Ben Neill is a sonic alchemist who blends music, technology, and visual art through his pioneering Mutantrumpet to craft boundary-defying, immersive experiences. Neill’s performances are ambient journeys through pulsating electronic landscapes, rich textures, and virtuosic live manipulation, all created in real-time by his innovative instrument.

In Neill’s live performances, the acoustic sounds of the Mutantrumpet are sampled in real time and processed using custom software that interfaces with his notes, dynamics, and 28 onboard controllers; joysticks, distance sensors, switches, and potentiometers. The system enables him to control digital audio as well as live interactive video. The visual components of his performances include imagery by a variety of artists including chaos mathematician/psychedelic philosopher Ralph Abraham, filmmaker Chrystel Egal, digital artist Carl van Brunt, and painter Andy Moses.

Neill’s boundary-pushing work has captivated audiences at prestigious venues and festivals, including BAM Next Wave Festival, Lincoln Center, Moogfest, The Whitney Museum, and Big Ears Festival (see full performance history here: LIVE SHOWS. In 2024, he expanded his artistic reach with the publication of his first book, Diffusing Music: Trajectories of Sonic Democratization (Bloomsbury Press), a forward-thinking exploration of how technology is revolutionizing the creative process and reshaping the future of music. In addition to performances, Neill also presents talks about the themes in his book which are accessible to general audiences.