BURG Semimodular Synthesizer + FX Processor

Liminal Sound Devices BURG

Burg emerged from the Munich-based workshop of Liminal Sound Devices as an exercise in instrument design sharpened for experimental and adventurous sonic interaction. Formatted as both a semi-modular synthesizer and a multi-effects ecosystem, the instrument comprises 18 discrete modules that can be freely repatched to work the familiar grounds of subtractive synthesis and then push well past them, courtesy of uncommon circuit curation—two sawtooth VCOs, a CV-controllable wavefolder that doubles as a lowpass gate or attenuator, dual high-impedance overdrive channels, a pingable WASP filter with simultaneous LP/HP/BP outs, two VCAs that invert for ring-mod duty, an envelope generator/follower, two dual-wave LFOs, two crunchy PT2399 delays, a five-channel active mixer and a diode distortion. Every effect stage carries its own input and output, so the filter, delays and distortion are all available to whatever else you may want to process through these circuits.

But that's not it yet—Burg features a capable control section with a six-key touchplate interface, individual per-plate pitch trimmers, a global pitch offset, a mixed pitch output and two gate outs. On top of that, two light sensors allow you to transmute environmental stimuli into modulation signals and animate your patches in an unusual way. Together with the 38 knobs organized across the instrument's sections, this makes for an incredibly tactile experience, perfect for those happy to trade the depth of menu-heavy digital instruments for hands-on creative immediacy. The backplate goes a step further still, exposing circuit-bending points for the VCOs, the distortion diodes, the LFO capacitors and the VCA transistors—a rare and rather generous invitation from a builder to "take the lid off." Power comes in over a barrel jack at anywhere from 9V to 18V, centre positive, and two bus connectors on the backplate let Burg supply a small modular rack of its own via a flying bus cable.

While Burg technically sits within a semi-modular framework that's familiar to most by now, it unapologetically passes by all the usual expectations, manifesting an instrument unlike anything else out there, designed to inspire you to take the trails less trodden.

BURG Features

• Semimodular synthesizer + multi-FX processor
• 18 individual modules with 26 inputs, 29 outputs and 38 knobs
• Pingable WASP filter with simultaneous lowpass, highpass and bandpass outputs, plus a fine-tune/bandwidth control alongside cutoff and resonance
• Two PT2399 delays: one an endless delay with clipping diodes that pushes the chip into glitch territory, one conventionally crunchy. Both feature voltage control over time and feedback
• Two sawtooth VCOs with V/oct and FM inputs and rear-panel fine-tune trimmers
• CV-controllable wavefolder usable as VCA, lowpass gate or attenuator
• Two VCAs that invert for ring modulation
• Six touch plates with individual CV controls, mixed CV out and two gate outs
• Two exchangeable Arduino-powered light sensors for optical control
• Circuit-bending points on the backplate for VCOs, distortion diodes, LFO capacitors and VCA transistors
• Individual I/O on every effect section
• Two power bus connectors to feed additional Eurorack modules