Diffusing Music with Ben Neill

Ableton Drummer Tobi Hunke: Where Drumming Meets Innovative Software Design

In this episode of Diffusing Music, Ben Neill talks with Tobi Hunke, the visionary behind Ableton Drummer, whose work blurs the lines between performer, educator, and developer. Hunke exemplifies the emerging archetype of the musician of the future—someone who not only creates music but also designs the tools that shape how others create. From his roots as a touring drummer to building a global community through AbletonDrummer.com, Hunke shares how he integrates live performance with electronic music tools, and how his Max for Live devices have transformed workflows for drummers and producers alike. The conversation explores themes central to Diffusing Music: technological empowerment, the democratization of creativity, and the evolving role of the artist as both creator and enabler. Hunke’s practice is deeply collaborative, expansive, and rooted in a belief that anyone can make music—with the right tools. This episode is essential listening for musicians, technologists, and educators interested in the ever-expanding frontier of music creation.

Max Maximilianos: Audiomodern - Intelligent Tools for Creative Freedom

In this episode I speak with Max Maximilianos, founder of innovative software company Audiomodern. Audiomodern makes a suite of music production plugins that use intelligent algorithms to facilitate new, unexpected musical ideas and personalized, organic approaches to composition and production.

Sasha Pas: Playtronica – Turning Everyday Objects into Instruments

Can sound make us more connected to the world around us—and to each other? In this episode, Ben Neill speaks with Sasha Pas, founder of Playtronica, a pioneering company that transforms physical touch into music using everyday objects and bodies as instruments. From bananas that trigger synths to wearable sensors that turn skin-to-skin contact into harmony, Playtronica’s work invites people of all backgrounds to make music through interaction and play. Sasha reflects on the collaborative nature of these tools, the philosophical ideas that shape their design, and how reimagining what an instrument can be opens up new possibilities for creativity, community, and sound.

Alexandra Fierra: The Demon Box – Music from Invisible Energy

In this first episode of Diffusing Music, Ben Neill speaks with Alexandra Fierra, founder of Eternal Research [https://eternalresearch.com/] and creator of the Demon Box — a groundbreaking AI-powered instrument that senses and responds to electromagnetic radiation emitted by objects in its environment. Designed to collaborate with human performers in real time, the Demon Box transforms invisible energy fields into dynamic musical responses, opening new dimensions in improvisation and interaction. Their conversation explores how technologies like the Demon Box are reshaping the creative process, reflecting broader themes from Diffusing Music and Ben’s own innovations with the Mutantrumpet [https://benneill.com/mutantrumpet/]. Together, they examine the evolving relationship between human imagination, technological systems, and the hidden forces that shape artistic expression.