The Deaf Composer: How Beethoven wrote music he couldn’t hear
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
30 Apr 31min
The Sonic Brand Makeover We Didn’t Know We Needed
After 10 years and 400 episodes, our friends at Switched on Pop decided it was finally time to revamp their outdated theme song.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
16 Apr 44min
Inside Apple: Sonic Accessibility
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 accessibility@apple.com. 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
2 Apr 36min
“In a World…” The epic evolution of movie trailers
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
19 Mar 27min
“The Autumn, She’s Been Hit!” The wish that changed Halo forever
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
5 Mar 46min
Solar Symphony: Listening to the Sun’s hidden “music”
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
19 Feb 37min
Speaker Terror Upper: When Bass Tapes shook the streets
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
5 Feb 32min
Radio Station Jingles: 80 Years of Earworms
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
22 Jan 38min