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Unlocking the Secrets of Reference Cues | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 36
On this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave introduces his Prism Analysis — a framework designed to help production music composers transform reference tracks into fresh, original cues.
Must-Know Tips for Music Conferences | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 35
Attending a music conference can feel overwhelming, but on this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave reminds composers that success isn’t about collecting the most business cards—it’s about building genuine connections
How to Write Investigative Tension Cues | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 34
In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, composer and educator Dave Kropf unpacks the art of writing investigative tension cues—those cerebral, clue-gathering tracks that show up everywhere from crime documentaries to dating show reveals.
Vacation Fails & Life Lessons | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 33
In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave and Shannon share stories from their long-awaited vacation to Chattanooga, where wrong turns, noisy cabins, and even an upside-down pizza tested their patience—and taught them invaluable lessons.
Prep Like a Chef: The Composer’s Mise en Place | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 32
In this episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, host Dave draws a surprising connection between his love of grilling and the art of writing production music. Inspired by the French culinary principle of mise en place (“everything in its place”), Dave outlines five practical steps composers can use to prepare, organize, and streamline their workflow before ever hitting “record.”
The 4 Stages of Learning Any DAW | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 31
In this episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave reflects on the unexpected parallels between learning a new DAW and learning a foreign language.
Chomp and Circumstance | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 30
This week on the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave sits down with community member and band director Brandon Seneca—winner of the latest Composer Quest challenge—for a behind-the-scenes look at his delightfully creepy cue, Chomp and Circumstance.
5 Failures That Kill Your Creative Output | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 27
In this episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave unpacks the silent saboteurs lurking in every composer’s studio—from fried hard drives and surprise power surges to emotional burnout and missed deadlines. With equal parts humor, honesty, and hard-won wisdom, Dave walks through the five most common “points of failure” that can grind a cue to a halt.
How I Think About Light Tension | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 26
In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave steps into the role of professor to unpack the wide and often misunderstood world of light tension music. From tasking montages and corporate explainers to moody true crime underscores, Dave explores the emotional spectrum that defines this essential production music category.
Sync Terms You Should Know (But May Be Afraid to Ask) | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 24
In this episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave steps into “Professor Dave” mode, guiding listeners through the often-confusing world of production and sync music terminology. With clarity and humor, he unpacks key terms like “cue,” “metadata,” “sync license,” and “back end royalties,” making the language of the industry more accessible to newcomers and seasoned composers alike.
Give Your Cues an Edge That Beats AI | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 23
In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave tackles the growing presence of AI in the creative industries and offers a surprisingly simple — yet powerful — strategy for staying relevant: performance.
Composers, It’s Time to Leave SoundCloud | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 22
After 14 years and over a thousand tracks uploaded, Dave Kropf is rethinking his relationship with SoundCloud. In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, he opens up about the emotional weight of potentially leaving a platform that has served as a time capsule of his production music journey.
Ask Dave Anything (LIVE)! | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 21
This week on the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave hosted a vibrant live Q&A session packed with practical wisdom for production music composers at every stage of their journey. From dissecting piano track layering strategies to addressing pitch etiquette and how many libraries to approach at once, Dave tackled real-time questions with clarity and humor.
Why Your Metadata (Probably) Sucks (with Mrs. 52 Cues) | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 20
In this episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave and Shannon tackle what many composers consider the least glamorous—but arguably most crucial—part of the production music process: metadata.
Pomp and Circumstance – Composer Quest LIVE! | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 19
In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave hosted a special Composer Quest livestream featuring community-made reimaginings of “Pomp and Circumstance.” With styles ranging from orchestral and cinematic to ska, chipmunk-glitch, and lo-fi, the episode celebrated the wildly inventive spirit of the 52 Cues community.
Even More Inconvenient Truths About Production Music | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 18
In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave returns with five more inconvenient truths about working in the production music industry—lessons that go beyond DAWs, deadlines, and demos. From the reality that talent alone won’t guarantee success, to the importance of genuine relationships, to the sting (and inevitability) of rejection, Dave offers candid, heartfelt insight that resonates with composers at every stage.
The Four "C's" of Success | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 17
Feeling stuck in the creative process? In this episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, host Dave Kropf introduces the Four C’s of Success—Collect, Collaborate, Create, and Correct—a practical framework designed to help composers identify where they are in their workflow and move forward with clarity. Whether you're staring at a blank DAW session or obsessively mixing a cue that isn’t even done, these four phases can bring structure and momentum to the creative journey. Dave also shares a new cue inspired by rediscovered Kontakt instruments and offers feedback on a psychedelic rock track submitted by community member Frasier McDermott. For any production music composer feeling lost in “loop land,” this episode might just be the missing roadmap.
These 5 Small Choices Can Mean Huge Growth | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 16
In this week’s episode of the 52 Cues Podcast, Dave Kropf reminds us that the biggest transformations in our production music careers aren’t born from huge wins—they’re quietly built through small, daily choices. From simply opening your DAW even when you’re not feeling inspired, to practicing intentional listening, carving out moments of silence, staying curious when things get tough, and fiercely protecting your creative time, Dave breaks down five (plus a bonus!) mindset shifts that shape your path over the long haul. He also highlights the importance of choosing community over isolation, reminding us that real growth happens when we show up for ourselves and each other. Plus, Dave offers an insightful cue review of "Think Harder," a soft tension track submitted by a 52 Cues member. It’s an episode full of encouragement, practical wisdom, and a nudge to keep moving forward—one small step at a time.
An Editor Tells Why Great Cues Get Cut (with Biagio Messina) | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 15
Have you ever wondered what really happens to your cue once you hand it off to a library? This week on the 52 Cues Podcast, I sit down with TV producer, editor, and composer Biagio Messina to talk about what makes a cue stick — and what gets it left on the cutting room floor. From smart stem strategies to crafting cues that survive scene reshuffles, we unpack real-world, actionable tips for making your music more editor-friendly (and more likely to get placed). Plus, I share a story about my latest cue, "Streets of Green," and how trying not to clone U2 kept me up at night. Trust me — if you’re serious about leveling up your production music game, this episode is for you!
These Climbers Made the Summit of Expedition 52! | 52 Cues Podcast, 2025 Week 14
In this inspiring episode, Dave is joined by composers who successfully completed the 2024 Expedition 52 Composer Quest—a year-long challenge to write one cue each week, culminating in 52 original compositions. The discussion delves into their creative processes, the obstacles they overcame, and the growth they experienced throughout this ambitious project. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the dedication and perseverance required to achieve such a monumental goal in the realm of music composition.