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.
Episodes
241 episodes
This Dramedy Cue Gets Placed Over and Over!
In this episode, I’m breaking down one of my most placed cues to show what makes a great dramedy cue – and why this quirky genre continues to deliver consistent placements.Plus, I’m sharing a new introspective piano cue and reviewing a m...
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Season 2025
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Episode 12
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58:44
Stop Overthinking Chords with This Simple Tool!
Struggling with chord choices or feeling overwhelmed by music theory? I’m sitting down with Chordii co-founder Ian McClellan to talk about how this simple tool can help take the guesswork out of harmony.Plus, I’m sharing a new i...
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Season 2025
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Episode 10
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1:07:32
Can Samples Save This Hip-Hop Cue?
Sometimes a cue just needs a little extra something, so in this episode, I’m jumping into the DAW, opening up Splice and Serato Sample, and showing my real-time process for using loops, one-shots, and sample chopping to enhance a hip-hop cue.&n...
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Season 2025
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Episode 9
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49:57
7 Keys to Great Collaborations
Teaming up with other composers not only lightens the workload, it pushes you creatively and can open doors to opportunities you wouldn’t have on your own. But collaboration only works when it’s done right, so today we’re talking about seven ke...
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Season 2025
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Episode 8
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1:20:26
Reworking, Repurposing, and Reinventing Your Cues with SCAMPER
Feeling like all your cues are starting to sound the same? In this episode, we’re talking about the SCAMPER model, a simple but powerful creativity tool that can help you rethink, reshape, and repurpose your music so you can work smarter and ke...
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Season 2025
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Episode 7
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1:18:47
Do Sync Composers Need Branding? (with Andy Gesner)
In this week's episode, I’m joined by Andy Gesner of HIP Video Promo to talk about why personal branding is becoming harder to ignore – and how production music composers can build a presence without feeling like they have to become content cre...
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Season 2025
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Episode 6
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1:05:53
Production Music Q&A – LIVE!
In this week's episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, we're doing a live Ask Me Anything session! I answer questions about sync licensing, production, and composition!We talk about the US Copyright Office's AI ruling, the importance of adding h...
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Season 2025
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Episode 5
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1:14:47
The State of AI in 2025 (with Timothy Andrew Edwards)
In this week's episode, I’m welcoming back Timothy Andrew Edwards to talk about how AI is already affecting gigs, contracts, and the production music industry – and what composers need to do to protect their careers. Plus, I’ll be sharing my th...
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Season 2025
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Episode 4
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51:02
How to Stay Grounded When Sync Feels Overwhelming
Today we’re talking all about how the ancient philosophy of stoicism can help production music composers stay grounded, focused, and resilient in the unpredictable world of sync licensing.Plus, I share my thoughts on a dark fantasy cue ...
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Season 2025
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Episode 3
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34:24
Sync Trends for 2025 (with Timothy Andrew Edwards)
This week, I’m joined by production music heavyweight, Timothy Andrew Edwards ,to talk about the trends shaping 2025 – from the growing demand for vocal cues to why tension music still reigns supreme and how composers can stay ahead of the game...
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Season 2025
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Episode 2
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1:26:30
How To Work Smarter, Not Harder
In this episode, I’m sharing six practical strategies to help you streamline your workflow, save time, and stay creative – from reusing sounds and organizing your library to simplifying your mix and using reference cues for structure. Plus, I r...
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Season 2025
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Episode 1
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43:22
Looking Back on 2024 and What's Ahead for 2025
On this final episode of the year, I’m reflecting on 2024 – the milestones, lessons learned, and highlights from both my personal journey and the 52 Cues community. Plus, I’ll share a sneak peek into what’s coming in 2025 and the goals I’m sett...
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Season 2024
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Episode 52
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40:41
The 3 Keys to a Long (and Happy!) Career
Feeling stuck on what you should be writing? This week, I’m unpacking three keys to building a sustainable and fulfilling career in production music. Plus, I’ll break down my latest NuDisco-inspired cue, Funk Salad Annie!What this ep...
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Season 2024
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Episode 51
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23:08
Why Does it Take So Long to Get Paid?
From concept to cash, I’m breaking down the complete timeline of a production music cue so you’ll know exactly what to expect on your path to those sweet royalty checks.Watch this episode on YouTube!
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Season 2024
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Episode 50
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25:19
What Defines the "Mood" in a Cue?
In today's episode, Dave's talks about mood, and he unpacks how he communicates emotions in his cues by shifting three primary musical elements.Watch this episode on YouTube!https://yout...
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Season 2024
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Episode 49
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32:31
It's Episode 200! What Have I Learned?
In this epic 200th episode, Dave shares lessons learned from four years of the 52 Cues Podcast, working towards sustainability, growth, and embracing imperfection. Watch this on YouTubeh...
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Season 2024
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Episode 48
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49:43
Understanding Ominous Tension
In this episode, we revisit the art of crafting ominous tension cues as Dave explores the harmonic and rhythmic techniques behind these cues, emphasizing drone-based harmony, slow-moving melodies, and evolving layers. Watch this epis...
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Season 2024
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Episode 47
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41:34
Is Originality Overrated?
In this episode, Dave questions whether originality is overrated in production music, suggesting that unique expression matters more than being entirely original. He discusses techniques like modeling and referencing to meet industry expectatio...
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Season 2024
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Episode 46
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49:26
How to Use Transition SFX
In this episode, Dave breaks down the art of using SFX like booms, risers, and sweeps to enhance transitions in a cue, demonstrating his approach live on a recent hip-hop track. Watch this episode on YouTube
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Season 2024
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Episode 45
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52:01
Collaboration is King (with Dale Grisa)
In this episode, Dave welcomes Detroit-based pianist and composer Dale Grisa about his journey from performing thousands of gigs to creating production music and collaborating with top musicians!Watch this episode on YouTube!...
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Season 2024
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Episode 44
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1:12:13
Ask Me Anything!
It's time for another 52 Cues live Q&A! In this episode, Dave Kropf tackles questions from the community, including whether it’s safe to upload tracks to SoundCloud if they’re already on Spotify, how many cues you need for a sustainable inc...
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Season 2024
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Episode 43
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1:12:00
Conferences, Colons, and Storms (Oh My!)
In today's very special episode of the 52 Cues podcast, Dave welcomes back Mrs. 52 Cues herself, Shannon Kropf, for a discussion about the whirlwind of the past few weeks. No cues, no production music topics this week – just conferences, colono...
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Season 2024
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Episode 42
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1:15:21
One on One with Jason Graves
In this episode, Dave chats with BAFTA-winning composer Jason Graves, known for his work on blockbuster games like Dead Space, Tomb Raider, and Call of Duty: Warzone. They reminisce about their college days and explore Jason's journey from perc...
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Season 2024
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Episode 39
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1:37:45
Writing Epic Hip-Hop for Sports
In this episode, Dave breaks down his epic hip-hop sports broadcasting cue, "All Up In This," revealing how to create tracks that resonate across various sports platforms. He also shares his eventful week—from preparing for the upcoming Product...
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Season 2024
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Episode 38
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57:30
Christmas In July Winners!
In this episode, Dave sits down with the winners of the Christmas in July Composer Quest: Jenny Goodspeed, Simon Tong, and Ralph Oleski. They discuss their award-winning tracks, their journeys into the world of production music, and how feedbac...
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Season 2024
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Episode 37
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1:06:28