A lovingly crafted podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds.
Mangini's Moments
Mark Mangini is one of the most prolific sound designers of all time. He’s been credited on over 150 films, including Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Aladdin, Space Jam, The Green Mile, Anchorman, Mad Max: Fury Road, Dune, and tons more. In this episode, Mark joins us to count down six of our favorite sonic moments from his career, and reveals the secrets behind how these iconic sounds were made. This episode was made in partnership with Pro Sound Effects. Share your sound stories with us! Record a message at hi.20k.org or email us your recording at hi@20k.org. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Visit prosoundeffects.com/20k to explore one of the world’s best sound effects libraries, and get your first five sounds for free. Subscribe to INDEPTH Sound Design on Youtube and Instagram. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/markmangini Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Voice Inside
Many of us talk to ourselves in our heads pretty much all day long. But it turns out that there are plenty of people who don’t. In fact, thinking comes in many shapes and sizes, and no two minds are exactly alike. In this episode, we explore the peculiar world of how we think, and consider the pros and cons of inner speech. Featuring psychologists Charles Fernyhough and Russell Hurlburt, and lots of 20K listeners. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org To learn more about this topic, check out Charles’ book The Voices Within, and Russell’s book Investigating Pristine Inner Experience. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Visit babbel.com/20k to get 55% off your subscription. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/voiceinside Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Zelda: Tones of the Kingdom
The original Zelda game featured three melodies that would come to define the franchise: the Secret Unlocked Sound, the Treasure Chest sound, and the classic Zelda theme. Throughout the series, these melodies have been transformed again and again. Each version reflects the hardware it was made for, and Nintendo’s evolving approach to these iconic games. Featuring Thomas of Thomas Game Docs, and Kirk Hamilton of Strong Songs. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Get your super soft 20K tee and more at 20k.org/shop Subscribe to Thomas Game Docs on Youtube. Subscribe to Strong Songs wherever you get your podcasts. Enter to win a special edition 50th Anniversary Shure SM7B. Go to masterclass.com/20k for 15% off your annual subscription. Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/zeldatones Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Zelda: A Beep to the Past
Music is a quintessential part of the Zelda series. And some of Zelda’s most iconic melodies go all the way back to the original game, on the Nintendo Entertainment System. These tunes were born in an age of 8 bits, and 5 lo-fi channels of audio. But those limitations forced composer Koji Kondo to make them as distilled and powerful as possible. Featuring Thomas of Thomas Game Docs, and Kirk Hamilton of Strong Songs. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Subscribe to Thomas Game Docs, on Youtube. Subscribe to Strong Songs wherever you get your podcasts. Check out more work by DragonDePlatino, who composed the 8-bit version of Boléro. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Visit babbel.com/20k to get 55% off your subscription. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Support us by supporting our sponsors at 20k.org/sponsors. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/zeldabeep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From Cylinders to Streaming
The history of recorded sound stretches back over a hundred and fifty years, starting with a device that could “record” a voice on a piece of paper. Today, we can enjoy lossless streaming anywhere we go… but getting here wasn’t easy. In this episode, we worked with Qobuz to chart the history of audio mediums, from cylinders made of tin foil and wax, to vinyl, 8-track, cassette, CDs, and mp3s. Along the way, we explore the innovations and quirks of each format, with memories sent in from our listeners and the 20K team. Featuring Adam Tovell from the British Library Sound Archive. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Rediscover music with Qobuz. Sign up for a 1-month trial period at qobuz.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/fromcylinderstostreaming Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Seventh-Inning Stretch
Baseball fan or not, there’s one song that virtually every American knows… or at least, we think we do. “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is one of the top three most recognizable songs in the country, next to “The Star Spangled Banner'' and “Happy Birthday.” But if you dig into the lyrics, you’ll find a forgotten message buried among the peanuts and Cracker Jack. This story comes from the Smithsonian’s Sidedoor podcast. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Subscribe to Sidedoor wherever you get your podcasts. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit fastgrowingtrees.com/20k to get 15% off your entire order. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/seventhinningstretch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Vocal Stratosphere
Our vocal system is incredibly complex. What we call “the voice” starts with very precise movements of our vocal cords, and then goes through an entire “resonation system” that includes our throat, mouth, lips, tongue, and teeth. With enough control over these components, people can do some truly mind-bending things with their voices, creating sounds that feel out of this world—from rumbling lows to piercing highs, and even two notes sung at once. This episode features vocal coach Matt Ramsey and Tuvan musician and throat singer Albert Kuvezin. Check out our new store at 20k.org/shop. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Subscribe to Matt’s Youtube channel, Ramsey Voice Studio. Explore Albert Kuvezin’s music with Yat-Kha on Spotify, Apple Music, or Youtube. Visit fastgrowingtrees.com/20k to get 15% off your entire order. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Get your very own Clarett+ 2Pre at focusrite.com. Get a your first month of lossless music streaming free at qobuz.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/vocalstratosphere Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Songbugs
Why do bugs make the sounds they do? And how do they make them? In this episode, we explore the un-bee-lievable world of insect sounds, including crickets who craft tools to make themselves louder, and moths who can jam the natural sonar of bats. By the time it’s over, you’ll never hear these buzzes and chirps the same way again. Featuring entomologists Natasha Mhatre and Nancy Mioreli. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org For more amazing bug facts, subscribe to Nancy’s Youtube channel, SciBugs. Follow Natasha’s research on insect communication at Mhatre Lab. Subscribe to Tumble, the science podcast for kids. Get your very own Clarett+ 2Pre audio interface from Focusrite. Check out headspace.com/20KHERTZ and use promo code 20KHERTZ60 to try Headspace free for 60 days. Get up to 35% off for Mother's Day at masterclass.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/songbugs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Breathe Deep
In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, we’ve revamped one of the most personal episodes we’ve ever worked on. To create it, Dallas worked with the team from Meditative Story to tell a story from his former life as a musician. It’s about losing the thing that had defined his life for more than a decade, and finding something entirely different in the process. This remix concludes with an all-new segment where Dallas reflects on what it was like to finally share this story. Check out our new store at 20k.org/shop. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Subscribe to Meditative Story wherever you get your podcasts. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/breathedeep Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Spatial Race
In the 1960s, stereo sound revolutionized the music industry. But it turns out, a pioneering engineer named Alan Blumlein had actually invented stereo a full three decades earlier. Due to tragic events in World War II, his innovations were forgotten for decades. In this episode, we worked with OnePlus to tell the story of how audio has evolved from mono, to stereo, to quadraphonic, to surround sound and beyond. Today, we even have immersive, three-dimensional systems that can simulate 128 speakers using just two. Featuring Alan Blumlein’s son Simon Blumlein, and music producer Robin Reumers from the Abbey Road Institute. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Improve your personal sound world at oneplus.com. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/thespatialrace Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Found In Translation
Have you ever seen something so cute that you just wanted to squeeze it? Have you ever felt sleepy after a big meal? Or enjoyed bouncing on a puffy cushion? There are words for all of these, just not in English. In this game show episode, 20K producer and resident linguist Grace East cooks up an “untranslatable” words quiz for Dallas and fellow producer Andrew Anderson. How many words can you guess? Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Improve your personal sound world at oneplus.com. Check out headspace.com/20KHERTZ and use promo code 20KHERTZ to try Headspace free for 30 days. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/foundintranslation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Insurance Jingles... Why?
For decades, the jingle was king. But in the last twenty years, jingles have nearly gone extinct. Many brands have now dropped their melodic earworms in favor of spoken word slogans. Today, there’s just one industry where jingles are still as common as ever: insurance. The question is, why? Featuring Jeanna Isham of the Sound in Marketing podcast, audio branding expert Colleen Fahey, and Brand Manager Sergio Trujillo. Snag a $20 super soft tee at shop.20k.org. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org To learn more about sonic branding, subscribe to Jeanna’s podcast, Sound in Marketing, and buy Colleen’s book, Audio Branding: Using Sound to Build your Brand. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/insurancejingles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Soundalikes
“Soundalikes,” also called “voice doubles,” are voice actors who perform as characters that were originally played by someone else. They’re used extensively by studios like Disney and Pixar, in order to keep their iconic characters consistent across games, rides, toys, and TV shows. In live action movies, soundalikes fill in for the leads, and record lines for the film’s many rough cuts. But being a great voice double is about much more than just being a good impressionist. Featuring Rick Dempsey, Holly Dorff, and a surprise guest… To apply for our open positions, go to jobs.defactosound.com. Snag a $20 super soft tee at shop.20k.org. Watch our video shorts on Youtube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow us on Reddit, Twitter, and Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our bonus show MicroHertz & our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Check out headspace.com/20KHERTZ and use promo code 20KHERTZ to try Headspace free for 30 days. Go to hellofresh.com/hertz60 and use code HERTZ60 for 60% off plus free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Golden
In a noisy, tumultuous world, how can we find inner peace? This episode features two stories about the transformative power of silence. In the first, the Lieutenant Governor of Washington State abandons politics to become a Jesuit novice, and takes a temporary vow of silence. In the second, a death row inmate at San Quentin discovers Buddhist practices that help to calm his mind, and embrace compassion. Featuring Cyrus Habib, Jarvis Masters, Leigh Marz, and Justin Zorn. Snag a $20 super soft tee at shop.20k.org. Follow us on Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Twitter, & Facebook. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to support the show & get our entire catalog ad-free. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org Purchase Golden: The Power of Silence in a World of Noise, by Justin Zorn & Leigh Marz. To learn more about Jarvis Masters, read the story and timeline of his case, and subscribe to the Dear Governor podcast. Go to indeed.com/hertz to start hiring today. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Recalculating
The voices inside our navigation systems are with us nearly every day. They frustrate us when they lead us astray, and guide us through our most memorable adventures. But who are the people behind those voices? In this episode, an Australian musician discovers she is the voice inside millions of GPS units, and the Polish voice of Google Maps goes head to head with a robot. Featuring “The GPS Girl” Karen Jacobsen and “Głos Google Maps” Jarosław Juszkiewicz. Watch our new video shorts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, & Reddit. Sign up for Twenty Thousand Hertz+ to get our entire catalog ad-free + our bonus show MicroHertz. If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org. Watch Jarek’s farewell video that inspired the online protest. Find the right doctor, right now with at zocdoc.com/20k. Visit shopify.com/20k and sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period. Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/recalculating Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices