Twenty Thousand Hertz
The Sonic Brand Makeover We Didn’t Know We Needed
· Summarized
Key takeaways
- The importance of evolving your brand identity over time to stay relevant and connected with your audience.
- Feedback from peers and critics is crucial in the creative process, and openness to critique can lead to significant improvements.
- Collaboration with talented individuals can enhance the creative output and lead to innovative results.
- Maintaining core recognizable elements while refreshing a brand can help preserve identity while attracting new listeners.
- A successful podcast theme should resonate emotionally with its audience while providing a memorable sound experience.
Summary
Sound Off Short Story Competition
At the beginning of the episode, the host, Dallas Taylor, invites listeners to participate in the 'Sound Off Short Story Competition.' They are looking for fully produced audio stories related to sound that are five minutes or less. The winning stories will be featured in a summer episode, with the top creator awarded a private feedback session and a $100 credit to the online store. Submissions close on May 7th, with details available at 20k.org/soundoff.
Evolving the Theme and Identity
The episode focuses on the evolution of the theme music for '*Switched on Pop*', a podcast exploring the ins and outs of popular music. Host Charlie Harding discusses how the original theme, created with basic loops, has served since their first episode. However, as they reflect on their brand and identity after 400 episodes, they realize the need for a fresh sound that better represents their journey and connection to music.
The Collaboration and Feedback Process
During the theme's revamp, Charlie involves Dallas Taylor and several prominent music critics, who provide candid feedback on the previous theme. Critics, including Lauren Michelle Jackson and John Caramonica, openly critique the old theme as outdated and lacking a cool factor, leading Charlie to reconsider the composition. This open and humorous dialogue around feedback emphasizes the theme of vulnerability in the creative process.
Crafting the New Sound Identity
As the theme is reimagined, emphasis is placed on maintaining elements of the original while incorporating fresh, timeless sounds. Collaborators like Zach and Josie of Archirus are enlisted to contribute their musical talents. They experiment with layering sounds, synthesizers, and various instruments to create a complex yet coherent sonic identity for the podcast that reflects its playful and educational nature.
Final Reveal and Reflection
By the end of the episode, the newly crafted theme is played for the listeners and receives positive feedback from both Charlie and Nate. They discuss how the process fosters personal reflection on their artistic identity and ambitions. The aim is to create a theme that resonates with their audience and encapsulates their podcast’s essence.
Sponsors
- DeFacto Sound · Explore the all new DeFacto Sound website and click the Contact Form to get in touch.
- Switched on Pop · Follow Switched on Pop wherever you get your podcasts.
- Indeed · Claim your $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/hertz.
- NetSuite · Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning at netsuite.com/20k.
- Shopify · Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/20k.
Show notes
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.
Follow Switched on Pop wherever you get your podcasts.
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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Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Join our community on Reddit.
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
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