As a child, I was always tinkering. I’d break toys to see how they worked, salvage parts to come up with something new, and dream up inventions in jotters. I didn’t know it then, but I was laying the foundation for a career in software development. I remember being presented with a little cubed BBC robot built from fischertechnik parts that one could program using a BBC micro, as some of you might recall. I was determined that I would build one along with an interface to drive it. I did build something resembling it using an old meccano set, frying my serial port in the process, lol 😂 cry😭.
Fast-forward a few decades, and there’s another passion that has never let go of me: music production. From the moment I was introduced to Cubase on the Atari at school, I was hooked. Producing, mixing and then mastering—it became more than a hobby and shaped who I am today.
For the longest time, I thought these two arenas—coding and music—existed separately. Software development was my career; music was my creative escape. But three and a half years ago, I started to wonder: What if they became one?
That question led to countless late nights and early morning get-ups, pages of C++ code, GLSL and Javascript, 1770 Jira tickets along with serious moments of frustration.
But today, I’m proud to introduce Hexcast.
Not just another plugin; it’s the result of years spent asking: What do I wish I had as a producer in my arsenal? What would give me that creative edge? How can I make the creative process better, faster, less frustrating or more inspiring for others in the audio engineering world?
It hit me! The problem of mix translation. I always had trouble arriving at a mix that sounded uniformly awesome across all the different devices listeners would typically use. That was the motivation for the project.
So what is it?
Hexcast is a mixing and mastering aid that allows producers to stream their master bus to any device on their local area network equipped with a browser. This is important because it enables audio professionals to test their mixes and mastering sessions in real-time on consumer devices, helping them to find the sweet spot. Since many consumers listen to audio on suboptimal portable audio devices, it is crucial that the audio translates well.
How does it work?
When Hexcast is instantiated, it serves the Client Web Application over http to the browser. The browser is then transformed into a stream playback device, providing visuals feedback for the session. So there's no need for any installation of any apps. By not relying on any app store increases the variety of devices that can be used with Hexcast, with a modern browser becoming the only requirement.
To get started, simply scan the QR code with your phone while connected to the same Local Area Network as your Digital Audio Workstation. Then, tap the "Stream" button in the center of the client’s web application. Alternatively, you can manually enter the web address displayed on the plugin’s interface directly into your browser. The inspiration for this idea came while dining at a restaurant in London, where customers placed orders by scanning the QR code on their table. Although I found the whole user experience underwhelming (the lack of interaction with the staff), it sparked the concept of effortless connectivity to Hexcast, so I began working on its implementation as soon as I returned home.
Once connected, the audio streams in real-time to a phone, tablet, laptop, or other device, enabling audio engineers to evaluate their mix and make precise adjustments. Before building this tool, I used to go through the tedious process of exporting my mix, uploading it to Google Drive, downloading it to my phone, to audition the mix. Not any more. 😉.
This plugin is packed with depth and sophistication under the hood. It simplifies the complexities of real-time audio streaming, seamlessly integrating into your workflow and making the process effortless for the user. The goal was to design and implement a simple, user-friendly interface that delivers consistent value to musicians and audio engineers day after day.
Below are some of the headline features that Hexcast supports:
- Real-time audio compression to save network bandwidth.
- An embedded Client Web Application — to provide a user interface on the streaming device. (No App installs required.)
- Generation of self-signed certificates to use the low latency APIs present within the browser for a performant experience.
- Sample rate and channel negotiation — again to save bandwidth and for accurate playback.
If you're interested to see it in action see the links below:
Brochure site for the plugin:
And here is my website where you are welcome to try the plugin for free:
👉🏾 https://hexmarkrecords.com/store/plugin/hexcast
Illustrating the Vision
I knew exactly what Hexcast should look like - unique and unlike any other plugin I'd come across. But to take the vision I had from imagination to screen would require something out of the box: an illustrator.
Fortunately, my good friend Darran Holmes from Stomping Creation Studios—an incredibly talented artist (who also worked on some of the props for Lord of the Rings) —agreed to help bring the vision to life. We started by setting up an ideation page in Confluence, where we explored the mascot (we call Mex), themes, colors, and designs that aligned with the project’s goals. Beginning with my rudimentary sketches, we iterated on the concept, refining the design step by step until we reached the final result. Our aim was to create a UI that was not only visually unique but also intuitive from a user experience perspective. After several iterations, we arrived at the design you see today.
Collaborating with Darran was one of the most enjoyable highlights of this project. His creativity and expertise were invaluable, and I would wholeheartedly recommend him to any plugin developers looking to create a stunning, one-of-a-kind design.
A True Challenge
To say this project has been a journey is an understatement. Creating this plugin taught me lessons about patience, problem-solving, perseverance and endurance I never anticipated. I tested, failed, iterated—and then tested some more. And for those that know me well, I’m big on testing! But the thrill of seeing my ideas come to life, enhancing the creative flow in real-world scenarios has been worth every single second.
It’s been incredible to put both my Computer Science degree and high school mathematics knowledge to practical use—trigonometry, matrices, identity functions, logarithms—all of it came flooding back!
On the development side, this project has been a rewarding journey of growth. I expanded my expertise in C++, OpenSSL, OpenGL, web development, and much more. I also acquired a Dell PowerEdge server, which I equipped with VMWare, Docker, Kubernetes, and Jenkins, further strengthening my DevOps skills. While cloud computing is fantastic, having access to an enterprise server that allows me to provision heavier workloads without the associated costs has been a game changer.
This has been a project I’ve thoroughly enjoyed—a true challenge across many vectors (pun intended 😉). 🚀
Music has always been my passion. Development has always been my skill set. Now, for the first time, I’ve found the perfect balance between the two.
In Closing
Developers you have a superpower. You can realise your dreams and ideas to produce useful tools that impact people's lives. If I could go back in time and tell little Aaron one thing; It would be “keep going, you're on the right track” 😉.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback. 📝