From Vinyl to Streaming: How music formats shaped our world

Since its official release in 2011, Minecraft has grown from a small, experimental indie game into the best-selling video game of all time. Today, the game's haunting music and quirky sound effects are just as iconic as its blocky visuals. In this episode, composer and sound designer Daniel Rosenfeld (also known as C418) unpacks how he created the original music and sounds for the game. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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 a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at Stamps.com. Just click the microphone at the top right corner and type the promo code 20k. Compare home and car insurance rates at policygenius.com. Visit c418.bandcamp.com to purchase Daniel’s music. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/minecraft Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

14 Apr 202126min

The melodic fanfare that introduces every 20th Century Fox movie was first composed almost a hundred years ago. Since then, it's become one of the most enduring and recognizable pieces of music in modern history. It's survived company acquisitions, competition from television, and changing trends in Hollywood. But nothing lasts forever. Featuring interviews with Academy Award-nominated composer David Newman and film historian Aubrey Solomon. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications and quicker hiring times. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/20thcenturyfox Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

24 Mars 202127min

The Long-Range Acoustic Device, or LRAD, was developed for the military for long-range communication at sea. But this ear-splitting device has also been fired on protesters across America, resulting in lawsuits and permanent hearing loss. In this episode, we explore the history, science and effects of the so-called “sound cannon.” Featuring tech journalist Lynne Peskoe-Yang and activist Michele Lindor. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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 Lynne’s work at lynnepeskoeyang.com Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at Stamps.com. Just click the microphone at the top right corner and type the promo code 20k. Compare home and car insurance rates at policygenius.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/thedeterrenttone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Mars 202123min

Since its introduction in 2003, the McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle has become one of the most recognizable melodies in the world. This is the story of how a catchy five-note jingle conquered the planet, from its humble beginnings at a German ad agency, to being sung by globally famous pop stars. Featuring interviews with "I'm Lovin' It" composers Tom Batoy and Franco Tortora of Mona Davis Beat. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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 a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at Stamps.com. Just click the microphone at the top right corner and type the promo code 20k. Hiring? Sign up at Indeed.com/Hertz and get a $75 credit to sponsor your first job post for better visibility, more applications and quicker hiring times. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/imlovinit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

24 Feb 202125min

What is sound, on a fundamental level? How did animals evolve to hear? And what happens when you go faster than sound itself? In this episode, we explore the physics of sound with the legendary Bill Nye. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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 Science Rules! wherever you get your podcasts. Get a free one month trial of Headspace at headspace.com/hertz. Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at Stamps.com. Just click the microphone at the top right corner and type the promo code 20k. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sound101 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

27 Jan 202125min

Synesthesia is a neurological condition where one sensory experience gets combined with another, meaning someone might hear sounds when they eat, or see colors when they listen to music. So what exactly is synesthesia? And what’s it like to go through life with these unique sensory connections? Featuring the voices of neuroscientist Dr. Richard Cytowic and five people with synesthesia. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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. To get your 20K referral link and earn rewards, visit 20k.org/refer. Get your first month of hair loss treatment for free at keeps.com/20k. Check out Dr. Richard Cytowic’s work at cytowic.net. Check out Joel Salinas's book Mirror Touch: A Memoir of Synesthesia and the Secret Life of the Brain. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/synesthesia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

13 Jan 202128min

After composer Eric Whitacre finished Virtual Choir number 5 in 2018, he thought the project might be done for good. But 2020 was just around the corner, and the Virtual Choir was far from over. For our last episode of the year, we've re-edited and remixed our episode about the Virtual Choir, and added a brand new section to bring the story up to the present. Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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. Discover more at lexus.com/curiosity. Visit our website to see all six virtual choirs. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/singgently Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

16 Dec 202035min

Alan Lomax believed that the culture of poor Americans was important and worthy of saving. So he spent decades traveling the American South and recording obscure musicians on their front porches, in churches, even in prisons. Today, he's considered an American icon, but the road to becoming a legend wasn't an easy one. Featuring Southern Historical Collection archivist Chaitra Powell, American Folklife Center curator Todd Harvey, and filmmaker Rogier Kappers. Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound and hosted by Dallas Taylor.  Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn. Join our community on Reddit and follow us on 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.  Discover more at lexus.com/curiosity. Archival recordings in this episode came from the Alan Lomax Collection at the American Folklife Center, courtesy of the Association for Cultural Equity. Check out Rogier's documentary "Lomax the Songhunter" on Amazon. For more information on the crowdsourcing project for transcribing Alan Lomax's notes, visit https://crowd.loc.gov/campaigns/alan-lomax/ Subscribe to The Wind where ever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/soundsworthsaving Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 Dec 202027min