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.
Episodes
In this special live episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, I’m reviewing cues submitted by members of the 52 Cues community and giving real-time feedback on what’s working, what could be stronger, and how each cue might be made more useful for production and library music.
Watch this episode on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/Bt7jBky7AQo
Get feedback on your own cues!
https://52cues.com/coaching
Support for the 52 Cues P...
In this episode, Dave reviews a production music cue from composer and bassist Elysa Tancheff, breaking down what he listens for in arrangement, energy, edit points, mix, and library usability.
If you'd like feedback on your own cues, head over to https://52cues.com/coaching!
Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.
St...
- Weekly Feedback - Week 38
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-38 - Office Hours
https://my.52cues.com/events/office-hours-106297027 - SPECIAL TIME! Live Feedback and Critiques (2 Hr Session)
https://my.52cues.com/events/special-time-live-feedback-and-critiques-2-hr-session - A Little Chat with Shannon and Dave
https://my.52cues.com/events/a-little-chat-with-shannon-and-dave-106075709 - Acoustic Stor...
In this episode, Dave and 52 Cues community mentor Jeff LaPlante unpack the unwritten rules of production music, from pitching and follow-up etiquette to rejection, deadlines, contracts, collaborations, and deliverables.
Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.
Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!
Join the 52 Cues ...
- Weekly Feedback - Week 37
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-37 - Office Hours with Marlon Gibbons
https://my.52cues.com/events/office-hours-with-marlon-gibbons - PMA Member Virtual Networking Coffee Hour
https://pmamusic.com/event/pma-member-virtual-networking-coffee-hour-7/ - Live Feedback and Critiques (Tuesday)
https://my.52cues.com/events/live-feedback-and-critiques-106075858 - A Little Chat w...
In this episode Dave and 52 Cues community mentor Jeff LaPlante break down the non-negotiable sounds, arranging choices, and production techniques behind dramedy, tension, hip-hop, pop, rock, emotional, holiday, country, and vocal cues.
Artists & Bands Mentioned
Great Good Fine Okay
Taylor Swift
Dua Lipa
Ariana Grande
Ed Sheeran
Foo Fighters
Nickelback
Big Wreck
Spiritbox
Coheed and Camb...
In this episode, Dave talks with Dr. Tim Stulman, Program Director for Music Production at Full Sail University and creator of Keyboard Kafe, about how much music theory producers really need, why basic keyboard and ear-training skills can reduce friction in the creative process, and how a little practical musicianship can go a long way when writing production music.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JtSSFgLMVW...
- Weekly Feedback - Week 35
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-35 - How Would You Start a Composing Career in 2026 (with Anne-Kathrin Dern)? | 52 Cues Podcast #283
https://my.52cues.com/posts/how-would-you-start-a-composing-career-in-2026-with-anne-kathrin-dern-52-cues-podcast-283 - Office Hours
https://my.52cues.com/events/office-hours-104215339 - Understanding Library Contracts | Workshop
https:...
In this episode, film and game composer Anne-Kathrin Dern joins Dave to talk about how she’d start a composing career in 2026, including the differences between film, games, and production music, the changing role of composer assistants, and the practical steps she’d take to break into the industry today.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/49hI7_Ch81w
- Weekly Feedback - Week 34
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-34 - Office Hours
https://my.52cues.com/events/office-hours-104215323 - Live Feedback and Critiques (2 Hr Session)
https://my.52cues.com/events/live-feedback-and-critiques-2-hr-session-100942283 - A Little Chat with Shannon and Dave
https://my.52cues.com/events/a-little-chat-with-shannon-and-dave-105573217 - Minimal Percussion Dramedy | B...
In this episode, film and game composer Anne-Kathrin Dern joins Dave to talk about her recent brutally honest composer advice, how her own career has evolved, and how she actually gets hired.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rYF_xun27Ec
https://annedern-filmcomposer.com
https://www.youtube.com/@AnneKathrinDernComposer
How Hard Is it to Make a Living in Production Music? | 52 Cues Podcast #278
https://youtu.be/-owQ...
Watch this on YouTube: https://youtu.be/72TYUpvBsys
- Weekly Feedback - Week 33
https://my.52cues.com/posts/95668894 - Office Hours
https://my.52cues.com/posts/104215320 - Live Feedback and Critiques (Tuesday)
https://my.52cues.com/posts/105502768 - A Little Chat with Shannon and Dave
https://my.52cues.com/posts/105573210 - Live Feedback and Critiques (Thursday)
https://my.52cues.com/posts/105502851 - Hip-Hop Tension #2 (Part 2) |...
In this episode, Dave reflects on what he learned from spending an entire week focused almost exclusively on writing music, and how simplicity, flow state, and avoiding constant context switching helped him finish eight cues without feeling completely burned out.
What this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OgxxwlznTWg
Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and kn...
- Weekly Feedback - Week 32
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-32 - Office Hours
https://my.52cues.com/posts/103906733 - Q&A and Cue Review with Chuck Henry (10 West Music)
https://my.52cues.com/events/qa-and-cue-review-with-chuck-henry-10-west-music - Live Feedback and Critiques (Tuesday)
https://my.52cues.com/events/live-feedback-and-critiques-105502734 - A Little Chat with Shannon and Dave
...
In this episode, Dave talks with Pibox founder and CEO Ivan Talaichuk about the point where Dropbox, email, and spreadsheets stop being enough and what production music composers can learn from the way professional music teams manage feedback, revisions, cue versions, and collaboration.
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5p2apQqacwU
Find out more about Pibox:
https://pibox.com
Support for the 52 Cues Podcast co...
- Weekly Feedback - Week 31
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-31 - Office Hours
https://my.52cues.com/posts/103906733 - Orchestral Chat Club
https://my.52cues.com/posts/102528677 - Live Feedback and Critiques (Tuesday)
https://my.52cues.com/posts/103575429 - A Little Chat with Shannon and Dave
https://my.52cues.com/posts/87969750 - Live Feedback and Critiques (Thursday)
https://my.52cues.com/post...
In part two of their response to Anne-Kathrin Dern's brutally honest career advice, Jeff and Dave look at the money, the workload, the lifestyle, and the growing guru culture, to answer the question every production music composer eventually has to face: is production music worth it?
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/L9gJYZC8330
A Rant About Brutally Honest Career Advice by Anne-Kathrin Dern
https://www.y...
- Weekly Feedback - Week 29
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-29 - Office Hours
https://my.52cues.com/events/office-hours-103906725 - How Hard Is it to Make a Living in Production Music? | 52 Cues Podcast #278
https://my.52cues.com/posts/how-hard-is-it-to-make-a-living-in-production-music-52-cues-podcast-278 - Live Feedback and Critiques (2hr Session)
https://my.52cues.com/events/live-feedback-an...
In this episode, Dave and Jeff use Anne-Kathrin Dern’s recent composer reality-check video as a jumping off point to discuss how hard it really is to make a living in production music.
Watch this episode on YouTube
https://youtu.be/-owQEUH26js
A Rant About Brutally Honest Career Advice by Anne-Kathrin Dern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y06R6sOc5bs
Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional w...
- Weekly Feedback - Week 28
https://my.52cues.com/posts/weekly-feedback-weekly-feedback-week-28 - Free Workshop! From Sketch To Screen (with Jeff Hargrove)
https://my.52cues.com/events/from-sketch-to-screen-with-jeff-hargrove - Live Feedback and Critiques (Tuesday)
https://my.52cues.com/events/live-feedback-and-critiques-103575379 - A Little Chat with Shannon and Dave
https://my.52cues.com/events/a-little-chat-with-shannon-and...
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