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Twenty Thousand Hertz

Twenty Thousand Hertz

Dallas Taylor

The stories behind the world’s most iconic and fascinating sounds.

  • 39 minutes 44 seconds
    The Poop Song Conspiracy

    One day, Ethan had an unfortunate bathroom incident. Then, he found an entire collection of songs online with his name in the title… and they all seemed to be about that embarrassing moment. That experience sent Ethan and his sister down a bizarre rabbit hole involving AI music, lots of poop jokes, and possibly the world’s most prolific songwriter. This story comes from the Hyperfixed podcast.


    Learn about this year’s Listener Stories competition and submit your story at 20k.org/2026.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Hyperfixed wherever you get your podcasts.

    Hear A Song About Ethan by Matt Farley, or request a custom song by him.

    Find out how you can get the iPhone 17 Pro at no cost with an eligible iPhone trade in at att.com/iphone, or by visiting an AT&T store.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    11 May 2026, 10:00 am
  • 30 minutes 10 seconds
    The Heartfelt Music of Bluey w/ Composer Joff Bush

    What makes the music of Bluey feel so warm and alive? In this episode, Dallas travels to Brisbane, Australia to visit the studio of Bluey’s composer Joff Bush. There, Joff reveals the quirky instruments, musical easter eggs, and songwriting philosophy behind this beloved series. Along the way, he breaks down the music of two iconic Bluey episodes, “Sleepytime” and “The Sign.”


    Learn about this year’s Listener Stories competition and submit your story at 20k.org/2026.

    See Dallas tour Joff's studio on Youtube.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Find out how you can get the iPhone 17 Pro at no cost with an eligible iPhone trade in at att.com/iphone, or by visiting an AT&T store.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    4 May 2026, 10:00 am
  • 36 minutes 24 seconds
    The Acoustic Worlds of Radiolab Creator Jad Abumrad

    Before Radiolab became a cultural phenomenon, it was an experiment… one that Jad Abumrad built voice by voice, sound by sound. In this episode, Jad walks Dallas through his journey with the show, from its scrappy beginning in a New York basement, to leading a massive team, and ultimately stepping away. Along the way, he breaks down his signature sound design and storytelling techniques, and how he’s carried those into newer projects like Dolly Parton’s America and Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.


    Learn about this year’s Listener Stories competition and submit your story at 20k.org/2026.

    See Dallas tour Jad's studio on Youtube.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe to Radiolab, More Perfect, Dolly Parton’s America, and Fela Kuti: Fear No Man wherever you get your podcasts.

    Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at ⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/20k⁠⁠⁠.

    Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠quo.com/20k⁠⁠⁠⁠ for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.

    Get 3 months of free payroll at ⁠gusto.com/20k⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 April 2026, 10:00 am
  • 29 minutes 44 seconds
    He was deaf for 35 years + Listener Stories kickoff

    Last year, we ran three full episodes of listener-produced stories. But one beautiful story was just a little too long for the final cut… and we couldn’t leave it behind. In this episode, sound designer Jesse Herrera tells the story of his grandfather, who lived in silence for 35 years before receiving a cochlear implant, and the overwhelming, joyful process of learning to hear again. Afterwards, Dallas and Casey reflect on last year’s Listener Stories and kick off this year’s competition. 


    Learn about this year’s Listener Stories competition and submit your story at 20k.org/2026.

    To make a donation to the Harry Hakeem Scholarship Fund supporting the education of children with hearing loss, visit peiabq.org/giving.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Explore incredible speakers, soundbars, and more at ⁠sonos.com⁠.

    Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠quo.com/20k⁠⁠⁠⁠ for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.

    Get 3 months of free payroll at ⁠gusto.com/20k⁠.

    Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at ⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/20k⁠⁠⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    23 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 32 minutes 6 seconds
    Harry Potter and the Sound Designer’s Stone

    Harry Potter has been brought to life on page and screen. But what would it take to make the wizarding world come alive using sound alone? In this episode, we go behind the scenes of the new full-cast editions of the Harry Potter series, where a team of sound designers spent eighteen months crafting 130 hours of immersive audio. From the whistle of the Hogwarts Express to the rasp of the Dementors, every spell, creature, and location had to sound tangible and emotionally distinct. Featuring Will Cohen and Lawrence Kendrick of String and Tins.



    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow You’ll Hear It wherever you get your podcasts, or subscribe on Youtube.

    Explore incredible speakers, soundbars, and more at ⁠sonos.com⁠.

    Get 3 months of free payroll at ⁠gusto.com/20k⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    9 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 27 minutes 44 seconds
    When Everything Stopped, He Started Listening

    David Jeffers has always understood the world through sound. As a kid, he bounced beats between tape decks and built speaker boxes from spare parts. After college, he founded an underground hip hop label. Then came the day that split his life in two. And in the quiet that followed, David started listening more deeply… and piece by piece, he built a new life, guided not by what he lost, but what he could create.


    For news about ⁠Quad Life⁠, the upcoming documentary about David, follow Quad_Life_Doc on ⁠Instagram⁠.

    Explore David’s sound design work and book with him at ⁠quadriphonicsound.com⁠.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Explore incredible speakers, soundbars, and more at ⁠sonos.com⁠.

    Get 3 months of free payroll at ⁠gusto.com/20k⁠.

    Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at ⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/20k⁠⁠⁠.

    Visit ⁠⁠⁠quo.com/20k⁠⁠⁠ for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    23 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 37 minutes 4 seconds
    The State of the 20K Multiverse™

    What happens when a podcast about sound gets into video? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, producer Grace East flips the script and interviews Dallas about his leap into visual storytelling, and how the different pieces of the 20K Multiverse all fit together. From backstage at SNL, to Disney Imagineering’s archives, to real-life Bluey locations, Dallas reveals the anxieties, lucky breaks, and human connections behind our new video series.


    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠⁠Defacto Sound⁠⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow You’ll Hear It wherever you get your podcasts, or subscribe on Youtube.

    Get 3 months of free payroll at ⁠gusto.com/20k⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    9 February 2026, 11:00 am
  • 38 minutes 15 seconds
    Doctor Who & The BBC Radiophonic Workshop

    What does a time machine sound like? Or a magic carpet? For the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, that was just another day at the office. For 40 years, this oddball collective of engineers and composers pushed the boundaries of sound design, crafting eerie atmospheres, quirky jingles, and the iconic audio of Doctor Who. In this episode, we explore the rise and fall of this pioneering studio with composer and archivist Mark Ayres, and uncover how these sonic wizards shaped the future of sound.


    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow The Radiophonic Workshop band on Instagram and Bandcamp.

    Visit ⁠⁠⁠quo.com/20k⁠⁠⁠ for 20% of your first 6 months of business phone software.

    Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month Shopify trial at ⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/20k⁠⁠⁠.

    Get 20% off your LALAL.AI subscription using promo code 20K.

    Get 10 free Hello Fresh meals + a free Zwilling knife at hellofresh.com/tth10fm

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    26 January 2026, 11:00 am
  • 27 minutes 20 seconds
    Butterfly in the Synth: Reading Rainbow’s Magical Theme Song

    The theme song to Reading Rainbow has been delighting kids (and nostalgic grown-ups) for over 40 years. But how did this instantly iconic track come to be? In this episode, composer Steve Horelick reveals the unlikely story of its creation, from its empowering lyrics, to its “fluttering butterfly” synth sound, to how Chaka Khan and a mystery drummer helped shape one of its later versions.


    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Explore Steve Horelick's work on his website and YouTube channel.

    Visit expressvpn.com/20k to find out how you can get 4 extra months of protection.

    Get 3 months of free payroll at ⁠gusto.com/20k⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    12 January 2026, 11:00 am
  • 22 minutes 33 seconds
    Auld Lang What? The surprising origins of the New Year’s song

    Every New Year’s at midnight, we raise our voices to sing a song that few of us understand: “Auld Lang Syne.” So when and why did this become the anthem of the holiday? In this episode, our friends at the Smithsonian’s Sidedoor podcast trace the mysterious rise of “Auld Lang Syne” from rural Scotland, to a New York jazz club, to a classic film and an iconic actor. Featuring folklorist Jim Deutsch.


    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Subscribe to ⁠Sidedoor⁠ wherever you get your podcasts.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Get 3 months of free payroll at ⁠gusto.com/20k⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 December 2025, 11:00 am
  • 46 minutes 45 seconds
    Guess That Sound 2025: Youtube Channel Champs

    For our sixth annual Mystery Sound game show, we’ve invited three guests from our video series to test their sonic knowledge on 18 sounds, including production logos, video game FX, bird calls, strange instruments, and more. So put on your listening cap and get ready to guess along in this surprising and hilarious competition. Featuring Jake Hartsfield, Carlos Torres, and John Michael Hinton.


    Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by ⁠Defacto Sound⁠.

    Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our video series.

    If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Book a magic show with John Michael Hinton.

    Visit ⁠curiositystream.com/20k⁠ for 50% off the best documentary streaming service.

    Find and book a therapist at rula.com/20k.

    Get 10 free meals + breakfast for life at hellofresh.com/tth10fm

    Shop for eye glasses & contacts, or book an eye exam at warbyparker.com/hertz

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    17 December 2025, 11:00 am
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