BSRI Audio

BSRI (Baltimore Sonic Research Institute) traces its origins to a serendipitous moment in 2019. As the founder prepared to record an album with the band No Note at Kevin Bernsten’s Developing Nations recording studio, a realization dawned: the necessary pedal for tracking bass parts—a formidable, crushing fuzz—was conspicuously absent. With the album featuring slow, doomy passages, a desire emerged for a pedal capable of delivering brutality without relying on conventional options. Rather than purchasing multiple pedals in hope of finding the ideal sound, the decision was made to construct the needed pedal in the weeks leading up to the sessions. The result was a heavily modified Super Fuzz featuring an active EQ, full-range blend, and a ferocious octave tone. Upon hearing the bass tracked with the fuzz, Kevin’s immediate response was, “yeah, I’m going to need one of those.” This pivotal pedal, evolving into the FZZ, marked the genesis of Baltimore Sonic Research Institute. Though the journey to the institute’s name was not without its twists and turns, with the prototype bearing a verbose title, BSRI was ultimately established as a hub of sonic exploration and innovation.

Effects pedals