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In the 1960s, the BBC had a vise grip on British radio, and rarely played the pop and rock music that was all the rage. So a group of rebellious radio DJs decided to give the people what they wanted, and started broadcasting popular music from boats stationed in international waters. Soon enough, these young DJs became national superstars… until the British government decided it was time to sink these pirates once and for all. This story comes from the History This Week podcast.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/pirateradio
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Your name is so much more than the sound that people call you by. It’s an entire human identity, distilled into a few syllables. So what do six people who share the exact same name have in common? It turns out, much more than you might expect. Follow Dallas down the rabbit hole as he speaks to name expert Laura Wattenberg and five other people named Dallas Taylor.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/beingdallastaylor
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When The Sims was first being developed, the creators faced a problem. They knew they wanted these characters to talk and interact, but they were worried that using a real language would quickly get repetitive and annoying. So, they decided to make one up. This is the story of Simlish: How it was created, why it works so well, and why artists ranging from The Black Eyed Peas to The Flaming Lips have re-recorded their songs in this gibberish language. Featuring Sims Designer & Voiceover Director Claire Curtin, Composer & Audio Director Jerry Martin, voice actress Krizia Bajos, and Youtuber Rachybop.
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.
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Subscribe to Rachel's Youtube channels, Rachybop and Rachybop Gaming.
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sulsul
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For our second annual Mystery Sound competition, we’ve rounded up the 20 best sounds from the past year, and invited the hosts of Underunderstood to test their ears in a competitive guessing game. So bust out those Q-tips, turn up your headphones, and prepare to guess along as we find out who will be the ultimate Mystery Sound Champion.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/auralexam
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In part 2 of our series on HBO, we explore the tough questions that the company faced in the digital era: Are people still willing to sit through a 90-second theme song before they watch a movie? Does the sound of analog TV static even make sense to younger viewers? Could the company change with the times without losing the nostalgia they had built around their key sounds? Featuring composer Ferdinand Jay Smith, former HBO Executive Vice President Bruce Richmond, HBO and HBO Max Head of Brand Marketing Jason Mulderig, and Made Music Studio Creative Director Mickey Alexander.
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.
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Get your donation of up to $250 matched at givewell.org. Just select "Podcast" at checkout, then enter “Twenty Thousand Hertz.”
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/hbo20
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In the 1980s, every movie that aired on HBO began with a truly epic theme song—a sweeping orchestral piece that triggers instant nostalgia for anyone who grew up with it. Then in the 90s, HBO introduced a 5-second audio logo for their original content. Today, we associate that sound with some of the most groundbreaking TV shows of all time. In this episode, we reveal the story behind the creation of these two iconic sounds. Featuring composer Ferdinand Jay Smith and former HBO Executive Vice President Bruce Richmond.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
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If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
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Check out SONOS at sonos.com.
Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/itsnottvitshbo
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If you’re a human being, chances are, you know someone who is a big time snorer. You're falling asleep to the gentle sounds of crickets, and then BAM, you hear a snore that sounds like an angry troll. So who was the first snorer? And why is snoring still so popular after all these years? This story, which is definitely about snoring, comes from the podcast Endless Thread.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/zzz
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To give voices to the frightening monsters in movies, TV shows, and video games, sound designers often start with animal noises, then apply all kinds of creative processing. But other times, these sounds begin with human voice actors, who absolutely shred their vocal cords for our entertainment. In this episode, we learn the tricks of the terrifying trade. Featuring voice actors DB Cooper and Michael Schwalbe, and sound designer/composer Jordan Chin.
Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced by Defacto Sound.
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If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
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Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/creaturespeakers
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In the past, video games were largely inaccessible to people with visual impairments. But these days, game makers are adding all kinds of innovative options to make their games more accessible. And some developers are creating entire virtual worlds using nothing but sound. Featuring streamer & game consultant Steve Saylor and disability rights advocate Connor Scott-Gardner.
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.
Support the show and get ad-free episodes at 20k.org/plus.
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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/videolessgames
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From the publisher's feed
The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. Whether you're a professional audio engineer with decades of experience, a fourth grader who loves sound and music, or…
New to the show? Start here:
• I'm Lovin' It: How “Ba da ba ba ba” took over the world
• The Art of Foley: Bringing Slimer & Batman to life
• Tudum! The story behind the iconic Netflix sound
• Super Mario Bros: Koji Kondo's 8-Bit Masterpiece
• Inside Hans Zimmer’s Remote Control Studios
• A sonic journey through the Solar System
• Mind the Gap: NYC & London’s iconic transit voices
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