Instagram story viewer> @sunshine_jones_> Posts

Sunshine Jones

@sunshine_jones_

16.9K

followers

1010

following

I love you (I do, but hecklers get curated) Read, feel, collaborate. Love is a verb, not a feeling. Robots begone!

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

ABOUT TONIGHT IN SEATTLE
// First I just want to say thank you. Like, really. I needed that so bad, and my sweet beloved Seattle you sincerely delivered me into outer space and beyond. Thank you.

@reveriesocietysea has been a Sunday staple at the @monkey_loft and tonight was the last one. Yoga began at 3pm, followed by back to back sets from @vivarecordings and @unitingsoulsmusic and more, and at 6:30 I took the helm until close at 9. I played and sang and transmitted the message until about a quarter to 8 when I invited a handful of Seattle legends to join me on the decks and bid farewell to this superb event and these beautiful people. So for an hour I went one for one with @riz.rollins, Rob, @djtrinitron, @davepezzner, @hesitait and @kadeejahstreets and it was magic. Just wonderful fun.

I invited them to join me in the challenge of choosing just one song to play with me. They weren’t on the flyer, no dj fee, no advance notice, just the love and gratitude of being together in the booth saying thank you and good night to this beautiful era of Seattle’s night life. Something we are all devoted to, and love dearly. It was an inspired idea, and it sincerely moved the crowd, but I think it’s really a testament to these talented and beautiful musicians who brought the love and make such magic together.

I come away uplifted, filled with joy, and totally energized.
I feel like I opened for this crew, and it was my pleasure.

Seattle, you’re amazing.
Thank you!

#reveriesociety #monleyloft #seattle #love taken in Seattle, Washington by @sunshine_jones_

18

1

6 hours ago

THE FIRST 24 HOURS IN SEATTLE
// I love Seattle. I’ve been coming up here since I was a kid. Summers on Lummi Island, family in Bellingham, and the first love to ever shatter my heart irreparably was from here. I’ve been a part of the club culture here since 1991, I loved Flammable at Re-Bar and will miss that place for the rest of my life.

I arrived yesterday. the incredible inflatable dancing tube man met me at Sea-Tac (fig.2-4) and we rode to Judkins Park together (fig.7) where I reunited with my cat Coburn (fig.5-6, 10, 12). Then, much loved, I ventured out to Capitol Hill for some Vivacci, and some cheese plate Mexican food. The moon rose, and the sky changed color and a chill nipped at me (something I’m so grateful for. SF has been having a heat waaave) then back to see Coburn, and spend a really lovely evening with @genericide_ and @0.m.j.k.0 talking about art, photography, perfume, music, and all the things. We demoed a brilliant printer that seems to have changed my life. It’s so nice to be reminded how lonesome I am most of the time for friends who know me well, love me just as I am, and allow me to really take my guard completely down. Feels like home here.

Like San Francisco, Seattle has changed. But walking around today I see that this wonderful place has fared far better than my home town. 13 coins for a breakfast sandwich, a collage in real life left behind here to symbolize endless love and adventure, and then back to help build some Leisure Shelves with Matt. And finally a surprise bit of embroidery - anyone who knows the Roland S-550 sampler will shriek with joy at seeing the Director-S running icon 1” x 1.5” embroidered on my tee shirt now (only 3 on earth).

Next I’m off to the @monkey_loft to play the closing set for the very last @reveriesocietysea ever. I’ve invited @djtrinitron and @pezzner , @brianlyons142 and @riz.rollins and Rob, as well as @kadeejahstreets to join me in the last hour of my set to go 1 for 1 each with me to say goodbye to this wonderful party. I thought that was a very nice way to say thank you, and make this finale unforgettable.

Yoga started at 3, and my set is from 6:30-9
Love you. See you there!

#seattle taken in Seattle, Washington by @sunshine_jones_

58

4

15 hours ago

CAN U STILL MIX VINYL?
// I spent a long time restoring this second Technics 1200 mkII. Scored from a friend, for a human price (I gave them $50 more than they asked) and I gave it a deep clean, re wired the cables (took it apart, cleaned the board, and re soldered the tone arm, ground and output wires inside), replaced the tone arm rest/clip, the stock rubber mat, the stylus, and the dust cover and while I haven’t got two of the same stylus yet (coming soon) I realized that my relationship with vinyl has sincerely changed.

I spend my time with vinyl listening intentionally. If you read me then you know, I spend time laying on the floor, flat on my back, just listening. My collection of albums has grown and also matured. I’ve donated much of my previous room full of vinyl to folks starting out, in a jam, and I’ve hauled more than one heavy load down to my local shop (@vinyldreamssf) when they were in a jam and asked nothing in return because I no longer had the space to store thousands of 12” singles, and honestly, I’ve been into playing live. More than production, or even mixing. Playing live has had my full attention for about a decade.

On the eve of heading to Seattle to play the final DJ set of @reveriesocietysea . The series is coming to an end and I am honored with the last word. Between you and me, I’ve invited a handful of my Seattle legend loves to drop in and go one for one with me (one song each) and many of them said they were coming, so my last hour is going to be a magical, loving, and fantastic farewell to this beautiful party. The end of an era. I had to wonder - can I still mix vinyl?

I’m not playing a vinyl set in Seattle, I’m singing and re editing on the fly, planning classics on the CDJ, but still… can I?

So I pulled out ‘the garden of love’ and ‘dance’ and gave it a go.
I can’t believe I kinda forgot how much I love this, and how fun it is. It’s (almost) like riding a bike! I look forward to a lot more of this.

Vinyl rules.

#djmix #technics #americanmusicandsound #xone #vinyl taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

146

17

3 days ago

MODEWERK POLY8 MODULE
More about the poly machine for Octatrack
// This will be my last post about the MODWERK modules until J gets some quality assistance from good people. Our hero is overwhelmed. He’s doing this by himself and that’s not cool considering everyone and their uncle and big sister is over there folding up their firmware and crashing their Octatracks (and everything else) and making bug reports and issuing their angry little packets day and night.

But I wanted to illlustrate the importance of this work before I cool out on it.

The Octatrack mkI sounds so good. I absolutely love it, rely on it, and trust it. Whatever I put into it comes out (usually) better on a massive club sound system. Unlike almost everything else which requires my constant attention, different every time, and always an active mixing and compositional experience, the Octatrack MkI is reliable. Doesn’t matter if it’s a loop I’ve cut live, or samples of myself playing conga from home. I start all my live sets with ‘The Sun’ because it’s sample-heavy, and gives me a great reference for the room right away.

The poly machine (here I’ve grabbed a mediocre Jupiter 8 C3 sample) takes a single, simple resource and turns it into many things. This saw wave sample can be a textured pad, a cello, a bumpin 80’s bass, and even percussion just by treating the Octatrack as a synth. Using the envelope, the effects and the LFO and Clarisse is your new favorite aunt!

I’ve wanted a polyphonic Octatrack since the day I stopped bashing my forehead against the table trying to learn how to use it. And the answer was always “it can’t be done”.

Well, it’s been done. And it’s wonderful.

Dig. Go help J at Modwerk.app. The Poly8 is currently offline. Some of these modules don’t work well with each other. This is experimental mode. We are early early days here.

If you do go over to build firmware and explore this, please observe these simple guidelines:
1. Back everything up
2. Go slowly. Take your time.
3. Give feedback and bug reports.
4. Be kind, and show your gratitude.

This is miraculous.

#octatrack #modwerk #poly8 #yessss taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

166

4

4 days ago

MODWERK FM SYNTH FOR OCTATRACK MKI
// Ok, since J is overwhelmed - literally deluged by response, and in need of quality assistance, support and help - I’m only going to make a couple more posts about these amazing modules for Octatrack. If you’re a coder, good at beta and problem solving, get over to modwerk.app and volunteer your skills to J. This is great work, and early it’s just exactly what we needed and wanted. So consider giving back.

That said, Fig.1 here is the FM SYNTH module for Octatrack mkI and II.
A basic 2 operator FM synth engine which loads like a machine (static, flex, pickup, etc) see fig.2.

It sounds great!

Fig.3 shows that we have Pitch, Fine, ratio, index, feedback and decay in our first window. In fig.1 I illustrate how index, ratio, feedback and decay sound. Sounds great!

FM engines are digital. So this code is pretty much universal for any 2 Op FM instrument. But what makes this special is that the Octatrack MkI simply sounds wonderful. So its output has that marvelous character which is, in my opinion, missing from the later Elektron devices, and most modern synths. That’s subjective, I can’t back it up. But I do feel strongly about it based on many many club experiences. But use what you love, and do what’s in front of you. That’s best.

In Fig.4 I show that to the right there are two more voice options: voice count, and chord.

This is really really something.

I have been sincerely looking for a sampler to totally replace the Octatrack in my live sets. Ready to let Elektron go entirely. I did not expect to be in the midst of a Octatrack mkI revolution right now. It’s a wonderful surprise that has really inspired me, and completely turned my head around.

Head over to Modwerk.app and join this community. Help if you can.

#octatrack #modwerk #fmsynth taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

280

7

4 days ago

MODWERK BD MODULE
// The Poly8 module and the BD module weren’t cooperating together in a given firmware build for me. Since polyphonic samples are my priority for a sampler, I decided to forego the BD module, and began corresponding with the developer to see if I couldn’t help get them working together.

The Poly8 was taken down this morning, and so I’m hoping that means they’ve figured something out and will bring it back better than ever. But that fave me some of this morning to explore this BD module.

It’s a machine, loaded like you would load a flex or static machine. Once loaded the track has two options instead of samples: 1. TR-808 and 2. TR-909. And that’s it. A superb bass drum with attack, tone, pitch, tune, decay, overdrive, and sweep. These are great bass drum sounds.

Fig.1 The 808 bass drum tuned (with delay)
Put some headphones on. Dig this. Yesssss

Fig.2 The 808 bass drum basics

Fig.3-4 are the screens for this module.

Fig.5 The 909 bass drum overview

Fig.6 Some play and mangling of the 909 bass drum.

And that’s it. So simple, but these sounds - at least on the Octatrack mkI - really give the real thing a bit of a run for their money. Superb sounds.

I’m looking forward to this working well with the Poly Machine and trying them together.

Note: the BD module is not compatible with the E-Verb module either. I was hoping to have them both, E-Verb also replaces the dark reverb. That doesn’t bode well for me including it, but I might like to at least check it out.

I hope these little run throughs are helpful.
Remember: take care, back everything up, and go slow.

#octatrack #modwerk #bd taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

185

2

6 days ago

MODWERK FIRMWARE RISK ASSESSMENT
// I wanted to set aside some anxieties I’ve been having about modifying the firmware of my beloved Elektron Octatrack. This instrument is central to my live performances. It’s a sampler, a sequencer, a looper, and it makes creating transitions possible so my live sets sound like things are “mixing” and I don’t have to stop and start or resort to gimmicks. It’s vital, and I love it.

Yeah, there are some things about it that make me crazy (not nearly enough voices - 4 per bank is not nearly enough, would love more ram, would really love 8 outputs, the file management scheme makes it hard to share “instruments” between projects, learning it takes a long time mostly because of what seems like a translation issue - not just language, but terms and ideas - and so often when I want it to do something it either doesn’t at all, or without a big hassle of a work around, or there are 4 ways to do it, and each way has its own name) But the thing of it is that the Octatrack mkI is amazing, sounds superb, and I can rely on it.

So this morning I deleted my modified MODWERK firmware and reloaded the stock 1.4.0C just to see what would happen.

As you can see in fig.1 here - nothing happened.
The official firmware loaded right up, and it’s as it was before I modified or loaded anything.

This is very good news.

MODWERK News:
I noticed that the Poly8 module I’ve made such a big deal about has been removed this morning. The site says it’s temporary, but there’s no further explanation.
Hopefully they are working bugs out and it will be back soon.
Toes crossed.

This gave me a chance to try out the BD Module (which didn’t play nice with the Poly8) and I’ll post about that next. But I just wanted you to see for yourselves that whatever you do with this experimental firmware, it is absolutely possible to revert and restore your Octatrack back to factory fresh. Which is reassuring indeed.

#Octatrack #Modwerk taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

260

5

6 days ago

LET’S TRY AND CRASH IT WITH SOME HOUSE MUSIC
MODWERK Poly8 Module Update
// Modwerk announced an update to the Poly8 module for Octatrack mkI & II this morning and I couldn’t wait to wrap that firmware up and give it a try. I added the MiniVerb module as well (so all I have added to the stock 1.4.0C firmware is Poly8, Tape Echo and Mini Verb).

The mission was to try and crash this.

Track one is the Poly Machine with one Steinway Grand C3 sample that I took myself. I’m playing it externally, polyphonically with the @squarpinstruments Pyramid. So the piano is not sequenced in the Octatrack.

Track 2 is a loop of myself playing congas and it has the mini verb effect on it.

Track 3 is a sample of my 909’s kick

Track 4 is a sad little recording of myself hitting an old agogo bell being processed by the Tape Echo with its feedback controlled by the cross fader.

Track 5 is a sample of the open hat from my 909

Track 6 is a clap sample.

Fig.1 we begin. Bring in the loop, turn up the delay feedback and then stop the Octatrack and let the pyramid play the piano alone.

Fig.2-6 are just references in case you don’t know what a Pyramid is, or an Octatrack, or haven’t seen the Modwerk modules in the OS yet.

Fig.7 I have unmuted the kick, hat and the clap in the break and bring it all together by re starting the Pyramid. Party time!
Then, just to show off a little, I play some piano notes over the top of the chords.

I have been doing this for a couple of hours and I have not been able to crash it. Not yet anyway.

I think this is absolutely marvelous. It has reignited my love and interest in the Octatrack tenfold. I’ve been hunting for a long time for a suitable replacement for the Octatrack aboard my spaceship for live performances, but this changes everything.

Words of caution:
This is not supported or endorsed by Elektron. These are experimental modules. There are no guarantees.
Back up EVERYTHING and proceed gently, thoughtfully and with care. If you brick your baby, our Swedish friends are not going to be supportive. So when in doubt, don’t.

That said, this is a bloody miracle and I am having so much fun again with my sampler!

#modwerk #octatrack #hello taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

150

6

7 days ago

TAPE DELAY FOR THE OCTATRACK
// I also installed the Tape Echo module into my custom firmware for the Octatrack. I did try to also include the Bass Drum Machine (an 808/909 kick machine) but it didn’t like being installed with the Poly8 Machine, so I kicked it out.

This is the missing delay in the Octatrack for me. A wonderful syncable analog style delay that can be sped up, slowed down, managed manually or by clock division, with superb self resonating feedback that’s just glorious.

Fig.1 Dig it on the percussion
Fig.4 Dig it on the piano and listen to that self resonance.

I could write a whole zine about how wonderful this is, and how many times I’ve wondered why on earth Elektron have moved on into less interesting territory, with lower fidelity sound, and resisted development for their flagship instruments which gave them all that they have. Yes, there was a 10th anniversary update that did some good - and honestly that’s so rare for a company to do - but we never got a poly machine, we never got improved effects, we never got usb audio outs, or a refined output routing, proper send and return aux, or refinements to the very cumbersome looping process (something I use every day). We just got silly icons, samplers without time stretch, and nothing that sounded as vivid and real in a club as an Octatrack.

It’s a wonderful day. These things are all possible now.

I would love it if Elektron undertook this, adopted it, licensed these modules and made tried, true, and reliable firmware for us that we could count on. I want to believe and I’m grateful for all the founders did for us. But I don’t think that’s gonna happen.

I haven’t gone down the rabbit hole here. I don’t think I will. For today, I’m just so grateful to have a poly machine and a fantastic delay! Thank you!

If you undertake this:
Go slowly. Back everything up. Take it one module at a time.
Enjoy the experience.

#octatrack #modwerk taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

309

5

8 days ago

A TRULY POLYPHONIC OCTATRACK
// If you’ve read me for a while, then you know already how I’ve been scouring the universe, past and present, for a modern multitimbral polyphonic sampler that meets my needs for over a decade, and despite your many suggestions, I have not found. I love how the Octatrack sounds, it’s the best modern sampler I know (despite the year it took to learn how to use it) and I was, a decade ago, pushing hard for a poly machine. @danieltroberg felt my struggle, Grit at @retrokitsdev developed an amazing adaption for his Rk-002 which used all 8 voices to create an 8 voice polyphonic Octatrack using his ingenious midi rewiring, and many samplers have come out since. But I don’t like how they sound in a club, and very often how they work. Total dépendance on a computer, no envelopes, no standard midi implementation, no ability to control channels from an external sequencer, and all sorts of basic oversights. I just wanted an 80’s/90’s style sampler in a modern box with good filters, 5-pin midi, and 1/4” outputs.

Recently I noticed that Elektron got a little defensive about something going on over at MODWERK/Octabam. Instead of cheering them on, undertaking the effort, or collaborating, they doubled down on their previous position that a poly machine was impossible. And added that no one should try this, and if they do they’re on their own.

I went out on my own this morning and built a firmware with a tape echo, and a poly machine and installed it into my Octatrack MK I.

It works like a charm (fig.1)
This is just one Steinway C3 sample loaded into the Poly8.

I went slow, took my time, only built a firmware with just these two things added (I lose the spring reverb for the tape delay) and updated my OS.

I have not determined how to sequence polyphonically in the sequencer yet (likely only 4 note on the midi side) but external sequencing and playing only takes one voice. It’s a miracle.

I will show you the tape delay next, and then I’ll push this to the limit with 8 tracks and multiple patterns and try to find a down side to doing this.

I’m also very curious about the USB audio module, but as I said, I’m going slow.

#octattack #modwerk taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

789

26

8 days ago

LAYING ON MY BACK LISTENING TO LOVE ON A REAL TRAIN
// This accidental masterpiece by Christopher Franke, Edgar Froese and Johannes Schmoelling was an interstitial piece derived from Steve Reich’s ‘Music for 18 Musicians’ is from the soundtrack to the film ‘Risky Business’. Arguably the most embarrassing record I own, containing one the most beautiful pieces of music: Tangerine Dream’s ‘Love On A Real Train’.

My childhood memory of the scene is heightened. I remember it as beautiful and romantic. My youth lacked boundaries (or anywhere to live), and the scene mirrored my own experiences on busses, airplanes, cars, and trains. So, at the time, for me there was something healing about it. At the time. Watching back now it’s some smug kid and a prostitute who throw a bum off of the subway so they can do it. Very 80’s. Pretty contrived. Plus it’s Tom Cruise… eeew.

This music was part of my subconscious experience for years until one day my partner (@moonbeamjones) played it in one our ambient sets in the basement of Come-Unity in the very early 90’s and I was so moved. I asked what it was, and she handed me the cover (fig.4) and I realized it was one of the records I always sort of hid in the back whenever I came across it looking for anything. Obviously I have my own copy now.

The song is only 2 minutes and 18 seconds long, but somehow it feels much, much longer. There’s a live version that’s longer, but I don’t like it. State Azure did a lovely cover of it that’s really good 10 years ago that’s almost 9 minutes long. Very satisfying.

But today, at the height of our San Francisco summer, having been out in the sun all day, it’s wonderful to lay on the floor, barefoot, and listen to the orignal as the ceiling turns blue and the light changes.

My heart opens with the simple progression, my brain quiets with the chords, and when the low notes come in I never want it to end. But it does. Everything ends. That’s reassuring today. There are only 836 days left. That seems like way too many (and I’m counting).

I hope you are loved. I hope it’s real. I hope it lasts forever.

#loveonarealtrain #listen taken in San Francisco, California by @sunshine_jones_

46

4

12 days ago

REVERIE SOCIETY
// On Sunday, October 18th I will be in Seattle, Washington to play a very special DJ set on my favorite rooftop (the roof of the Monkey Loft - weather permitting of course) to play the main slot for the swan song, the finale of Reverie Society.

Reveries Society is a collaboration between Viva Recordings, Uniting Souls and Shameless Seattle and they have joined forces to present gorgeous Sunday celebrations at the Monkey Loft.

This even will conclude the series.

The event will go from 3pm until 9pm
The lineup is a back to back to back set from Jon Lemmon (viva), Tait Modern and Ramiro (Uniting Souls)
Followed by a back to back set from Brit Jean and Sean Whitcher (Shameless)
followed by me, playing a DJ set where I will sing, and re edit on the fly with the decks.
My intention is to get deep as fuck, and sing to you, braving some Fela Kuti, house and disco classics, as well as some of my own jams (classics and otherwise).

This is gonna be really special, and I'd love love love to see you there.

Tickets are available at eventbrite

Get a few, and come on out and I'll see you soon!

LOVE

#sunshinejones #djset #reveriesociety #monkeyloft #seattle by @sunshine_jones_

75

1

12 days ago