ABOUT
He started off as an award - winning music producer winning 5 Juno Awards (Canada’s Grammys) along with 7 nominations (including Engineer of the Year), and wanted to find a way for the indie projects he worked on to make a bigger splash.
He saw artists landing in the charts with just one good sync placement. He also saw how lucrative the income could be for musicians. Chris not only teaches indie songwriters how to get their music heard by top music supervisors in TV & film, he actually introduces them to those very same gatekeepers.
In his 5-step program, The Art of the Song Pitch, he shows songwriters how to successfully license their music to TV & film, and he personally introduces his students to top music supervisors in the program.
Chris is a proud partner of The Guild of Music Supervisors and voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammy Awards). He’s also a frequent guest speaker on sync licensing, appearing on podcasts, interviews, and industry panels—including the recent “Evolving State of Sync Licensing” session at AmericanaFest.
Growing up in Canada, Chris SD was immersed in his parents’ eclectic record collection, filled with artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, and Tchaikovsky.
His real passion for music sparked during a family trip when he stumbled upon his uncle’s electric guitar and played the only song he knew, “Wild Thing” repeatedly. This marked the beginning of his journey in music.
Fascinated by the magic and creativity of the recording process, he dedicated himself to capturing the essence of great recordings in the studio.
In 2000, Chris launched his career as a music producer by building his first home studio where he began recording his friends for beer. Some of his early recordings garnered Juno Award nominations (Canada’s Grammys), which compelled him to relocate to Toronto in 2003. He was hired as the house engineer at the iconic Blue Rodeo’s Woodshed Studio, a position he held until 2012.
Despite working with both major label and indie artists, Chris became frustrated with the lack of attention given to indie music. He believed the quality of music from indie artists was often on par with major label acts but lacked the support of labels, managers, and agents. This frustration led him to discover sync licensing as an ideal way for indie artists to gain exposure. By getting their music placed in shows, movies, and ads, indie musicians could reach millions of potential fans. He began helping some of the artists he worked with personally to discover the power of licensing their music to TV & film.
In 2012, Chris relocated to Los Angeles but shortly after arriving, he and his wife discovered they were expecting their daughter. Realizing he no longer wanted to spend 12 to 14 hours a day working in studios, Chris pivoted and started Sundown Sessions Studio, an online recording studio to balance his career and family life.
He also began expanding his network within the music licensing industry, forming relationships with some of the top music supervisors for TV & film. In 2017, Chris released his program, The Art of the Song Pitch, to reach indie songwriters on a much bigger scale to help them get their music placed in top shows, films, and ads. Chris not only teaches his 5-step program for pitching songs to TV and film, but also connects songwriters face-to-face with key music supervisors in the industry.
Now Hear This interviewed Chris SD about his career in music production, the evolution of sync licensing, and the steps artists can take to get their music placed in major media productions.
Now Hear This Podcast – Episode 569: Chris SD
The SongTalk podcast featured Chris SD in a discussion about sync songwriting, sharing strategies for indie musicians looking to license their songs for TV and film while maintaining creative integrity.
SongTalk Podcast: Chris SD on Sync Songwriting
Muse by Clio interviewed Chris SD about the realities of sync licensing, offering advice to artists on creating standout music and shifting their mindset for success in the ever-evolving industry.
Muse by Clio Feature: Chris SD on Sync Licensing & Navigating the Industry
MusicTech spoke with Chris SD about his approach to music production, the balance between analogue and digital tools, and the techniques he uses to create high-quality recordings.
MusicTech’s In-Depth Interview with Chris SD on Studio Gear & Production
From Sync Songwriter to Oscar success! Chris shares how we helped jazz musician Doug Martin secure multiple song placements in the acclaimed film Anora.
Authority Magazine interviewed Chris SD about his journey as a music producer and entrepreneur, discussing key lessons on building a business, navigating the industry, and helping indie artists break into sync licensing.
SOCAN Magazine Feature: How Jazz Musician Doug Martin Landed Multiple Placements in Oscar-Winning Anora
Authority Magazine Interview: 5 Things Chris SD Wishes He Knew Before Becoming a Founder
CHRIS IN
the
PRESS
Sisters in Songs Podcast: Chris SD on Sync & Indie Artist Success
Chris SD joins the Sisters in Songs podcast to talk about his journey from award-winning producer to sync licensing mentor. He shares behind-the-scenes stories, advice for indie artists, and how The Art of the Song Pitch is helping musicians get their songs placed in TV, film, and ads.
Modern Music Marketing (Video): Go-To Guy For Sync
Andrew Southworth interviewed Chris SD—known as the go-to guy for sync—about how music sync licensing really works, and how he’s helped countless indie artists land placements in TV, film, and ads.
Break the Business Podcast – Episode 476: ...Music from Anora
Break the Business spoke with Chris SD and Doug Martin about their contributions to the Anora soundtrack, and how Sync Songwriter helped indie artists land five placements in the Oscar-winning film.
Now Hear This interviewed Chris SD about his career in music production, the evolution of sync licensing, and the steps artists can take to get their music placed in major media productions.
Music Connection Magazine – Producer Crosstalk: Chris SD
Music Connection profiled Chris SD in their Producer Crosstalk series, covering his journey from award-winning producer to founder of Sync Songwriter—and how he's helping indie artists break into sync through real industry connections.
