52 Cues - A Production Music Podcast
Your weekly insight into all things production music, library music, and sync licensing!
Hosted by Dave Kropf, a production music composer, podcaster, and educator based in Orlando, Florida.
His credits include CBS Sports (NFL, PGA, NCAA and more), NFL Network, The Golf Channel, FOX Sports, ESPN, ABC, Netflix, Sony, Amazon, Showtime, Disney, Discovery, Animal Planet, OWN, TLC, The History Channel, USA, TBS, E!, Bravo, TNT, TruTV, and many others.
Podcasting since 2021 • 263 episodes
52 Cues - A Production Music Podcast
Latest Episodes
Unlocking the Secrets of Reference Cues
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...
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Season 2025
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Episode 36
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49:20
Must-Know Tips for Music Conferences
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...
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Season 2025
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Episode 35
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46:36
How to Write Investigative Tension Cues
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 -
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Season 2025
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Episode 34
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47:22
Vacation Fails & Life Lessons
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 so...
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Season 2025
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Episode 33
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1:17:22
Prep Like a Chef: The Composer’s Mise en Place
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, ...
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Season 2025
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Episode 32
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37:10
