Twenty Thousand Hertz

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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

As a young composer, Edd Kalehoff was looking for his break. In the early 70s he struck gold, writing the theme song and music cues for The Price Is Right. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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 Price is Right Drum Cover on Youtube by RTDUMS2121. 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/thepriceisright  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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

Join us on a musical journey from the Golden Age of analog mastering to the digital methods of today. We’ll find out why the music industry became obsessed with loudness, and learn how the digital era transformed the way that music sounds. Featuring Greg Milner and Ian Shepherd. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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/historyofmastering 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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

We rarely think about the way we speak. For most of us, it just happens. In this episode, we catch up with two professional voice artists and chat about their rituals and techniques that help them communicate. Featuring voice actor Harry Shearer and NPR vocal coach Jessica Hansen. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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 Harry's podcast Le Show. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/speakeasy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humans have been fascinated with acoustics since our earliest ancestors. From Roman amphitheaters to modern symphony halls, we’ve designed our spaces with sound in mind. But the relationship between acousticians and architects isn’t always smooth sailing. In this episode, we explore the way acoustics has shaped our history and what we might do to make our spaces sound better today. Featuring Emily Thompson, author of The Soundscape of Modernity and Professor of History at Princeton University, and Trevor Cox, author of Sonic Wonderland and Professor of Acoustic Engineering at the University of Salford. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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:

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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

Have you ever wondered what your dog or cat would say to you if they could talk? How about your plant? In this episode we explore the world of bioacoustics and cognitive ecology. Featuring MIDI Sprout creator, Joe Patitucci, and ecologist, Monica Gagliano, who is the author of Thus Spoke the Plant.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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 Data Garden’s plant music at datagarden.org.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/plantsthatsing  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What we hear is incredibly personal and we all hear things differently. Sometimes our ears can even play tricks on us. Sonic illusions put a spotlight on the unique function of our hearing and how our backgrounds and biology affect how we process sound. Psychologist Dr. Diana Deutsch and neuroscientist Dana Boebinger explain why our hearing is a unique sense and why sonic illusions can fool us.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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/sonicillusions  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Game of Thrones is a global phenomenon that has redefined the fantasy genre. Viewers from around the world gather every week to anxiously watch what will happen next. The actors, writers, directors, and visual artists have all received well-earned recognition for their role in the show. But some heroes’ work goes largely unnoticed.  Paula Fairfield is the sound designer behind the more fantastical elements in Game of Thrones. She’s given a voice to dragons, direwolves, white walkers, and more. But the story behind these voices goes much deeper than you might think. Hear how Paula’s personal journey played a part in creating some of the most iconic fantasy sounds of the day, and how Game of Thrones helped restore her spirit.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.   Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.  If yo

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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

In the late '70s, NASA launched Voyagers 1 & 2 to explore the furthest reaches of our solar system and beyond. But something amazing was included on those space probes... a 90-minute time capsule of sounds, language, and music from Earth called The Golden Record. Its intended recipient? Any intelligent extraterrestrial life that might stumble upon it. What did Carl Sagan and his team put on the record to represent all of humanity? How would aliens decode it? For the first time ever, the album will be deconstructed track-by-track. Featuring Tim Ferris and Linda Salzman Sagan, two pioneers behind the record. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow the show on Twitter & 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 your copy of the Voyager Golden Record at ozmarecords.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episod

When was the last time you stopped and really listened to birdsong? Ever wonder what they’re singing about? We chat to Kenn Kaufman and Dr. Irene Pepperberg about the extraordinary complexity to the avian arias, how they’re produced, what they mean, and how vocal acrobatics can reveal a surprising hidden intelligence.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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 Growth Show wherever you get your podcasts.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/birdsong  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We unpack how touch tone dialing changed communication forever. Join us on a deep, quirky dive into telephone history. We’ll also deconstruct these sounds and reveal their hidden brilliance. Featuring author Annabel Dodd and telephone aficionado Jim Hebbeln of the Telecommunications History Group.  20K is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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 Pessimists Archive wherever you get your podcasts.  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/phonetones  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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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 mo