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 • 278 episodes
52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast
Latest Episodes
Your Influences Are Louder Than You Think
In this episode, Jeff LaPlante joins me as the first co-host of 2026, and we’re talking about influences – the obvious ones, the weird ones, and the ones you don’t realize you’re borrowing from. Watch this episode on YouTube:
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Season 2026
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Episode 252
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56:27
I Wrote Fewer Cues in 2025. Should I Be Worried?
In this episode, Mrs. 52 Cues and I wrap up the year by looking honestly at what worked, what didn’t, and how 2025 shaped both my writing life and the evolution of 52 Cues. We also lay out what’s coming in 2026 – new podcast formats, mentors, m...
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Season 2025
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Episode 52
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1:24:03
I Use The Same Mixing Method on Every Cue
In this episode, I walk through my entire mixing and mastering process from beginning to end using a real indie pop cue as the example. We zoom out and talk about building a repeatable, genre-agnostic approach to mixing that helps you work fast...
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Season 2025
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Episode 50
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52:50
Office Hours with Prof. Dave | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 49
In this episode, Dave opens up live office hours for an Ask Me Anything session. Topics range from PRO royalties and cue output expectations to writing tension versus upbeat cues, epic versus non-epic styles, synth tools, sample libraries, moni...
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Season 2025
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Episode 49
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1:16:31
Inside the A&R Mind (with Farnell Newton)
In this episode, I’m joined by trumpeter, educator, and Marmoset A&R lead Farnell Newton for a conversation that tackles some of the biggest pain points composers face in the sync world. We talk about what actually catches an A&R rep’s ...
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Season 2025
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Episode 48
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1:01:00
