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

Your name isn’t just a label. It’s a signal to everyone who meets you, filled with meaning that you may not fully understand. In this story, Dallas revisits one of the most surreal experiences of his life: tracking down five other people who share his exact name. What follows is a surprising look at identity, coincidence, and the curious ways that our names shape our lives. Featuring name expert Laura Wattenberg and six Dallas Taylors.



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Visit defactosound.com to hear more of our work and get in touch.

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

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Join our community on ⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠.

Buy Laura’s book, ⁠The Baby Name Wizard⁠ wherever you get your books.

Visit ⁠sonos.com⁠ to learn about the Sonos Ace headphones and more.

Start your free online visit for hair loss treatment at ⁠hims.com/20k⁠.

Cut your current cloud bill in half with OCI at ⁠⁠oracle.com/20k⁠⁠.
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Twenty Thousand Hertz

I interviewed 5 other Dallas Taylors and things got weird

Behind every incredible sound in a movie or TV show is a creative person with a unique story. In this episode, Dallas heads to the legendary Sony Pictures lot during Mix Magazine’s “Sound for Film & TV” event, and invites Hollywood’s sound pros to share their wildest, weirdest, and most heartfelt sonic stories. The result is a grab bag of eye opening tales that span a World War II reverb, otherworldly insects, famous fart sounds, and an awkward encounter with a famous director. Featuring Jesse Herrera, Daniel Colman, Steve Bucino, Jeremy Siegel, Alan Meyerson, and Nathaniel Smith.



Subscribe on YouTube⁠ to be the first to see our new video episodes.

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

Explore the all new Defacto Sound website, and click the Contact Form to get in touch.

Download Jesse Herrera's Hughes Building Impulse Response (“Spruce Goose reverb”) for free by using promo code 20K at checkout.

Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook.

Visit sonos.com to learn about the Sonos Ace headphones and more.

Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz.

Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k.

Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k.
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Mix Notes: Dumb Farts, Alien Crickets & Junkyard Instruments

What happens when one of history’s greatest composers begins to lose the very sense he relies on most? In this episode, we explore how Ludwig van Beethoven continued to create groundbreaking music even as his world fell into silence. Along the way, we uncover the myths, inventions, and raw determination that fueled Beethoven’s defiant creativity, and hear how his lifelong struggles are reflected in his music. Featuring musicologist Laura Tunbridge, author of Beethoven: A Life in Nine Pieces.



Enter the “Sound Off” Story Contest at ⁠20k.org/soundoff⁠. Submissions close on May 7th, 2025.

Explore the all new ⁠Defacto Sound website⁠, and click the ⁠Contact Form⁠ to get in touch.

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

Follow Dallas on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠TikTok⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠ and ⁠LinkedIn⁠.

Join our community on ⁠Reddit⁠ and follow us on ⁠Facebook⁠.

Start your free online visit for hair loss treatment at hims.com/20k.

Cut your current cloud bill in half with OCI at ⁠oracle.com/20k⁠.



Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: ⁠www.20k.org/episodes/the-deaf-composer
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The Deaf Composer: How Beethoven wrote music he couldn’t hear

After 10 years and 400 episodes, our friends at Switched on Pop decided it was finally time to revamp their outdated theme song. In this episode, they take us inside the chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly emotional process of making a new one. Along the way, they get brutally honest feedback from top music critics, craft over a hundred layers of swirling synths and cinematic sound effects, and even get some sonic strategy from our very own Dallas Taylor. 

Enter the “Sound Off” Story Contest at 20k.org/soundoff. Submissions close on May 7th, 2025.
Explore the all new Defacto Sound website, and click the Contact Form to get in touch.
Follow Switched on Pop wherever you get your podcasts.
If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.
Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook.
Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz.
Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k.
Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k.

Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sonic-brand-makeover
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dallas Taylor

Twenty Thousand Hertz by Dallas Taylor

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