Electro Harmonix Freeze Pedal

**omphalopsychos** · 12-29-2016, 03:19 AM

Originally Posted by KirkP

I wish it had a stereo output so the tremolo could be applied only to the effect, but it is what it is.

If you want a freeze with an effects loop it already exists. EHX.com | Superego - Synth Engine | Electro-Harmonix

I use the effects loop to process the wet signal through a digital multieffects (been experimenting with tremolo, vibrato, chorus, reverb, &c.) to give it some texture and eq to take some of the edge off and warm it up.

**KirkP** · 12-29-2016, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by pingu

Thats interesting , kinda like a long
reverb thing
Anyone using it for modal stuff
Where you have a more continuous
type drone , then solo over the top
Does it work ok for that ?

On my recording I had the reverb set higher on the amp than usual. The reverb helps make the frozen voice sound a little more natural, especially the fadeout.

The Freeze is useful for holding chords while you improvise over them for practice, but I don't care for the sound of long sustains in performance. I think of the Freeze as an organ accomanist. I'd expect to hear an organ change voicings even if the chord name is fixed for a few bars. You can do the same with the Freeze. When your melody line breaks for a "breath" use the opportunity to freeze a different chord inversion below the melody. If there's time for it, a short walk to the bass note (e.g., a half-step approach) before the chord is frozen might help emulate what an organist might do.

**omphalopsychos** · 12-29-2016, 06:43 PM

Although I usually use it for practice, sometimes it's fun for abstract noodling. Here's the freeze (/superego) with a few effects applied to the wet signal only. The guitar signal is unprocessed, straight into a 1951 valco oahu. The playing is nothing, just some noodling in g major too late at night.

**KirkP** · 12-29-2016, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

Although I usually use it for practice, sometimes it's fun for abstract noodling. Here's the freeze (/superego) with a few effects applied to the wet signal only. The guitar signal is unprocessed, straight into a 1951 valco oahu. The playing is nothing, just some noodling in g major too late at night.

That could be a soundtrack.

**billyguitar** · 01-01-2017, 03:21 PM

It looks like this can also be done using a Neunaber Expanse pedal:

**Little Jay** · 01-21-2017, 07:11 PM

I couldn't resist any longer. I ordered my Freeze pedal. Should arrive next week :-)

**destinytot** · 01-21-2017, 07:39 PM

I used mine in public tonight for the first time - with the piano sustain pedal, 'fast' setting, at absolute minimal volume. I've a way to go yet, but I'm getting there - but it can definitely work in performance.

**Slide** · 01-21-2017, 08:03 PM

I am thinking about buying Freeze pedal after seeing this video by Randy Hebert.

**Little Jay** · 01-22-2017, 05:03 AM

Originally Posted by Slide

I am thinking about buying Freeze pedal after seeing this video by Randy Hebert.

Yes! Thank you for sharing that, now I am really glad I ordered mine!

**skittles** · 01-22-2017, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by destinytot

I used mine in public tonight for the first time - with the piano sustain pedal

By chance do you (or does anyone) have instructions on how to do a piano pedal mod for the freeze pedal? I am very interested in this. Thank you in advance.

**KirkP** · 01-22-2017, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by skittles

By chance do you (or does anyone) have instructions on how to do a piano pedal mod for the freeze pedal? I am very interested in this. Thank you in advance.

So far I've only replaced the button, but I really want to do the piano pedal mod. It should be very easy. The most critical thing is to seal off the electronics from metal filings while you drill the hole. The following site describes the process, but I'm sure there are others.

Electro-Harmonix Freeze Hack/Mod | Just Jamie

I'm disappointed in most demo videos because I feel many don't use it in a very musical or fluid way. My objective it to use it more like a pianist would. I hope having a piano pedal instead of a button will make that feel more natural.

**destinytot** · 01-22-2017, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by skittles

By chance do you (or does anyone) have instructions on how to do a piano pedal mod for the freeze pedal? I am very interested in this. Thank you in advance.

I don't have the skills, so I had it done by someone competent. I gave them the pedals and they did the rest by following the steps outlined in this video:

**destinytot** · 01-22-2017, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by KirkP

My objective it to use it more like a pianist would. I hope having a piano pedal instead of a button will make that feel more natural.

Me, too.

Finding the sweet spot seems to get easier, and using it with a good reverb unit certainly smoothes the transition from sustain to 'fast' release - making the decay seem more natural (rather than abrupt).

A (small, but significant) breakthrough in using the pedal yesterday was 'freezing'/sustaining single notes before playing chord stabs (and not the other way round, i.e sustaining a chord or drone as background).

That both sounds musical and feels natural.

The sound is widely achieved by guitarists, without recourse to pedals - but the pedal makes it possible to momentarily 'freeze' a line while adding a chord that would otherwise be beyond reach.

And that's very exciting.

(Now I wish I had more time to practise. I'll be using what little time I have available to study and apply Jordan's teaching on triads - to prepare myself to make the most of new possibilities.)

**Little Jay** · 01-23-2017, 11:58 AM

Here is Gilad Hekselman demonstrating his pedal board and his use of the freeze:

(After seeing this I need a Boss Super Octave as well ;-)

EDIT: oops, it was posted before already....

**feet** · 01-23-2017, 12:21 PM

Plus Pedal - World's first real sustain pedal for electric instruments!

looks like someone heard you guys

if you're feeling lucky... it may be worth emailing them as the original presale price was $179. just passing that along. not vested one way or the other.

**KirkP** · 01-23-2017, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by feet

Plus Pedal - World's first real sustain pedal for electric instruments!

looks like someone heard you guys

if you're feeling lucky... it may be worth emailing them as the original presale price was $179. just passing that along. not vested one way or the other.

The rise and tail knobs would be nice. The EHX Freeze only gives you three or four presets. The piano-style pedal is really nice, but I think I'd rather have it closer to the floor in a separate unit instead of on top of a stomp box.

Since I'm already invested in the Freeze, I think I'll do the outboard pedal mod and call it good.

**Little Jay** · 01-24-2017, 04:22 AM

Got mine last night! Love it! Since I play in a quartet without keys I see plenty of opportunities to use it. Definitely need to replace the button for a silent one, but I already counted for that. So far I feel no need for a piano-style pedal. I'll see if I can record some tonight.

**Little Jay** · 01-24-2017, 04:47 AM

oh and this is one of the few pedals you need to read the manual for (which I normally never do). I found there was little difference between the slow and fast relaese mode, only to find out after reading the manual that the decay-time for the slow mode is programmable. I set it to 3.2s and prefer it to the fast mode. You can really let chords blend into eachother naturally, the fast mode feels a bit too much on/off for me.

**skittles** · 01-24-2017, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by destinytot

I don't have the skills, so I had it done by someone competent. I gave them the pedals and they did the rest by following the steps outlined in this video:

Thank you. This looks simpler than I expected (though I have no soldering skills).

All of this functionality can be implemented and customized in a software platform like SuperCollider or Max/MSP. But it's very nice to step away from the computer now again. That is why our guitars do not have screens in them (yet) after all.

Very exciting to see some innovation with real, subtle musical possibilities.

**KirkP** · 01-24-2017, 04:34 PM

Originally Posted by skittles

Thank you. This looks simpler than I expected (though I have no soldering skills).

It's an easy soldering job since you are soldering wires to the switch, not to the more delicate circuit board. But read a basic soldering how-to and watch a couple of videos first.

I haven't tried it, but the M-Audio SP-2 looks like a cost effective option for the outboard pedal.
M-Audio SP-2 Sustain Pedal | Sweetwater

**KirkP** · 01-24-2017, 04:41 PM

Originally Posted by Little Jay

found there was little difference between the slow and fast relaese mode, only to find out after reading the manual that the decay-time for the slow mode is programmable. I set it to 3.2s and prefer it to the fast mode. You can really let chords blend into eachother naturally, the fast mode feels a bit too much on/off for me.

I also strongly prefer one of the slower settings, although I've now forgotten which one! I should tape a reminder to the pedal so I won't have to look for the manual every time I want to change it.

**jaco** · 01-24-2017, 06:56 PM

Why do I have a feeling that Electro Harmonix will come out with a " FrezzeV.2 "with new silent switch" only $99.99 more!!

**rio** · 04-02-2017, 11:51 PM

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to add to it in case anyone stumbles upon it from google. I have had the freeze for a while now but haven't used it a whole lot. The switch is so loud and it is high enough off the ground that I found it to be very uncomfortable, at least how I would like to use it which is to have my foot on it all the time and use it like a sustain pedal. As is it is fine to set up drones or whatever but for constant use I did not like it. So I took out the switch and just put in a 1/4" input jack (the same kind as we have on guitars). The wiring is super simple and you can use the existing hole to put in the jack since there is enough clearance for a quarter inch cable to be plugged in from the top. Now I can plug in a sustain pedal from a piano, which solves the other problem too which was that you can run the thing on batteries which really limited how far I could put the pedal from an outlet. I can put the pedal on my amp and run the sustain pedal (which has a very long cord) over to me since I do not need to actually be able to reach the controls. It is amazing like this - I don't know why they didn't think to add a quarter inch input option stock since it seems like it is meant to be used like this. I am using the flat box pedal rather than the actual piano style pedal since the box is so low to the ground - it is silent and very easy to press. I'm very happy with the mod.

**KirkP** · 04-04-2017, 02:26 AM

Originally Posted by rio

I know this is an old thread but I wanted to add to it in case anyone stumbles upon it from google. I have had the freeze for a while now but haven't used it a whole lot. The switch is so loud and it is high enough off the ground that I found it to be very uncomfortable, at least how I would like to use it which is to have my foot on it all the time and use it like a sustain pedal. As is it is fine to set up drones or whatever but for constant use I did not like it. So I took out the switch and just put in a 1/4" input jack (the same kind as we have on guitars). The wiring is super simple and you can use the existing hole to put in the jack since there is enough clearance for a quarter inch cable to be plugged in from the top. Now I can plug in a sustain pedal from a piano, which solves the other problem too which was that you can run the thing on batteries which really limited how far I could put the pedal from an outlet. I can put the pedal on my amp and run the sustain pedal (which has a very long cord) over to me since I do not need to actually be able to reach the controls. It is amazing like this - I don't know why they didn't think to add a quarter inch input option stock since it seems like it is meant to be used like this. I am using the flat box pedal rather than the actual piano style pedal since the box is so low to the ground - it is silent and very easy to press. I'm very happy with the mod.

Did you find room for a battery inside the box, or do you mean you plugged a battery into the power supply jack? You use a standard 9V battery? How long does the battery last?

**Little Jay** · 04-04-2017, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by KirkP

Did you find room for a battery inside the box, or do you mean you plugged a battery into the power supply jack? You use a standard 9V battery? How long does the battery last?

According to their website The FREEZE’s current requirement is 140mA at 9VDC. For example, with a current draw of 37mA the Boss FRV-1 reverb has an expected battery life of 10.5 hours (continuous use), and mine lasts indeed 3 or 4 gigs. You won't use the Freeze continuously I suspect, but I doubt it would do more than 2 gigs on one battery, does it?