
Twenty Thousand Hertz
Arts & Culture Podcasts
Sound, Uncovered. The secrets, stories, and science behind what you hear.
Location:
United States
Description:
Sound, Uncovered. The secrets, stories, and science behind what you hear.
Twitter:
@20korg
Language:
English
Contact:
844-333-2286
Website:
https://www.20k.org/
Episodes
“The Autumn, She’s Been Hit!” The wish that changed Halo forever
3/5/2025
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
Duration:00:46:35
Solar Symphony: Listening to the Sun’s hidden “music”
2/19/2025
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
Duration:00:37:34
Speaker Terror Upper: When Bass Tapes Shook the Streets
2/5/2025
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
Duration:00:32:03
Radio Station Jingles: 80 Years of Earworms
1/22/2025
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. Get a free Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Get a discount on your NordVPN plan at nordvpn.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
Duration:00:38:25
Sound Pro Smackdown!
12/4/2024
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
Duration:00:47:26
Cat Translation Guide
11/20/2024
Cats can be very vocal creatures, but the exact meaning and intention behind these sounds can often be hard to read. In this episode, cat behaviorist Sarah Brown unpacks the hidden meanings behind cats’ vocalizations, body language and behavior. Then, veterinarian Kendra Baker takes us through her journey with Billi (AKA “Her MADjesty”) the cat who became an online sensation for her use of speaking buttons. 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. Buy Sarah’s book, The Hidden Language of Cats. Follow Billi the cat on Youtube, Instagram and Tiktok. Learn about getting started with animal speech buttons. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Get a new three-month premium plan at mintmobile.com/20k Make your world sound amazing at sonos.com/hertz Get a discount on your NordVPN plan at nordvpn.com/20k Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/cat-translation-guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:41:44
The Voices of… BLUEY!!!
10/23/2024
Despite Bluey’s enormous, global popularity, the cast and crew are a tight-knit family, often literally. In part 2 of our story on Bluey, the show’s sound designer and mixer Dan Brumm breaks down the surprising connections between the voice actors, the real-life inspiration behind classic episodes, and how he ended up voicing a key role on the show. 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. Take a free test drive of OCI at oracle.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.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/thevoicesofbluey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:30:35
Lofi Girl
8/28/2024
The Lofi Girl YouTube channel has over 14 millions subscribers, and at any given time, tens of thousands of people are listening together. Created by a mysterious French producer named Dimitri, the channel features a 24/7 livestream of an anime girl studying in her room, listening to lofi hip hop. In this episode, we dive into the Lofi Girl lore, chart the explosion of the Lofi Multiverse, and hear from a music therapist about how lofi affects our brains and behavior. This story was adapted from the Endless Thread podcast. RSVP to meet Dallas at the informal audio hangout at All Season in LA, on Thursday, September 26th. Join Dallas at the Sound for Film & TV event at Sony Pictures Studios on Saturday, September 28th. 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. Subscribe to Endless Thread in your favorite podcast player. Find the right doctor, right now at zocdoc.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Take a free test drive of OCI at oracle.com/20k Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/lofi-girl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:34:15
Sonic Diagnosis
8/21/2024
The sounds our bodies make can tell doctors all kinds of surprising things about our health. In this episode, we unpack the history of sound in medical diagnosis, from Hippocratic times, to the invention of the stethoscope, to the specialized tools and AI systems used today. Along the way, we’ll hear detailed recordings of these medical sounds, and learn what each of them means. Featuring Dr. David Steensma and Dr. Daniel Weiss. Visit OnePlus.com to buy the new Buds Pro 3, featuring dual DACs, a brand new noise canceling system, and much more. RSVP to meet Dallas at the informal audio hangout at All Season in LA, on Thursday, September 26th. Join Dallas at the Sound for Film & TV event at Sony Pictures Studios on Saturday, September 28th. 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. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/sonic-diagnosis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:27:57
The Sound of Apple 2.0
8/14/2024
In Part 2 of our deep dive into Apple’s iconic sound design, the Apple Design Team unpacks the iPhone’s trio of default ringtones, the evolution of their alarm sounds, the UX sounds of the AirPods Pro, and much more. Along the way, legendary beatmaker Flying Lotus breaks down his collaboration with Apple, and the Design Team reveals how they use haptics as a standalone “instrument.” Featuring Billy Sorrentino, Hugo Verweij and Flying Lotus. 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. Get a free Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/20k. Subscribe to What It’s Like to Be at whatitsliketobe.com RSVP to meet Dallas at the informal audio hangout at All Season in LA, on Thursday, September 26th. Join Dallas at the Sound for Film & TV event at Sony Pictures Studios on Saturday, September 28th. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/the-sound-of-apple-2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:29:21
The Sound of Apple 1.0
7/31/2024
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
Duration:00:30:04
Listener Stories
6/26/2024
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
Duration:00:22:48
Silent Sea
5/22/2024
Whale songs are some of the most beautiful, cathartic sounds in nature. These extraordinary creatures use sound to socialize, to mate, to find food, and avoid predators. But for aquatic animals, the sounds of human activity can be absolutely devastating. With underwater noise pollution on the rise, what can we do to ensure the survival of these amazing creatures? Featuring acoustician Al Jones, Professor John Hildebrand of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and Vox Senior Producer Christophe Haubursin. 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. Subscribe to Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith wherever you get your podcasts. Get a FREE Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Try America's #1 ready-to-eat meal kit with fifty percent off using promo code TTH50 at factormeals.com/tth50. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: www.20k.org/episodes/silentsea Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:24:30
TikTok’s Boom-Bling
5/8/2024
TikTok’s sonic logo is one of the fastest growing sonic logos in history. Today, that little sound is being heard millions of times a day on apps like Instagram, Reddit and Youtube… but creating it wasn’t easy. To make it, the creative team went through thousands of iterations, executed a covert marketing strategy, and fought through a final debate about a single note. Featuring Roscoe Williamson and Aifric Lennon from MassiveMusic. Apply for the Associate Sound Designer/Mixer position at Defacto Sound at jobs.defactosound.com. 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. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/tiktoksboombling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:23:04
Late Night
4/17/2024
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
Duration:00:26:36
Untranslatable Words
4/3/2024
What do you call it when you’re homesick for a place you’ve never been? Is there a word for letting books pile up in your house without reading them? How about weather that looks beautiful out the window, but that you wouldn’t want to go out in? For this episode, we worked with Babbel to bring you our second annual Untranslatable Words challenge. In it, resident linguist Grace East pits the Twenty Thousand Hertz crew against each other in a hilarious and enlightening multilingual game 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 a new language with Babbel. Get 55% off your subscription at babbel.com/20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/untranslatablewords Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:29:18
Hans Zimmer's Remote Control
3/20/2024
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
Duration:00:47:44
Aural Obscura
3/6/2024
All over the world, there are unique and breathtaking sounds that you can only hear in one specific place. In this episode, we travel to two of the most astounding sonic wonders in the United States. The first is a hidden sound installation in Times Square that might be the most visited art exhibit on Earth. The second is an enormous organ built right into the rock of an ancient Virginian cave. These stories originally aired on the Atlas Obscura podcast. 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. Subscribe to Atlas Obscura wherever you get your podcasts. Get a FREE Netsuite KPI Checklist at netsuite.com/20k. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k. Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/auralobscura Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Duration:00:28:24
All About That Bass
2/28/2024
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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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
Duration:00:26:53
Industrial Musicals
2/21/2024
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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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
Duration:00:31:15