DropCue University

Learn the business of sync licensing.

A self-paced online course for music composers and songwriters on licensing, publishing, royalties, pitching, and getting placed in film, TV, ads, and trailers. Included free with DropCue Studio, or available as a standalone one-time purchase. The first two lessons are free to preview.

In short: DropCue University is a self-paced online course that teaches independent composers and songwriters the business side of sync licensing. It runs to 61 in-depth lessons across 8 tracks, covering what a sync licence is, how the composition and master differ, how royalties are collected through a PRO, how to pitch music supervisors, how to clear rights and recover missing royalties, how to write trailer music, and how to build and run a music library. It comes with 79 downloadable templates, checklists and trackers. It costs $99 as a one-time purchase with lifetime access, is included free with the DropCue Studio plan, and the first two lessons are free to preview.

Preview the first two lessons free →

Then $99 one-time for lifetime access $149, or included free with DropCue Studio.

What you will learn

DropCue University covers the part of a music career that the craft does not teach: how to license your music, how publishing and royalties actually work, how to pitch the right track to the right music supervisor, and how to build and run your own music library. 61 in-depth lessons across 8 tracks, animated slide decks, and 79 downloadable templates, checklists, and trackers you can use immediately.

It is built for independent composers and songwriters, artists pitching to film, TV, and ads, and anyone building a music library who wants to get placed and get paid properly. Read and negotiate a licensing deal with confidence, understand how you earn and collect royalties, and pitch music that actually fits the brief.

The curriculum: 61 lessons across 8 tracks

Track 1. Platform Mastery 7 lessons

Set up your catalog, metadata, and delivery so your music is discoverable, professional, and ready the moment an opportunity appears.

Track 2. Sync Licensing Fundamentals 9 lessons

How licensing actually works: the deals, the terms, the fees, and the rights, so you can read any agreement and never leave money on the table. Learn the difference between the composition and the master, and how a sync license and a master use license fit together.

Track 3. The Business of Independent Publishing 6 lessons

Publishing, royalties, PROs, and splits explained plainly. Understand every income stream your music generates, how performance royalties are collected through a PRO, and how to collect all of it.

Track 4. Pitching and Career Strategy 5 lessons

Who to pitch, what to send, and how to build the relationships with music supervisors that turn one placement into a steady, repeatable source of work.

Track 5. Building and Running a Music Library 8 lessons

The founder's playbook for building your own library or catalog business, from signing writers to licensing at scale.

Track 6. Running Your Sync Business 7 lessons

Treat your music like a business: taxes, write-offs, pricing your time, choosing an entity, diversifying income, and building catalog equity for the long game.

Track 7. Rights, Clearance and Royalty Recovery 8 lessons

Chain of title, collaborator splits, samples and interpolations, work-for-hire, and Content ID claims. How to keep a cue clearable, and how to audit your statements and recover royalties that never reached you.

Track 8. Trailer Music 11 lessons

Trailer music is written to sell a movie, not score one. The length and arc a trailer house actually requires, why beautifully written film scores get rejected, sound design and the production bar, stems and deliverables, trailerizations and overlays, toolkits and sound design albums, how to submit to a trailer library, and where the money really is. See the full guide to how to write trailer music.

What is included

  • 61 in-depth, structured lessons across 8 tracks, sequenced so each builds on the last.
  • 79 downloadable templates, checklists, and trackers, delivered as designed PDFs and spreadsheets, including pitch templates, split sheets, licensing checklists, royalty trackers, and trailer cue worksheets.
  • Animated slide decks that make splits, rights, and deal flow clear and easy to remember.
  • Lifetime access. Buy once and keep it, with new lessons added as the industry changes.
  • Notes, progress tracking, and favorites, all inside the DropCue app.
  • A searchable glossary and knowledge base for looking up any term mid-deal.

Who it is for

Independent composers and songwriters who write music that belongs on screen but were never taught how the placement and payment side really works.

Artists pitching to film, TV, and ads who are ready to get their catalog in front of supervisors, agencies, and libraries and want to do it the right way.

People building a music library who want to sign writers, license at scale, and run a catalog as a real business, taught by someone who has done it for 20+ years. The first two lessons are free to preview, so you can see the teaching before you buy.

Common questions

What is DropCue University?

DropCue University is a self-paced online course on the business of sync licensing for music composers and songwriters. It covers licensing, music publishing, royalties, pitching to music supervisors, and how placements in film, TV, ads, trailers, and games actually work, with in-depth lessons, slide decks, and downloadable templates you can use straight away.

How do I learn sync licensing as a composer?

DropCue University teaches sync licensing end to end across 61 in-depth lessons in 8 tracks: what a sync license is, the difference between the composition and the master, how to read and negotiate a licensing deal, how royalties are collected through a PRO, how to pitch the right music to the right supervisors, how to clear rights and recover missing royalties, how to write and license trailer music, and how to build and run a music library. It includes 79 downloadable templates, checklists, and trackers.

Do I need a DropCue subscription to take DropCue University?

No. DropCue University is included free with the DropCue Studio plan, but you can also buy it as a standalone one-time purchase at $99 with lifetime access, no subscription required. A standalone purchase also unlocks the full DropCue platform free for a 7-day trial. Either way, the first two lessons are free to preview.

What will I be able to do after the course?

You will be able to read and negotiate a sync licensing deal with confidence, understand exactly how you earn and collect royalties, pitch the right music to the right music supervisors, and if you want, build and run your own music library.

Is there a refund policy for DropCue University?

Because DropCue University is a digital product with instant, lifetime access to every lesson, template, and download, all sales are final and purchases are non-refundable. The first two lessons are free to preview, so you can review the course before you buy.

Included with DropCue Studio

The rest of the Business Suite

Part of DropCue Studio's Business Suite — find the work, pitch it, sign it, track it, and get paid, all in one app.

Roster → Track and rate every composer and collaborator you work with. Market Scanner → Find films & TV shows in production that need music. Pitch Pipeline → Track every sync pitch from prospect to placed. Agreement Generator → Draft a sync license as PDF + editable Word in seconds. Clients & License Tracker → Log every license, client, and invoice in one ledger. Royalty Tracker → Import PRO statements and see what actually earns.

See everything included with DropCue Studio →

Last reviewed and updated 2026.