Blog
The Audio Developer Conference: 5 Talks I'm Looking Forward To...
Josh from The Audio Programmer shares 5 must-see talks at ADC 2025 in Bristol, from plugin design to AI and the future of music tech.
Intro
The Audio Developer Conference is just around the corner, happening November 10th to 12th in Bristol, and as always, I can’t wait to be there. For me, it’s more than just a conference. In fact, it’s part of where my whole journey into the industry started.
All the way back in 2017, I was a student at Goldsmiths University in London. I had started The Audio Programmer about six months earlier and was posting weekly tutorials on audio software development. The JUCE team took notice and invited me to come out and meet them at ADC 2017. Big shoutout to Rachel Locke for making that happen.
That experience completely changed everything for me. It was the first time I met people in the industry face-to-face and truly learned what it takes to find a career in music technology.
After graduating, I was invited to join the JUCE team and help organize ADC. It was my first real opportunity in the industry, and since then, I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with them in various ways over the years. I’m proud to say that this year, we’re back as a sponsor of the conference and will be there with our team in full force.
It’s one of those full-circle moments that really makes me stop and appreciate how far things have come. It’s also amazing to see how much the conference itself has evolved. You’ll find workshops, mentorship opportunities, posters, quizzes, and of course, the talks.
Speaking of which, I wanted to share five of the talks I’m most looking forward to checking out this year. You can find the full schedule at audio.dev.
Talk 1: Four Plugins in Four Hours by Chris Nash
Let’s kick things off with a workshop I’m really excited about: “Four Plugins in Four Hours” by Chris Nash from Point Blank Music School.
Full disclosure, we’re co-sponsoring this workshop with Point Blank, so I might be a little biased! But honestly, this session is going to be huge for anyone looking to get started with audio plugin development.
Chris is the Course Leader for Point Blank’s Music Systems Engineering degree program and an incredible educator. This workshop is designed to help participants go from zero to having several working plugins in just four hours. It’s such a great way to demystify the process for beginners.
If you’ve ever wanted to build your first plugin but didn’t know where to start, this is a golden opportunity to learn hands-on from someone who’s been teaching this craft for years.
Talk 2: Converting Source Separation Models to ONNX for Real-Time Usage in DJ Software by Anmol Mishra
Next up is “Converting Source Separation Models to ONNX for Real-Time Usage in DJ Software” by Anmol Mishra.
As a former DJ myself, this one immediately caught my attention. Stem separation has been a complete game changer for DJs and live performers. Being able to isolate vocals, drums, bass, and melodies on the fly opens up an entirely new level of creativity.
What’s especially exciting here is that Anmol will be diving into how to take one of the best source separation models out there and export it to ONNX for real-time use. Bridging the gap between machine learning models and live performance tools can be incredibly complex, so I’m looking forward to seeing what insights he brings to that challenge.
Talk 3: The Practices of Audio Programming by Ilias Bergstrom
The third talk I’m excited to attend is “The Practices of Audio Programming” by Ilias Bergstrom.
If you’ve been around ADC for a while, you’ve probably seen Ilias deliver some fantastic sessions. One of my favorites was “The Architecture of DAWs.” He has a real gift for blending deep technical insight with a creative perspective.
This year, he’ll be exploring different ways of approaching code, including prototyping, sketching, and hacking, and how those early stages of experimentation can shape the final product.
I think that’s such an important topic for anyone working creatively with code. Getting your idea off the ground quickly, even if it’s rough around the edges, can be the key difference between something that stays a concept and something that becomes a real product.
Talk 4: Beyond the DAW - Designing a Procedural Sequencer Powered by Music Theory by Romy Dugue and Cecill Etheredge
Next on my list is “Beyond the DAW: Designing a Procedural Sequencer Powered by Music Theory” by Romy Dugue and Cecill Etheredge.
This talk reflects a growing trend I’m really interested in: reimagining what music creation could look like outside of the traditional DAW workflow.
Romy and Cecill are both experienced developers, and I’m curious to see how they’re combining music theory with procedural generation to create new approaches to sequencing and composition.
Talks like this are so important because they challenge us to think differently, not just about sound design or DSP, but about how we interact with music itself. I have a feeling this will be one of those sessions that sparks a lot of new ideas and conversations.
Talk 5: ADC 2015 to 2035 - Keynote by Julian Storer
Finally, I have to mention the keynote: “ADC 2015 to 2035” by Julian Storer.
If you’ve spent any amount of time in audio software development, you’ve likely used or benefited from Julian’s work. He’s the creator of JUCE, the framework behind a massive number of plugins and applications across the industry, as well as the Cmajor programming language.
In this keynote, Julian will look back at the evolution of audio software, how the industry and community have grown, and where things might be heading over the next decade.
Julian is one of those people you can’t help but learn from every time he speaks. He has a way of connecting the past, present, and future of our craft that always leaves you feeling inspired and motivated to keep creating.
Summary
Those are just five of the talks I’m most looking forward to at ADC 2025, but honestly, every single session this year looks incredible. Whether you’re into DSP, UI design, product development, or simply want to meet others who love building tools for music, there’s going to be something for you.
What I’ve always loved about ADC is that it’s not just about the talks. It’s about connecting, sharing ideas, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in music technology.
To see the full schedule or learn how to attend, either in person or online, visit audio.dev. And if you’d like to stay connected with what’s happening in the world of audio programming, join our community at theaudioprogrammer.com.
We’ll have our team at the conference in full force this year, so if you’re attending, come say hi. We’d love to meet you!
Joshua Hodge
The Audio Programmer
