52 Cues - A Production Music and Sync Podcast

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: https://youtu.be/veX7p3hbjlE   What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production music libraries, trailers, promos, and television pla...

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, masterclasses, community changes, and a clearer vision for building a sustainable creative life together. What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a...

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 faster, trust your decisions, and get consistent results across any type of cue. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2qh9iEGdERQ What if you could t...

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, monitoring setups, and sustainable work life balance as a composer. What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production mus...

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 ear, why organization and deliverables matter just as much as great writing, and how real human performances still rise above the noise in an AI-heavy lands...

In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at the true crime corner of the light-tension spectrum where I’ll walk you through the sounds, the pulses, and the gritty textures that push this style right up to the edge of ominous tension.  Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/Dc4c5bXRJK0 What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production music librar...

In this episode, I revisit the bold 2021 statement that what we do in production music isn’t art and ask if that still holds up in the age of AI. I talk about how technology has shifted the production music world and if the artisan mindset still matters. Plus, we’ll take a listen to my latest hip-hop dramedy cue, "Resting Witch Face." Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/cU1V...

In this episode I am joined by Emmy and Mark Award–winning composer and Head of Production at Warner Chappell Production Music, Scott Reinwand, and we chat about how composers can stand out in a crowded catalog. Plus we listen to a recent trip hop tension cue, "Remains to Be Seen." Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/ZShsnfsbLzw https://warnerchappellpm.com What if you could...

In this episode, I unpack what ASCAP, BMI, and SOCAN’s new policy on partially AI-generated works means for production music composers. We’ll talk about where the line is between using AI as a creative assistant and letting it compose for you, what this shift means for publishers and libraries, and whether the “stink of AI” will ever really go away. Plus we take a listen to a brooding intrigue cue...

Ever wonder what really goes on inside 52 Cues? In this episode, I’m unpacking how the community works, what each space is for, and how it all ties together to help you grow as a production music composer.  Plus, we listen to another tension cue for Shark Week on Discovery! Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/GhXZ-toijh0 What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that&apo...

This week, Shannon joins me to unpack her very first Production Music Conference – what it’s really like to meet the 52 Cues community in person, how one simple meetup turned into a full-blown Hollywood party, and why personal connection is still the real currency in this business. Plus we listen to a new investigative tension cue for Shark Week on Discovery! Watch this episode on YouTube - https:...

In this episode, Sam Hulick and Sara Pocius from ReelCrafter return to talk about the brand-new ReelCrafter 2.5 update, what’s new under the hood, and how it helps composers pitch smarter and present their music professionally. Plus, we’re unveiling a new feature for the Friends and Family of 52 Cues! Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/qeE7b2WqcN8 https://www.reelcrafter.com/52cues U...

In this episode, we’re unpacking tasking cues – the music that underscores moments of focus, pacing, and process in reality TV and beyond. We’ll talk about what makes them work, where they’re used, and break down one of my own inside the DAW. Watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/wzAwYf4O9x8 What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production music l...

In this episode, I unpack what it really means to write an editor-friendly cue. We’ll look at the six essentials that reduce friction in the edit bay and I'll walk through a Shark Week investigation cue I recently wrote and put it to the test. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2FoaMZuqekk What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production mu...

In this episode, I unpack my approach to writing melodies that really work inside production music cues. I  walk through how I build motivic ideas, how modes shape the emotional color of a phrase, and how static melodies can create forward motion without getting in the way. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mTf90xoGIdc What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that&apos...

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 a blueprint for your own cues! Plus we check out a new Trip Hop crime tension cue, "Hard of Red Herring." Watch this episode on YouTube - https:/...

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, or any industry gathering! Plus, we listen to a new ominous intrigue cue, "Shanks for the Memories." Watch this episode on YouTube: https://yout...

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 - https://youtu.be/yMJaUS776yQ   What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production music libraries, trailers, promos, and television placements? In t...

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 some unexpected lessons about life and what it means to be a composer.  Plus, we take a listen to an Italian-infused hip-hop comedy cue, "Leave the Canno...

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, "From Inside the House." Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/VB8Jy_jHLo0 What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that&a...

In this week’s episode, I compare learning a new DAW to learning a new language – and share where I’m at in my own journey toward “speaking” Ableton Live fluently.  Plus, I feature a new reggaeton-meets-comedy hip hop cue. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pEN_lE0HZyo What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production music libraries, trailers, p...

In this episode, I’m joined by band director and composer Brandon Psenicka, whose eerie reimagining of the classic graduation march – complete with creepy vocals from his own daughter – took first place in our recent Composer Quest! Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/OFSRYuqc6TI https://brandonpsenickamusic.com https://www.jwpepper.com/s?q=psenicka&fuzzy=0&operator=and&fac...

In this episode, I’m playing submissions from our latest Composer Quest – “A Whole New Light,” and then we open things up for a live Q&A. We talk stems and deliverables, SoundCloud ads, mastering workflow tips, library contracts, and even whether or not you should leave your computer on overnight.  Watch this episode on YouTube! https://youtu.be/H9uHTZcDNg4 What if you could turn a simple pian...

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the unexpected breakdowns that threaten to bring your entire creative process to a halt. Plus, Dave features “Thoughts and Prayers,” a recent ominous tension cue written for a documentary. Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/SHb9GCqSlyg What if you could turn a simple piano sketch into a cue that's ready for production music libraries, traile...

In this episode, I’m again leaning into my professor side to break down one of the most widely used styles in production music: light tension. From tasking and corporate cues to investigative and true crime textures, we’re unpacking the entire light tension spectrum. Plus, I feature one of my latest hip hop comedy cues, "Cat Gotye Tongue." Watch this episode on YouTube https://youtu.be/d...