Farley Miller is a music historian and multi-instrumentalist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His research focuses on twentieth century American popular music and music technology, with an especial focus on the design, use, and marketing of musical instruments. His recently completed dissertation, “Popular Music and Instrument Technology in an Electronic Age, 1960-1969,” explicates the coevolution of instrument technology and musical style during that seminal decade around the theme of electrification.
In addition to his research and teaching, Farley maintains an active practice as a musician and recordist in the fields of experimental electronic music, free improvisation, and independent rock. He has worked with a wide stylistic range of musicians, including Alden Penner, Michael Cera, Sam Shalabi, and William Winant, and has performed at festivals such as SXSW, Suoni Per Il Popolo, and Obey.