Engineering and the arts intertwine in many ways, and my work, from music composition to electronic instrument design, involves nearly equal parts of each. Applying an artistic mindset to an engineering problem or the reverse opens more possibilities than either mindset on its own. I value approaching my work from both perspectives and collaborating with others whose ideas and expertise differ from my own.
Jeff Snyder is a composer, improviser, and instrument designer. As the founder and lead designer of Snyderphonics, he builds unusual electronic musical instruments. His creations include the Manta, played by over 150 musicians worldwide; the JD-1 keyboard/sequencer, commissioned as a specialty controller for Buchla synthesizers; and the custom analog modular synthesizer on which he regularly performs.
Jeff’s collaborative spirit is evident in his diverse musical projects. He is a member of the experimental electronic duo exclusiveOr, avant-garde jazz group the Federico Ughi Quartet, improvisatory noise trio the Mizries, and laptop ensemble Sideband. He fronts the band Owen Lake and the Tragic Loves as his electro-country alter ego, Owen Lake. He also composes alternate-reality music for an ensemble of his invented instruments. In 2009, Jeff co-founded an experimental music record label, Carrier Records, which continues to release strange and exciting experimental music.
As a composer, Jeff has been commissioned by the International Contemporary Ensemble, Wet Ink Ensemble, Mivos Quartet, Collide-O-Scope Music, Knights String Orchestra, Timetable Percussion, L’Ensemble Portique, and Gallicantus vocal quintet, among others. In addition to concert works, he has also composed film scores and themes for radio programs.
The Director of Electronic Music at Princeton University, Jeff leads the Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk), which features new electronic instruments derived from his research.
