Shmøergh Moduleur is a new open-source, hackable hardware analog modular Synthesizer from the developers of the Hog mono synth.
In October last year, I reported on Shmøergh Hog, a colorful, open-source, DIY two-voice analog Synthesizer with various cross-mod options. The project is the work of Peter Zimon and “Flame” from Budapest, Hungary.
The developers are back with another exciting project called Shmøergh Moduleur, an open-source modular Synthesizer.
Shmøergh Moduleur
When I saw the news and the hinge, I thought: this looks like a Teenage Engineering product paired with the Hog open-source synth. Only later did I realize: Moduleur comes from Shmøergh, who designed the Hog last year.
According to Shmøergh, it’s built from thick aluminum, has powder-coated, UV-printed elements, and is fully handmade.
It’s an open-source, DIY, modular Synthesizer that is hackable on many levels. Like a traditional modular synth, the instrument consists of modules.
Clever: even though they don’t look like it, they’re 12HP Eurorack modules that use the same power connectors and Eurorack voltage. So you can move each module into any Eurorack system.
Hybrid Core
The core consists of two multi-wave analog oscillators with 8-octave precision with PWM, FM, and hard sync. Additional features can be added via hacking, including selectable noise or sub output, default octave setting, and more.
The following module is a 4-channel DC-coupled mixer for audio and CV with a built-in sidechain compressor. The latter offers dedicated gain and threshold control, but default attack and release times can be done via circuit modifications.
Then, you can shape the sound through a diode-ladder filter based on the original Synthaconn Steiner-Parker circuit with cutoff and resonance controls and CV connectivity.
One row below, you can use two ADSR envelopes and a VCA combo module. The envelope times range from 50 usec to 15sec. With a hack, you can also remove the VCA normalization and set a default VCA gain.
Next to this is a utility/output module with an analog bit-crusher, a diode/LED-based overdrive, a square/triangle LFO, a dual-mono line-level output converter, and a headphone amp. Yes, a truly multi-utility module. This is also hackable.
The signal path is 100% analog, but there is also an exciting digital element. Shmøergh Moduleur includes the Brain module, a MIDI-to-CV interface powered by a Raspberry Pi Pico or Pico 2.
It has three buttons, two potentiometers, a dedicated MIDI input, audio/CV in and outs, and more. The best part: it’s fully hackable with the Brain SDK using C++ or MicroPython.
The developers promise that the Brain will get firmware updates with sequencers, lo-fi effects, digital voices, utilities, mini drum machines…
And of course, the built-in 420mA switching power supply is also fully hackable, so that you can also use it in any Eurorack case. This also applies to the pre-patched patch, which can be unwired through internal modifications.
Custom Design
Shmøergh has entirely designed the Mouldeur from scratch. To make it, however, compatible with Eurorack, they’ve adhered the modules to the Eurorack format.
A nice extra is the top panel rail, where you can hang accessories, like a hinge, but there is more in development.
According to the developers, they will create the accessories that can be attached to the enclosure, such as handles, lights, passive modules, effects, and other add-ons to extend the system as it grows.
Shmøergh Moduleur First Impression
If only I could solder! That’s what I’m thinking as I write this article. Moduleur appears to be an exciting open-source project. It’s remarkable how much attention to detail the developers have put into this project.
It’s also great that you can build Eurorack modules from the Moduleur system’s modules. Big love for this project!
Shmøergh Moduleur is available now as an open-source DIY project on GitHub. The developers don’t plan to mass-produce the Moduleur, but they will produce a few units, each with different materials, coatings, and colors.
More information here: Shmøergh
Hi Tom
I’ll be happy to help you learn tin soldering!
Feel free to ask 😉
If you want s go at it, I’d buy a guitar pedal kit at Musikding for practice (or two, and build a nice and simple dual mono distortion or filter); it’s how I came to only buy the occasional digital pedal nowadays. Once you learn the true value of components and the derivative nature of most designs, the insane upsale is something you gladly leave behind.