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.
Podcasting since 2021 • 283 episodes
52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast
Latest Episodes
Let's Talk Trailer Music (with Randon Purcell)
In this episode, trailer composer Randon Purcell breaks down what it actually takes to write modern trailer music, from massive structure and signature sounds to trends, placements, and surviving in a saturated market.Fallout Mus...
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Season 2026
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Episode 257
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1:01:37
Do I Just Suck at Workflow?
In this episode, me and 52 Cues mentor Mary Shaw unpack why “bad workflow” is often a misdiagnosis and how simple project management tools can make writing and delivering cues feel far more doable.Watch this episode on YouTube!
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Season 2026
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Episode 256
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53:43
What New Composers Get Wrong About Sync
In this episode, Jeff Hargrove and I talk about the early mistakes new composers often make when stepping into production music – from chasing plugins and genres to overlooking the fundamentals that actually move the needle. Watc...
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Season 2026
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Episode 255
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1:05:05
Building Better Work-Life Balance
This week, Greg Fellman and I talk work-life balance and how routines, boundaries, travel, burnout, and community can actually recharge you instead of distracting you.Watch this episode on YouTube!
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Episode 254
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45:54
The Production Music Industry Quietly Changed
In this episode, Jeff LaPlante and I talk about how production and library music has changed in the last decade, why authenticity matters more, and how streaming has shifted the royalty game.Watch this episode on YouTube:
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Season 2026
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Episode 253
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1:14:07
