Episodes list — Twenty Thousand Hertz - The stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds.
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Vocal Stratosphere: The world’s most extreme singing techniques

Vocal Stratosphere: The world’s most extreme singing techniques

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.

Found In Translation: Guess That Meaning!

Found In Translation: Guess That Meaning!

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?

Why insurance jingles never die

Why insurance jingles never die

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.

Soundalikes: The secret voice behind Toy Story’s Woody

Soundalikes: The secret voice behind Toy Story’s Woody

“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…

Recalculating: The surprising lives of GPS voices

Recalculating: The surprising lives of GPS voices

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.

Endless Hertz: Guess That Sound! w/ Endless Thread

Endless Hertz: Guess That Sound! w/ Endless Thread

In our third annual Mystery Sound Game Show, the crew from Endless Thread compete to guess the most sounds from this year’s batch. Get ready to listen along and test your knowledge of classic sci-fi movies, strange animal calls, video game themes, UI sounds, and more. One thing is certain: It’s gonna get toasty.

The Booj Strikes Back: Why all modern trailers sound the same

The Booj Strikes Back: Why all modern trailers sound the same

In the 80s and 90s, movie trailers were ruled by “voice-of-God” narrators who used stock phrases like, “In a world…” Today, movie studios have a different trick up their sleeves: epic sound design. In this episode, Professor James Deaville explains the history of trailers, and Youtuber Craven Moorhaus crafts a hilarious takedown of the overused clichés of modern blockbuster trailers. We’ve remixed one of our most popular episodes for your listening pleasure.

The weird, wild world of 1-900 numbers

The weird, wild world of 1-900 numbers

In the late 80s and early 90s, 900 numbers were all the rage. For a couple bucks a minute, you could call and hear from Hulk Hogan and Freddy Kreuger, have a psychic predict your future, and even find true love. In this episode, we dig into the wild world of 900 numbers, and explore why they came about, what made them so appealing, and why they ultimately faded away. Featuring Doug Fraser of the Curious State podcast, 900 number experts Bob Bentz and David Wood, and a surprise guest…