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PODCAST

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast

Hosted by working composer and long-time professor Dave Kropf, the 52 Cues Podcast takes you inside the real world of production music, library music, and sync licensing – breaking down cues, unpacking industry insights, and sharing candid conversations with fellow composers and publishers.Weekly episodes deliver practical strategies, creative inspiration, and insider information to help you land more placements and build a sustainable career in sync.

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All Episodes

50:25

Level Up Your Pitches with Reelcrafter 2.5

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/10/09

In this episode, Sam Hulick and Sara Pocius from ReelCrafter return to talk about the brand-new ReelCrafter 2.5 update, what’s new under the hood, and how it helps composers pitch smarter and present their music professionally. Plus, we’re unveiling a new feature for the Friends and Family of 52 Cues! Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/qeE7b2WqcN8 https://www.reelcrafter.com/52cues Use code 52CUESSA for your first 2 months free! Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with ...

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43:00

The Secrets of Tasking Cues

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/10/02

In this episode, we’re unpacking tasking cues – the music that underscores moments of focus, pacing, and process in reality TV and beyond. We’ll talk about what makes them work, where they’re used, and break down one of my own inside the DAW. Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/wzAwYf4O9x8 Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic...

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37:45

What Does "Editor-Friendly" Mean?

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/09/25

In this episode, I unpack what it really means to write an editor-friendly cue. We’ll look at the six essentials that reduce friction in the edit bay and I'll walk through a Shark Week investigation cue I recently wrote and put it to the test. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2FoaMZuqekk Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic...

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48:42

Writing Melodies That Work

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/09/19

In this episode, I unpack my approach to writing melodies that really work inside production music cues. I walk through how I build motivic ideas, how modes shape the emotional color of a phrase, and how static melodies can create forward motion without getting in the way. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mTf90xoGIdc Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for...

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49:20

Unlocking the Secrets of Reference Cues

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/09/11

In this episode, I share a simple framework I created to help composers break down and study reference cues. You’ll learn how to listen for the musical elements that shape mood and emotion and how to extract those details so you can use them as a blueprint for your own cues! Plus we check out a new Trip Hop crime tension cue, "Hard of Red Herring." Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/U-tL_t2OvBw Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours o...

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46:36

Must-Know Tips for Music Conferences

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/09/04

In this episode, I share practical tips for navigating music conferences without feeling overwhelmed. From what to bring and how to prepare, to approaching networking in a way that builds real connections at events like PMC, the Taxi Road Rally, or any industry gathering! Plus, we listen to a new ominous intrigue cue, "Shanks for the Memories." Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k0NGPyYsMrU Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of vid...

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47:22

How to Write Investigative Tension Cues

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/08/28

In this episode, we’re unpacking investigative tension cues – those cerebral, clue-assembling moments that show up everywhere from crime and dating shows and house hunting reveals. Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/yMJaUS776yQ Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articles, and resources which guides you through the entire process of creating a production music album. Plus you’...

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77:22

Vacation Fails & Life Lessons

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/08/21

In this episode, Mrs. 52 Cues joins me to talk about our recent vacation that started with noisy cabins, wrong turns, and even a dropped pizza. But somewhere between the chaos, the hang gliders, and the quiet mountain mornings, we discovered some unexpected lessons about life and what it means to be a composer. Plus, we take a listen to an Italian-infused hip-hop comedy cue, "Leave the Cannoli." Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/Kj4DX4IoxrM Join the 52 Cues Album Acc...

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37:10

Prep Like a Chef: The Composer’s Mise en Place

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/08/14

In this episode, I show how the French cooking concept of mise en place can streamline your cue-writing process. You’ll learn five practical steps to get organized, work faster, and hit deadlines – plus, I feature my dark, ominous tension cue, "From Inside the House." Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/VB8Jy_jHLo0 Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articles, and resources which guides you ...

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47:10

The 4 Stages of Learning Any DAW

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/08/07

In this week’s episode, I compare learning a new DAW to learning a new language – and share where I’m at in my own journey toward “speaking” Ableton Live fluently. Plus, I feature a new reggaeton-meets-comedy hip hop cue. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pEN_lE0HZyo Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articles, and resources which guides you through the entire process of creating a...

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64:12

Your Sync Questions, Answered!

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/07/25

In this episode, I’m playing submissions from our latest Composer Quest – “A Whole New Light,” and then we open things up for a live Q&A. We talk stems and deliverables, SoundCloud ads, mastering workflow tips, library contracts, and even whether or not you should leave your computer on overnight. Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/H9uHTZcDNg4 Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articl...

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42:21

Chomp and Circumstance

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/07/24

In this episode, I’m joined by band director and composer Brandon Psenicka, whose eerie reimagining of the classic graduation march – complete with creepy vocals from his own daughter – took first place in our recent Composer Quest! Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articles, and resources which guides you through the entire process of creating a production music album. Plus you’ll receive a 90-minut...

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62:14

5 Failures That Kill Your Creative Output

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/07/10

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the unexpected breakdowns that threaten to bring your entire creative process to a halt. Plus, Dave features “Thoughts and Prayers,” a recent ominous tension cue written for a documentary. Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/SHb9GCqSlyg Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articles, and resources which guides you through the entire process of creating a...

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32:06

How I Think About Light Tension

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/07/03

In this episode, I’m again leaning into my professor side to break down one of the most widely used styles in production music: light tension. From tasking and corporate cues to investigative and true crime textures, we’re unpacking the entire light tension spectrum. Plus, I feature one of my latest hip hop comedy cues, "Cat Gotye Tongue." Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/dbivibZBwac Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video con...

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43:23

Sync Terms You Should Know (But Were Afraid to Ask)

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/06/19

In this week's episode, you're invited into Professor Dave’s classroom as I break down the sync music terms every composer should know – but might’ve been too embarrassed to ask. From PROs to button endings, we’re clearing up the jargon. Plus, I share a no-pizzicato dramedy waltz from my latest Discovery album. Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/aV1txmoFwCA Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, ar...

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27:01

Give Your Cues an Edge That Beats AI

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/06/12

In this episode, I explore one simple, yet powerful way to make your cues stand out in a world where AI is getting better by the minute. Using my latest dramedy cue, “Of Mice and Mensa,” as a real-world example, I unpack a creative habit that adds realism, nuance, and authenticity – giving your music an edge the machines just can’t match. Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/gp_vsawIZL8 Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video con...

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30:29

Composers, It’s Time to Leave SoundCloud

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/06/05

In this episode, I talk about why SoundCloud just might be too risky for production music composers. From AI policy concerns to publishers turning away cues hosted there, is it time to pull the plug? Plus, I share Optimist Prime – a dramedy cue written without a single pizzicato string. Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/y7BWQ5ZiuIc Other links: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/09/soundcloud-changes-policies-to-allow-ai-training-on-user-content https://www.youtube.com/@TopMusi...

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70:43

Ask Dave Anything (LIVE)!

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/05/30

In this episode, I’m answering your questions live – from piano mixing and cue layering strategies to how many libraries you should pitch to at once. We also cover reversion clauses, B sections in dramedy and sports cues, and pitching etiquette. Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/OOW6O_b9ims Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articles, and resources which guides you through the entire proc...

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65:08

Why Your Metadata (Probably) Sucks (with Mrs. 52 Cues)

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/05/22

In this episode, I’m joined by Mrs. 52 Cues (Shannon Kropf) to talk about the one thing composers love to avoid: metadata. We’ll unpack why it matters, where we go wrong, and how to stop sabotaging our own discoverability. Plus I feature a brand new playful dramedy cue with no pizzicato strings! Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/Rqhy-npPH0k Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content, discussion threads, articles, and resou...

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53:17

Pomp and Circumstance – Composer Quest LIVE!

52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast ·

2025/05/16

In this episode, we host a live listening party for our latest Composer Quest: Pomp and Circumstance, where 52 Cues community members were challenged to reimagine the classic graduation march in any genre they wanted – from orchestral to ska, cinematic trailer to chipmunk glitchcore. Vote for your favorites at https://52cues.com/vote! Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Mj_xxGFzjn8 Join the 52 Cues Album Accelerator – a self-paced program with over 6.5 hours of video content...

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267 results

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