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CURRICULUM VITAE
Jeff Snyder
Princeton University
310 Woolworth Center
Princeton, NJ 08544-1007
646.245.6883
josnyder@princeton.edu
RESEARCH AND TEACHING INTERESTS:
Installation art, kinetic art, sound art, tuning theory and extended just
intonation, designing electronic musical instruments, historical electronic
musical instruments and practices, algorithmic composition, physical computing,
improvisatory systems, user interface design, analog circuit design, microcontroller
programming, Renaissance and Baroque instrumental music, American country
music vocal harmony, philosophy of science.
EDUCATION:
Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Composition,Columbia University
(January 2011)
Thesis: Exploration of an Adaptable Just Intonation System – describes
the creation of six experimental electroacoustic musical instruments designed
to perform together as an ensemble, and the composition of a piece that
uses these instruments exclusively. The instruments all employ a system
of extended just intonation with a dynamically re-assignable reference
pitch, and their performance interface design reflects this compositional
goal.
Advisors: Brad Garton (dissertation advisor), Douglas Repetto, Joe Dubiel,
Fred Lerdahl, George Lewis, Larry Polansky (dissertation reader), Nick
Didkovsky (dissertation reader)
Selected Coursework:
- MEAP (Music and Engineering Art Projects) - an experimental class that
lasted for 6 semesters and brought Electrical Engineering doctoral students
from LabRosa together with Music Composition students from the Computer
Music Center.
- Kinetic and Sound Sculpture - taught by Douglas Repetto and Jon Kessler.
- Advanced Orchestration - taught by Tristan Murail.
Master of Arts in Music Composition, Columbia University (2006)
Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition, University of Wisconsin-Madison
(2003)
Thesis – The Development of a Useful Musical Scale Based on Inharmonic
Uniform Bar Partials
Advisors: Stephen Dembski, Joel Naumann
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND:
Teaching:
Fall 2011, Princeton:
Studio Techniques – Lecturer
Spring 2011, Princeton:
Princeton Laptop Orchestra – Lecturer
Fall 2009, Summer 2006, Spring 2006, Fall 2005, Columbia:
Music Humanities – Lecturer
Spring 2008, Columbia:
Computer Music II – Teaching Assistant
Fall 2007, Fall 2006, Columbia:
Basic Electroacoustics I –Teaching Assistant
Spring 2007, Columbia:
Basic Electroacoustics II – Teaching Assistant
Spring 2005, Columbia:
Music Humanities – Teaching Assistant
Fall 2004, Columbia:
Rock Music – Teaching Assistant
Honors and Fellowships:
Computer Music Magazine Innovation and Performance Awards, 2009
Columbia University Dissertation Fellowship, 2008-2009
Columbia University Teaching Fellowship, 2003-2008
Cypress Semiconductor Innovator Design Award, 2007
Columbia University Summer Research Fellowship 2004, 2007
Music and Engineering Art Projects Summer Grant, 2006
Hilldale Undergraduate Research Fellowship, 2001
Ethel J. Odegard Scholarship for Music Academics (Music Theory), 2000
Papers and Invited Presentations:
November 2011
Presented my analog pen plotter drawings as part of the Algorithmic Unconscious
show at Devotion Gallery in Williamsburg, NYC.
October 2011
Performed on Manta and computer-controlled cymbals, and presented at the
“Science Fair” in the Max/MSP Cycling 74 Expo at NYU Poly
in NYC.
October 2011
Co-led a workshop on electronic music for high school students at Jacqueline
Kennedy Onassis high school in NYC.
June 2011
Presented the Birl and the Manta at the Solid Sound Festival at Mass MOCA
as part of Handmade Music.
May 2011
“The Snyderphonics Manta, a novel USB touch controller”.
Presented as a paper at NIME 2011 in Oslo, Norway.
May 2011
Presented my instrument design work and my pen plotter art at the LISA
Salon, Leaders in Software and Art.
February 2011
Presented the Birl at the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia
Tech.
November 2010
“Pen Plotter and PCB etching art”
Presented at Dorkbot NYC.
March 2010
Presented my work at STEIM in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
March 2010
Presented the Manta at the Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia
Tech.
June 2009
Presented my work at the Escrita na Paisagem festival in Evora, Portugal.
July 2008
Presented my work to NYU Summer Music Class for High School Students.
January 2008
“New Electronic Musical Instruments”
Presented at Dorkbot NYC.
October 2007
Presented the work of The Draftmasters at Eyebeam Gallery’s Untethered.
June 2007
“The MEAPbook: a polyphonic touch-sensitive keyboard”
Presented at NIME (New Interfaces for Musical Expression) 2007.
January 2007
“MEAPsoft: MEAPsoft!!!”
Presented at Dorkbot NYC.
December 2006
Presented audio manipulation techniques to middle-school children as part
of the MEAP course.
October 2005
“Acoustic Sounds, Electronic Means”
Presented at Dorkbot NYC.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Positions:
Princeton University
Technical director 2010-present
Duties: manage the recording and electronic composition studios. Teach
a course in recording studio techniques. Advise students on artistic projects
involving electronics.
Associate Director of the Laptop Orchestra 2010-present
Duties: lead rehearsals with the laptop orchestra, co-teach classes.
Snyderphonics
Owner, lead design engineer 2009-present
Duties: design and develop electronic musical instruments for low-volume
manufacturing. Produce CAD drawings for electrical fabrication, mechanical
fabrication, assembly, machining. Develop microcontroller code for firmware,
and host computer code for software.
Carrier Records
Co-owner, 2009-present
Duties: curate and oversee recording projects, design album art. Engineer
and mix recordings.
Wet Ink Ensemble
Technical director 2004-2007
Duties: organize all technical requirements for Wet Ink performances,
act as recording engineer for all performances, and perform or execute
electronics parts when called for by a piece.
Member composer 2004-present
Performer on electronics 2004-present
WKCR
Radio host for New Music 2004-2005
Duties: prepare and host a 3-hour program of New Music for radio broadcast
in the NYC area every Monday afternoon from 3-6pm.
College Library, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Computer Help Desk 2000-2002
Duties: help students in the library with computer problems or questions
on software like Dreamweaver, Photoshop and Illustrator and Acrobat.
Selected Compositions:
Fantasy (2011)
(for Magnetic Resonator Piano)
First performance by Eric Wubbels at Rock Hall at Temple University, December
2011, Philadelphia, PA
Whac-A-Note (2010)
(for laptop orchestra using Manta controllers)
First performance by the Princeton Laptop Orchestra at Taplin Hall at
Princeton University, April 2011, Princeton, NJ
Concerning the Nature of Things (2009)
(for Manta, treble and tenor contravielles, birl, and two voices)
First performance by Wet Ink Ensemble at St. Peter’s Church in Chelsea,
May 2009, NY, NY.
Percussion III (2008)
(for string orchestra and computer-controlled cymbals)
First Performance by the Knights String Orchestra at BargeMusic, December
2008 at BargeMusic NY, NY.
Traceries (2005, revised 2008)
(for chamber ensemble with electronics)
First performance by Wet Ink Ensemble at Roulette, October 2008, NY, NY.
Vox In Vitro (2008)
(for three invented instruments – Manta, treble contravielle, tenor
contravielle – and eight acoustic instruments)
First performance by the ICE chamber ensemble at Merkin Hall in Kaufman
Center, April 2008, NY, NY.
Partita (2007)
(for three invented instruments – Manta, treble Contravielle, tenor
Contravielle)
First performance by Eric Wubbels and Matt Hough at Symphony Space, December,
2007, NY, NY.
Materials (2007)
(for chamber orchestra and live analog modular synthesizer through acoustic
resonators)
First performance by Wet Ink Ensemble with the composer on electronics
at New York Quarterly Meeting House, May 2007, NY, NY.
Epicycles (2007)
(for guitar and accordion)
First performance by Eric Wubbels (accordion) and Matt Hough (electric
guitar) at Symphony Space, January 2007, NY, NY.
Interior (2006)
(for tenor saxophone modified with custom electronics)
Commission for Eliot Gattegno; first performance at Stanford University,
November 2006, Palo Alto, CA.
Nomographs (2006)
(for percussion trio)
Commission for Timetable Percussion Trio; first performance at Tenri Cultural
Institute, September 2006, NY, NY.
Percussion II (2006)
(for computer controlled cymbals)
First Performance at Tenri Cultural Institute, February 2006, NY, NY.
Dance Suite (2006)
(for recorder, baroque cello and harpsichord)
First performance by L’Ensemble Portique, February 2006, Madison,
WI.
Intervellum (2004)
(for electric guitar, Rhodes piano, violin and cello)
First Performance at Tenri Cultural Institute, December 2004, NY, NY.
Vibration I (2004)
(for accordion, two percussionists, electric guitar, and electronics)
First performance at Merkin concert Hall at Kaufman Center, April 2004,
NY, NY.
Tombeau (2003)
(for solo electronics)
First performance at the Tank, January 2004, NY,NY.
Retina (2002)
(for electronics, guitar, and percussion)
First performance at Deadtech Gallery, March 2003, Chicago, IL.
Selected Artistic Collaborations, Sound Art and Installations:
The Draftmasters – art/music duo with Victor Adan employing pen-plotters
from the 1980s as performance instruments, combining live visual art with
sound art. 2007-present.
The Draftmasters have performed at the Chelsea Art Museum, Issue Project
Room, Monkeytown, and the Tank, NY.
exclusiveOr – duo with Sam Pluta, playing invented instruments
and mixing analog and digital synthesis techniques. 2006-present. exclusiveOr
has performed at Monkeytown, Warper, and the Sonic Festival.
Jeff Snyder / Eric Wubbels – duo with Eric Wubbels. I play analog
synthesizer, and he plays my computer-controlled cymbals, using a dual-Manta
setup. 2011-present.
Trio with Kathryn Young and Erica Dickers – I played Serge modular
synthesizer in this trio, which groups me with bassoon and baritone violin.
We formed in the Summer of 2009 and performed several times in 2009/2010.
Soundtrack for Catherine Czacki’s video pieces White Ocean and
Blue Ocean. 2008.
Sound piece for Gandalf Gavan’s installation at Larissa Goldstons
Gallery: Back Rooms and Other Places of Public Privacy. 2007.
Live Soundtrack written and performed for Everybody’s Different
by the Fivefour Dance Group at Joyce Soho. 2007.
Live Soundtrack written and performed for Lunch Date by the Fivefour
Dance Group at Chashama.
Bang, a piece originally written collaboratively by Jeff Snyder and Ryan
Smith for performance in 2004 with choreographer Nora Stephens, has since
been used for a video installation by Nora Stephens in the Brooklyn Public
Library. 2006.
Four-channel soundtrack for Gandalf Gavan’s video piece Reflection.
2005.
‘Till You Drop, collaboration with choreographer Nora Stephens.
Culminated in a dance performance with live music accompaniment in a storefront
window in Midtown Manhattan in 2004.
Speak Low, collaborative installation between Jeff Snyder and Gandalf
Gavan in 2004, including 500 light bulbs, 4 telephones, and 4 custom-built
metallic sound transducers. Installed at Low Library at Columbia University.
Selected Recordings:
“Wet Ink Ensemble” (2009) The first release on Jeff Snyder
and Sam Pluta’s new label for experimental music, Carrier Records.
Includes Traceries.
“Cougar – Patriot” (2009) Instrumental rock group Cougar
recorded Jeff Snyder’s piece “Endings” on their September
2009 release “Patriot” on Ninjatune Records.
“The Language Of” (2008) Includes Sunspots I, II, and III
for Buchla synthesizer through acoustic resonators. Released on QuietDesign
Records.
“exclusiveOr - ^” (2008) Self-Titled album of Jeff Snyder’s
duo with Sam Pluta, released on QuietDesign Records.
“Owen Lake – A Love on My Mind” (2007) Electro-country
EP recorded under the pseudonym Owen Lake in 2007. Jeff Snyder on lead
vocals, electronics, bass and production. Released on Layered Records.
“Twin Thousands – Like You A Lot” (2007) Includes a
Jeff Snyder remix of title track, Exercise 1 records.
“A Million Billion – Volcano Season” (2006) Includes
a Jeff Snyder remix of title track, Exercise 1 records.
“The Power-Ups” (2004) Self-released live recording of original
arrangements for rock band of theme music from classic video games. Jeff
Snyder on synthesizer and electric guitar and all arrangements.
“Public Enemy – Revolverlution” (2002) Includes a remix
of “The B-Side Wins Again” by Jeff Snyder.
“Scattershot – Extrasexual Behavior” (2002) Self-released
recording of original electro-funk under the pseudonym Scattershot.
Commissions:
The Knights String Orchestra - 2008
Elliot Gattegno -2006
L’Ensemble Portique -2006
Timetable Percussion Trio -2006
ENGINEERING AND DESIGN:
Projects:
JD-1
The JD-1 is a keyboard/sequencer controller. It has an integrated high-resolution
digital-to-analog conversion system so that it can accurately control
analog modular synthesizers. There are 32 keys, CNC-milled from aluminum,
which act as capacitive touch sensors, and each key has two associated
knobs. The knobs can be used as arbitrary tuning controls, or as stages
of a built-in step sequencer. Touching the keyboard can modify the step
sequencer functionality. Made from walnut, birch-ply, aluminum, and custom-designed
circuitry.
Manta
The Manta is a touch-sensitive device with a hexagonal keypad layout.
First presented at NIME 2007 as the MEAPbook, later redesigned for compact
size and portability as the Manta. The original production run of sixty
Mantas was released in May of 2009, and I have since sold over 130 of
them through my electronic instrument design company, Snyderphonics. It
uses capacitive touch sensing, and communicates with a multimedia computer
using the USB HID protocol. Made from maple or walnut, birch plywood,
custom-designed circuitboards, and silicone rubber.
Bass Manta and Resophonic Manta Resonators
Two unique resonators have been built for the manta. Both are around 4
feet high, 2 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. The Bass Manta is inspired by
orchestral double-bass construction techniques. It includes a carved spruce
top-plate, a maple back, a maple bridge and a maple soundpost connecting
the top-plate to the back. The Resophonic Manta uses a spun aluminum cone,
based on the 1920s design of a resophonic guitar by the Dopyera brothers.
The cone is fitted to a thin spruce top, and firmly connected to a maple
bridge. The back is walnut, but there is no soundpost connection. Both
of these resonators use large electromagnets in maple bracing to drive
the bridge with speaker-level signals from the Manta.
The Birl
The Birl is a recent project that uses a wind instrument control interface
to drive a stepper motor. The electronically driven stepper motor is connected
to two more stepper motors by a timing belt pulley system, and the rotation
of these motors is sensed by a custom-designed electromagnetic pickup.
Therefore, the motors act as mechanical oscillators, and the pitch of
the oscillators is in a fixed ratio to the frequency of rotation of the
electronically-driven motor. A breath-sensor sets the gain of the output
audio, which drives a sitka spruce soundboard affixed to the instrument’s
resonator. Made from maple, birch and spruce, custom-designed circuitboards,
commercial stepper motors, and machined aluminum.
Treble and Tenor Contravielles
The Treble and Tenor Contravielles are two instruments on which development
began in 2005. They are designed to simulate a string instrument interface,
although sound generation is wholly electronic. Carved in a unique shape
out of wood, these two instruments constitute part of an instrumental
family, much like a violin and cello. The top-plate on the instrument,
designed to be driven by a large electromagnet, allows the whole instrument
to act as a resonator for the electronic sound, imparting the individual
characteristics of the resonator onto the spectrum of the tone. Pitches
are selected by a button grid in a “fretboard”-style layout,
and “strings” are plucked by the right hand as it passes across
capacitive touch sensors. Sound generation is provided by a custom-built
digitally-controlled analog synthesizer, which has the capability to play
just intonation tuning systems with one cent accuracy for most of the
instruments’ ranges. Made from sitka spruce, birch plywood, pine,
custom-designed circuitboards, aluminum and silicone rubber.
Miya Masaoka’s fader controller
In 2007, I designed and built a custom electronics controller for Miya
Masaoka, that incorporates several faders and external inputs for infrared
sensors and laser-based sensing systems. It is the performance system
she currently uses for her improvisation. Made from custom-designed circuitboards
in a plexiglass assembly.
Serial-to-CV DAC box
In 2005, I designed and built a serial-to-CV DAC box to interface the
Computer Music Center’s historical analog synthesizers with modern
computers. This box allows both the Serge Series 79 synthesizer and the
Buchla 100 modules owned by the Computer Music Center to achieve relatively
accurate tuning and timing control. Made from custom circuitboards in
a steel enclusure with Dakaware knobs.
Anolé
In 2002, I designed and built an acoustic string instrument with removable
just-intonation fretboards and swappable resonators. The instrument could
be either plucked or bowed, and allowed either electric or acoustic amplification.
This project was undertaken in collaboration with visual artist Don Miller,
and produced a successful instrument on which I performed between 2002-2004.
Made from aluminum, cocobolo, maple, ebony, commercial tuning pegs, and
steel strings.
SKILLS AND PROFICIENCIES:
Computer Programming – C/C++, Max/MSP, Chuck, PD, Perl, some Python.
Audio Engineering and Production – Digital Performer, Logic, ProTools,
Cubase, Waves, Reason, Kontakt, Abelton Live, Soundhack, Soundforge, Peak.
Electrical Engineering – analog circuit design, digital circuit
design, layout CAD design, Atmel AVR and AVR32 microcontrollers, Cypress
microcontrollers, Eagle, Protel, SPICE modeling, USB protocols, I2C, RS-232,
and SPI serial communication, EMI design for multi-layer boards.
Mechanical Engineering – AutoCAD, Sketchup, Rhino 3D.
Woodworking – table saw, CNC machining (G-Code), laser cutting,
band saw, router, hand tools.
Metal working – lathe, manual mill, drill press, hand tools.
Music Performance – live electronics (analog modular synthesizers,
custom-built electronics, laptop systems, and live processing), electric
bass, electric guitar, and baritone voice.
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