Twenty Thousand Hertz

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

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

Ever wonder how the music on your favorite news stations is created? Dive in with news music appreciator + journalist Victor Vlam; Composer Matthew Kajcienski, Composer Irad Eshel, Composer Adarsh Thottetodi, Composer David Lowe, Musicologist James Deaville, Film and TV studies Professor Deborah Jaramillo to find out.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sixoclocksoundtrack Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A mysterious Tweet from one of the most famous people on Earth: A single phone number, zero context. What does it mean? Why was it posted? Would you call it to find out? For commercial director Duncan Wolfe, this hypothetical became a very real social experiment when his cell phone number was accidentally posted on a very public Twitter account—Former First Lady Michelle Obama!  20K is made 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. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/3149146093 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The science behind sound reproduction has been studied for centuries. But what will research uncover in the centuries to come? One man made it his life’s mission to find out, and a gift he made to the world will continue that mission for the foreseeable future. Explore the extraordinary life of Dr. Amar Bose in this special holiday episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz. Featuring Ken Jacob from Bose.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/thegift Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are sounds we interact with every single day and never give a second thought. Our phones, computers, cars, and other devices are constantly communicating with us through user interface sounds and it’s their job to be heard, but not distracting. In this episode, we speak with Will Littlejohn, Facebook’s Director of Sound Design, and Conor O’Sullivan, Sound Design Lead at Google, about the sounds they create that help connect families, friends, and communities.  Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, 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. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/the-bleeps-the-sweeps-and-the-creeps 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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://ww

Theme parks have a way of transporting us to magical places, and sound is crucial in maintaining the illusion. From the most action-packed attractions to the background music playing between park areas, theme park sound designers have thought of it all. In this episode, we speak to Joe Herrington and Mike Fracassi, two Disney Imagineers who work to maintain the magic for guests of Disney Parks.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/disneyparks 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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

Many animals, humans included, are natural-born criers. It’s the most basic form of communication from right when we come into the world. But us humans are unique: we keep on crying until the day we die. What was born as a survival mechanism, develops a deeper fundamental need as we grow older. In this episode, we discover the hard-wiring in our brains that reach across species, and how our tears into adulthood make us distinctively human. Featuring Dr. Susan Lingle, Behavioral Ecologist at the University of Winnipeg, and Dr. Ad Vingerhoets, Research Psychologist at the University of Tilburg.  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. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/acoustical-umbilical-cord Learn more about your ad choi

Video games are a growing industry and every play-controlled experience is defined by its harmony of music, sound effects, and voice acting. In this episode, we reveal how these elements of a video game's soundscape are crafted and come together to tell an interactive story. The most sophisticated sound design in video games allows those without the ability to see a chance to engage with some of our greatest modern entertainment. Featuring Microsoft Sound Designer, Zachary Quarles, and ArenaNet Technical Sound Designer, Damian Kastbauer.  Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, 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. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/levelup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Watergate might be the most widely-referenced scandal in our nation’s history. The actual word itself has been appropriated in order to name many later scandals. But for a new generation of Americans, the word Watergate might not mean much. What was it? Who was involved and why was it important? Featuring Luke Nichter, author of The Nixon Tapes, and founder of NixonTapes.org.  20K is hosted by Dallas Taylor and made out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/watergate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Taste is one of our most subjective of the five senses. A flavor that elicits delight in one individual may evoke strong disgust in another. And while we all have a basic understanding of flavor, we rarely think about the other sonic factors that may be affecting how we interpret different tastes. In this episode, we consider the relationship between sound and taste, and the power certain sounds can have over our taste buds. Featuring Charles Spence, head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at Oxford University.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sonicseasoning Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you afraid to fly? Does even the thought of boarding an airplane make you anxious? You’re not alone. Millions of Americans suffer from clinical aviophobia. While some manage to distract themselves long enough to endure a flight, countless others avoid flying altogether. What are those mysterious sounds that trigger our fears on airplanes? And how do we keep our anxieties from interfering with our lives? Featuring Dr. Devika Fiorillo, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who specializes in anxiety disorders, and Tom Finnegan, a commercial airline pilot with more than 20 years in the air.  20K is made 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. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/flight 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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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

Noise pollution is something we’ve all experienced. Road construction, motorcycles, passing aircraft - the list goes on and on. Other than being just plain annoying, what effect does noise pollution have on our lives? In this episode, we take a look at the physical and psychological effects of noise pollution on humans, as well as the wider and equally devastating environmental repercussions. Featuring Les Blomberg, executive director of the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse, and Rachel Buxton, acoustic ecologist, conservation biologist, and postdoctoral researcher at Colorado State University.  Check out Defacto Sound, the studios that produced Twenty Thousand Hertz, 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. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/noisepollution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m

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

When you describe yourself to others you might mention your height, hairstyle, or maybe your build. But one of the most telling things about you is something you can’t even see, yet it defines you more than you realize. Your accent tells others where you’re from, who you identify with, and maybe even where you’re going. How did accents evolve and why are American accents so different from British accents? Featuring Hollywood Dialect Coach Erik Singer and Linguistics Professor Dr. Walt Wolfram.  Twenty Thousand Hertz is hosted by Dallas Taylor and produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and Facebook. Consider supporting the show at donate.20k.org  Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/accents 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 and LinkedIn. Watch our video shorts on YouTube, and join the discussion on Reddit and 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.