Within the past six weeks I've attended both the Production Music Conference and the Taxi Road Rally, and today I give my unbiased and honest thoughts while comparing and contrasting each one to help you decide which conference might right for you.

Plus we take a listen to "Autumn Colors," a corporate piano-based cue written by 52 Cues member, Shane Jensen (https://soundcloud.com/user-518930157)!

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/pz3-uohrH18

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:38 - What is PMC 2022? What is the Taxi Road Rally?
06:41 - Comparing the Venue
17:13 - Comparing the Tech and the Schedule
26:00 - The Main Difference Between These Events
37:52 - Would I Go Again?
44:13 - Which Should You Attend?
47:47 - What Did I Learn?
01:00:26 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
01:01:39 - "Autumn Colors" by Shane Jensen
01:10:15 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

PMC 2022 Panels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbLP8sskgKM&list=PLYYZquuC1Sdc9Xlo59vYICVFzFfyCXqFy

Taxi Road Rally
https://www.taxi.com/taxi-road-rally/

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

When we’re composing, we strive to maintain this creative flow state, but some days that feels harder than others, so on today’s episode, I unpack 5 things you can do to help keep you in that flow state, feeling more creative, and more productive.

Plus we take a listen to "Fight or Flight" an action trailer cue written by 52 Cues community member Topi Jokinen (https://soundcloud.com/topi-jokinen)!

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:38 - How I Define "Flow State"
06:21 - 1. Set an Intention
11:16 - 2. Minimize Distractions
18:01 - 3. Prepare the Creative Space
23:03 - 4. Keep Your Tools at the Ready
34:04 - 5. Separate the Production from the Composing Process
44:52 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
46:06 - "Fight or Flight" by Topi Jokinen
01:00:37 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/Ax9lCrzqesI

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

As production music composers, how  much attention should we give to having a website, Instagram, or Tik Tok? To help me answer this, I’ve invited Shannon Kropf back to podcast, who is no stranger to branding and marketing strategies!

Plus we take a listen to “Keep on Keepin’ On,” a bluesy southern rock cue written by 52 Cues community member, Gar Ashby (https://soundcloud.com/gar-ashby).

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/URyeJcXYaxA

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
03:24 - Do Production Music Composers Need a Web Presence?
01:02:47 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
01:04:00 - "Keep On Keepin' On" by Gar Ashby

Shannon K Creative
https://shannonkcreative.com

Follow Shannon on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/shannonkropfcreative

Follow Dave on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/davekropf

Follow 52 Cues on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/52cues

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/URyeJcXYaxA

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

How do you discover new plugins? How is Taxi dispatch different than regular taxi? What exactly are “neutral tasking” cues? What types of cues are most in demand? Do you have to write whole albums to get in with a library? What % of my cues have actually gotten placed? Can you even make a full-time income doing this?

I answer these and more of your production music questions on (yet) another Q&A episode! Plus we take a listen to “So Long Sweetly,” an emotional solo piano cue Michael Bears (https://soundcloud.com/michael-bears-647280744).

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/94plxVnKoks

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:32 - How do you find new plugins?
06:17 - How is Taxi Dispatch different from Regular Taxi?
09:33 - Do I still use the R4 reverb?
13:55 - What are "neutral tasking" cues?
19:28 - What are the most in-demand tracks?
25:48 - What's the best The Unfinished Omnisphere sound set to start with?
27:46 - Do you *have* to write full albums for libraries?
30:49 - What % of my signed cues have gotten placements?
33:45 - How many libraries pay consideration fees?
36:47 - Can you make a full-time living doing production music?
41:59 - How do you handle albums with libraries?
47:50 - Can you clarify terms like "publisher" and "sync"?
53:31 - Can you explain "edit points"?
01:02:24 - Is it ok to have a wide LUFS range in my cues?
01:08:54 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
01:10:07 - "So Long Sweetly" by Michael Bears
01:19:21 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

Get your own "read the @#$%& brief" t-shirt!
https://www.52cues.com/store/p/read-the-brief-t-shirt

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

On today’s episode, I sit down and chat with Rob Aster of RRHOT who is one of only a handful of publishers for CBS Sports. His over 35 years in the business brings with it a ton of knowledge and perspective, and we discuss his journey in the industry, and he unpacks the 7 specific types of cues that gets used in live sports.

Plus, we take a listen to a sad piano and strings cue written by 52 Cues Community member, Chris Hall! (https://soundcloud.com/user-510633289)

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/fZgnsudhPyI

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
03:29 - Writing Cues for Sports with Rob Aster
01:11:13 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
01:12:27 - "Untitled" by Chris Hall
01:23:57 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

How big of a factor does luck play in our careers? On today’s episode we turn to the research of Dr. Richard Wiseman, Professor of Public Understanding of Psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, and we examine the 4 Principles of Luck and discuss how they might apply to us as production music composers.

Plus we feature "Sleeping Baby, a solo piano lullaby cue written by 52 Cues Community Member, Yuka Reschke (https://soundcloud.com/yuka-982386000).

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/8uMNt6EIQw0

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:32 - Is it all luck?
05:32 - 1. Maximise Chance Opportunities
18:35 - 2. Listening to Lucky Hunches
28:56 - 3. Expect Good Fortune
40:52 - 4. Turn Bad Luck to Good
52:28 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
53:42 - "Sleeping Baby" by Yuka Reschke
01:04:01 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

Links
Dr. Richard Wiseman's Principles of Luck
https://richardwiseman.wordpress.com/research/luck-and-self-development/

The Luck Factor by Richard Wiseman - https://amzn.to/3CTVnkD

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

When we pitch our cues to libraries, we want to make the process as smooth and painless as possible, so on today’s episode, I sit down and chat with Michael Laskow (Taxi.com) who works with publishers every day, and we discuss what we composers can do to reduce friction when it comes to getting our music into libraries.

Plus, take a listen to “Tradecraft,” an espionage tension cue written by 52 Cues Community member, Youssef Rddad.

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/oowLfDs1yYM

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:56 - Reducing Friction with Publishers with Michael Laskow
58:13 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
59:27 - "Tradecraft" by Youssef Rddad
01:08:37 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

There are some key differences that separate production music from other careers like film music, game music, and even songwriting, and today I want to discuss what really separates production music from other music for film, tv, games, and advertising.

Plus we feature a cue written by a member of the 52 Cues community, and this week, we’re gonna take a listen to “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean,” written by Nathan Toft (https://soundcloud.com/ntoft) which a sing-song arrangement of a classic folk song and features him on trombone!

Watch this Episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/5ybnFmyPGxk

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:16 - How is Production Music Different Than  Film Music?
20:28 - How is Production Music Different Than  Game Music?
29:45 - How is Production Music Different Than  Songwriting?
38:33 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
39:46 - My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” by Nathan Toft 
47:44 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

We’ve talked about how important sustainable creativity is for the production music composer, but what happens when you got nothing or a deadline hangs over you like the sword of Damocles? On this week's episode, I’m going to give you 4 ways that I jumpstart my own creative process when time is short or energy is low.

Plus I’ll be joined by Jeff Hargrove  (https://soundcloud.com/user-195099370) whose cue, “No Place for Merry Gentlemen,” was voted as the winning submission for our July 52 Cues Production Derby challenge where participants had just 48 hours to write an epic hip-hop Christmas cue!

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/9f6b5mIJCiE

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:40 - Overview
04:20 - 1. Recycle Sounds from a Previous Cue
15:04 - 2. Referencing (and Modeling)
23:55 - 3. Clear Your Head
27:46 - 4. Just. Play!
34:12 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
35:25 - No Place for Merry Gentlemen" by Jeff Hargrove
01:11:54 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

"The Creative Quest" by Questlove - https://amzn.to/3xs45U6

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!

Being a production music composer is not always lollipops and sunshine, and truth is, there are some pretty sobering and inconvenient truths about this industry that you should know before you go all in. So today, we’re going to say the quiet parts out loud, and talk the aspects of the gig which you just need to get ok with.

Plus, we’re going to take a listen to "Sunshine Girl," an upbeat acoustic cue written by 52 Cues Community, Ralph Oleski (https://soundcloud.com/user-936339303)!

Plus we feature a cue written by 52 Cues community, and this week, we’re gonna take a listen to “Sunshine Girl,” an upbeat acoustic cue by Ralph Oleski.

Watch this episode on YouTube!
https://youtu.be/-TPllxYYFUg

00:00 - Intro & Welcome
02:14 - You have to be patient
10:33 - You have to be ok with the money
18:18 - You have to approach this as a business
26:13 - You have to be ok with not always writing what you want
33:59 - Join the 52 Cues Community!
35:13 - "Sunshine Girl" by Ralph Oleski
41:41 - Outro & How You Can Support 52 Cues!

Support for the 52 Cues Podcast comes from ReelCrafter, the professional way to pitch your production music and know exactly when your cues are heard.

Start your free trial at ReelCrafter.com/52Cues!

Cymbal SFX - Bowed! Elevate your soundscapes with Cymbal SFX - Bowed—a masterful collection of 68 unique bowed cymbal performances, meticulously recorded for tension-filled tracks and cinematic trailers. Now available exclusively at Production Music Tools!

https://productionmusictools.com/products/bowed-cymbals-by-52-cues
 

Join the 52 Cues Community! – https://my.52cues.com
It's free to post your cues for feedback from the community, network with other composers, and ask questions about the industry!

Plus, member subscribers get extra perks like workshops, livestreams, cue breakdowns, live feedback sessions, hundreds of hours of video archives, and opportunities to submit to real music libraries.

One-on-one coaching sessions and video critiques also available at http://52cues.com/coaching!

Note: Links may be affiliate links which generate a small commission but at no extra cost to you!