and even music. Through this process, researchers are gradually unlocking the Sun’s secrets, from the steady “hum” of the star’s rotation, to the way that solar winds “play” the Earth’s magnetosphere like a harp. This story comes from the podcast NASA’s Curious Universe, and features Host and Astrophysicist Padi Boyd, Sonification Specialist Robert Alexander and Heliophysicist Mike Hartinger. 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. Subscribe to NASA’s Curious Universe wherever you get your podcasts. Get 50% off your first meal box plus free shipping at factormeals.com/factorpodcast. 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. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Speaker Terror Upper: When Bass Tapes shook the streets
2/5/2025
32:03
In the late '80s and early '90s, a seismic subculture shook the streets… literally. “Boom Cars,” decked out with custom sound systems, roamed neighborhoods blasting the bassiest music ever recorded. But where did this movement come from, and why did it fade away? In this episode, we dive into the world of Miami Bass, dB Drag Racing, and the infamous tapes that could shred your subwoofers. Featuring journalist Jesse Serwer and Bass Music pioneer DJ Magic Mike. 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/20k. Explore Shure's products, including the all new MV7i microphone, at shure.com. Take a free test drive of OCI at oracle.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/speaker-terror-upper Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Radio Station Jingles: 80 Years of Earworms
1/22/2025
38:25
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
Sound Pro Smackdown: Guess That Sound! w/ 3 industry experts
12/4/2024
47:26
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
Dog Translation Guide: Decoding Barks, Howls, & Growls
11/20/2024
42:42
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

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Twenty Thousand Hertz

Dallas Taylor

214 Episodes

The Deaf Composer: How Beethoven wrote music he couldn’t hear

The Sonic Brand Makeover We Didn’t Know We Needed

Inside Apple: Sonic Accessibility

“In a World…” The epic evolution of movie trailers

“The Autumn, She’s Been Hit!” The wish that changed Halo forever

Solar Symphony: Listening to the Sun’s hidden “music”

Speaker Terror Upper: When Bass Tapes shook the streets

Radio Station Jingles: 80 Years of Earworms

Sound Pro Smackdown: Guess That Sound! w/ 3 industry experts

Dog Translation Guide: Decoding Barks, Howls, & Growls