Twenty Thousand Hertz - Episode: Mix Notes: Dumb Farts, Alien Crickets & Junkyard Instruments Release Date: May 14, 2025
Host: Dallas Taylor

Twenty Thousand Hertz, hosted by Dallas Taylor, delves into the captivating stories behind some of the world's most iconic and fascinating sounds. In the episode titled "Mix Notes: Dumb Farts, Alien Crickets & Junkyard Instruments," Dallas explores a variety of unique sound design stories shared by industry experts. This detailed summary captures the essence of these discussions, highlights key insights, and includes notable quotes with timestamps for reference.

1. Capturing the Sound of the Spruce Goose Hangar

Speaker: Jesse Herrera
Timestamp: [03:08] – [08:03]

Jesse Herrera, a sound designer and mix engineer, shares his intriguing experience capturing the acoustic essence of the historic Spruce Goose hangar in Playa Vista, Los Angeles. The Spruce Goose, officially known as the Howard Hughes H-4 Hercules, is famed as the largest wooden airplane ever built.

Key Points:

• Impulse Response Recording: Jesse explains the technical process of capturing the hangar's unique acoustics using Neumann U87AI microphones arranged in a Figure 8 pattern to create a Hamasaki square setup.
  “An impulse response is like a snapshot of the way a space responds to sound. It's what allows a digital reverb to emulate a real physical space.” ([05:03])

• Challenges and Techniques: He describes the logistical challenges of setting up equipment in the massive wooden structure and the innovative use of balloons to capture reverberations in adjoining spaces.

• Preserving Acoustic History: Jesse emphasizes the importance of preserving the sonic characteristics of such historic spaces for future creators.
  “I think the magic of sound in a film or in a song or whatever is it points to how you feel in a space.” ([07:07])

2. Sound Design in Battlestar Galactica

Speaker: Daniel Coleman
Timestamp: [08:06] – [11:22]

Daniel Coleman, a supervising sound editor and sound designer at NBCUniversal, recounts his work on the acclaimed TV series Battlestar Galactica. He highlights a pivotal moment in the show where sound design played a critical role in revealing a character's true identity.

Key Points:

• Creating Emotional Impact: Daniel describes a scene where the sound design was pivotal in conveying the revelation that a main character, Anders, is a Cylon.
  “The scan happens, then the music happens when the Cylon ship takes off and goes in the other direction. And it was such the perfect moment.” ([10:58])

• Collaboration with Composers: He discusses the delicate balance between sound effects and music, and how removing the music at a crucial moment enhanced the emotional gravity of the scene.

• Advice to Composers: Reflecting on an interview with Gustavo Santaolalla, Daniel shares wisdom on scoring, emphasizing the importance of timing and the emotional aftermath rather than the immediate action.

3. The World's Biggest Bowel Movement Sound Effects

Speaker: Daniel Coleman
Timestamp: [19:29] – [24:03]

In a humorous segment, Daniel Coleman shares an unusual story about creating exaggerated fart sounds for the movie Dumb and Dumber. He recounts his interaction with the late Tom Clack, a prolific sound recordist, and the creative process behind crafting believable yet comical sound effects.

Key Points:

• Foley Sound Design: Daniel explains the art of foley in sound design, particularly how certain sounds are staged and manipulated to achieve the desired effect on screen.
  “Anytime you're recording sound effects, there's a suspension of disbelief that has to happen.” ([21:39])

• Creative Techniques: He touches on the methods used to create over-the-top sound effects, such as layering and using unconventional objects to simulate bodily sounds.

4. The Music of Destruction in 'The Fan'

Speakers: Nathaniel Smith & Daniel Coleman
Timestamp: [22:33] – [25:07]

Nathaniel Smith, a music mixer with extensive experience working alongside Hans Zimmer, discusses his collaboration on the film The Fan. He details the innovative approach to integrating junkyard instrument sounds into the film's score.

Key Points:

• Junkyard Instruments: Nathaniel describes how music editor Mark Streitenfeld sourced materials from a car junkyard, using car parts to create heavily distorted sounds that were then processed through guitar amps for added texture.
  “We create all these just, like, crazy, huge, massive sounds.” ([22:46])

• Subtle Integration: Contrary to initial expectations, these sounds were used subtly to represent the internal turmoil of the main character, portrayed by Robert De Niro.
  “It turned out that what he did with those sounds was he played them so quietly so that they became the noise inside of Robert De Niro's head.” ([23:59])

• Long-Term Collaboration: Nathaniel expresses gratitude for his long-standing collaboration with Hans Zimmer, highlighting the mentorship and artistic growth it provided.
  “Half of my major memories in my adult Life have to do with him having that relationship for so long so successfully.” ([24:16])

5. Remote Control Terrors and Sound in Storytelling

Speaker: Jeremy Siegel
Timestamp: [25:07] – [31:20]

Jeremy Siegel, director of strategic partnerships at Pro Sound Effects, shares his journey in sound design and the significance of sound in storytelling. He recounts his early experiences at Remote Control Productions, Hans Zimmer's film score company, and his current project on an independent horror film.

Key Points:

• First Impressions at Remote Control Productions: Jeremy narrates an anecdote about mistaking Robert Rodriguez for a visitor, underscoring the high-security environment and the pressure to perform flawlessly.
  “I was like, oh, super. Good job. Well done, Sin sir.” ([27:22])

• Sound Design Techniques: For his horror film, Jeremy describes a technique where high-resolution jungle sounds are slowed down and reversed to create an eerie, otherworldly atmosphere.
  “...when you slow it down, a lot of that high end information falls into the human hearing range... it's still very otherworldly and a little wobbly.” ([28:16])

• Philosophy on Sound: He emphasizes the importance of sound in making stories believable and emotionally resonant, while maintaining humility about its impact compared to global issues.
  “When you have great sound... it allows the audience to say, yes, this is real. And then they accept the picture that they're given.” ([29:29])

Conclusion

In this episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz, Dallas Taylor showcases the intricate and creative processes behind sound design in various media. From capturing the unique acoustics of historical spaces to crafting exaggerated sound effects and integrating unconventional instruments into film scores, the stories shared by Jesse Herrera, Daniel Coleman, Nathaniel Smith, and Jeremy Siegel offer a deep dive into the art and science of sound. These discussions not only highlight the technical expertise required but also the emotional and storytelling power that sound possesses in engaging audiences.

Notable Quotes:

• “An impulse response is like a snapshot of the way a space responds to sound.” – Jesse Herrera ([05:03])
• “The magic of sound in a film... points to how you feel in a space.” – Jesse Herrera ([07:07])
• “When you have great sound... it allows the audience to say, yes, this is real.” – Jeremy Siegel ([29:29])

For more insights and to listen to the full episode, visit Twenty Thousand Hertz.