Ever pay close attention to the soundtrack of any major show on television? For a one-hour program such as A&E's Cold Case Files, a vast amount of music is required to give dramatic impact, build tension, and creat the program's "sonic identity".

Dave Huizenga is responsible for the signature sound of many award-winning television programs by Bill Kurtis Productions, including Emmy winner The New Explorers, plus Investigative Reports, and Cold Case Files.

Each program has a set of challenges and demands Huizenga must tackle for Kurtis Productions, using a combination of software (including Pro Tools 7,) his Akai S5000 sampler, plus "a few relics" to get the job done.

Gearwire Editor Joe Wallace got a behind-the-scenes look at the process Huizenga uses to write music for Cold Case Files and what its like working in the fast-paced world of television music production. In the first of our six-part series, we learn about Dave Huizenga's background, his gear setup, and what it takes to come up with original music on demand for each week's show.