Electro-Harmonix Freeze

This is a stompbox from electro harmonix which can be used to infinitely sustain a note or chord of your guitar playing. Even better than just being able to sustain a note or chord is that you can play over the top of it to create some interesting sonic textures. This unit isn't rackable or able to be edited using a computer. Some of it's features are:

-24 bit buffered bypass which doesn't seem to change the signal when the effect isn't engaged in my rig

-1/4" input and output jacks

-Powered by a 9V input jack or 9V battery

-Three simple controls: Volume of the frozen signal, 3-way mode toggle switch (Fast, Slow and Latch) and finally the footswitch which sustains the sound when depressed.

UTILIZATION

Very simple to operate, only three controls: Volume knob, Mode toggle switch and the Footswitch. The volume knob simply controls the volume of the frozen signal so you just set it to get the frozen signal/dry signal ratio that you want. The mode switch has three options Fast, Slow and Latch. In the Fast and Slow modes the frozen signal is only heard when the footswitch is depressed. The difference between the two modes is the fade in and fade out times, the Fast mode fades in quickly and decays quickly and in Slow mode the fade in and out is a bit slower. The fade in and out times in Slow mode can be adjusted fairly simply. Finally the Latch mode sustains after the switch is pressed once until you press it again so it allows you to move around while sustaining a sound.

SOUND QUALITY

It's an interesting sound which can sound a bit glitchy some times but this pedal definitely has it's own character. Using the Slow mode some interesting bowed style sounds can be created. I really like this pedal and will be keeping it on my board for a while.

OVERALL OPINION

I really love this pedal, it has lots of different uses and it's nice an small. The only thing I dislike about this pedal is that I've found that it can sound a bit poor if there are fuzz pedals in front of it which makes it difficult to have a fuzzy frozen signal and play over the top of it with a clean tone. I have found some mods for the freeze to add a effects loop so that the effects in the loop only effect the frozen signal so hopefully I can work out to do this myself as that will make this pedal amazing.

If this pedal come with an effects loop built in then I would give it a 10 so hopefully in the future EHX will add this feature in.

This is a pretty cool delay-type pedal from Electro Harmonix. They tend to make a few of my favorite pedals in general, and most of their stuff is really good. This one in particular is a bit different from most delays in that it will take a small segment of sound and repeat it so that it becomes more of a drone-type sound. Thus you can loop something (or "freeze" it) and create some really cool ambiance, while still allowing you to play rhythm or leads over it. The pedal has a 1/4" connection (in and out) as well as as an input for a 9v adaptor (it also takes a battery). The pedal is analog technology, and as such it cannot be edited through a computer program of any type, and is also not rackable.

UTILIZATION

This effects pedal is overall pretty simple, even if it is a little different than most delays. There's a switch which will control the effect mode that you've got going. There's a mode for fast, slow, and latch. This will adjust the basic broad speed of the delay, with latch mode being the one that'll create the infinite sustain that you most likely bought the pedal for! There's also a knob for level which will adjust the volume of the effected sound.

SOUND QUALITY

I think that this type of pedal will work really well with lots of guitars. I've tried it with a Les Paul/Marshall setup as well as a Fender Stratocaster/Blues Jr., and thought that both sounded awesome. It really depends more upon what type of guitar sound you like in general. I've never used it with anything other than electric guitars so this review will focus on that.
It does a good job of not coloring the sound too heavily, even if it is sustaining it and making it sound really unnatural. The different settings are cool but I think the latch mode is the coolest, giving you the option of putting some crazy stuff in there and just repeating it to death is really cool to do in the middle of an epic jam! I definitely enjoy the fast and slow modes too but don't often see myself using them as much. I find often that they don't work as well as the latch mode does to create repitition, and I

OVERALL OPINION

While this isn't the best delay to buy in terms of practicality, and it definitely won't be anybody's go-to, it's a nice addition to the pedal setup. If you tend to go for a more natural sound, then I'd hesitate from buying this. But if you really like to mess around and get wild with tones and loops and delays, then I would highly recommend this as it's a little different from most of the other pedals out there and can really get you some other-wordly tones, harmonically rich and almost church like depending on what you are using.

The Electro-Harmonix Freeze pedal is one of the coolest I’ve tried in a long time. There aren’t too many of these types of pedals out there, that is that will give you endless sustain of notes and chords with the push of a button. The only reason I don’t own this pedal is because this feature is found on Electro-Harmonix’s Cathedral Reverb pedal, which I do own. The pedal has basic characteristics for pedal, with ¼” jacks for input and output and a power supply jack for a nine volt supply. I’m not sure if there’s a battery compartment as when I used it it was with an external power supply.


UTILIZATION

Using the Electro-Harmonix Freeze pedal couldn’t be much simpler. It just has a mode switch with three different settings – fast, slow, and latch, and a knob for setting the effect level. Fast and slow modes related to the decay while latch mode is the main mode you’ll use for infinite sustain. I haven’t seen a manual for this pedal, nor is one really necessary since it’s so simple.



SOUND QUALITY

The possibilities with the Electro-Harmonix Freeze pedal are really awesome. Having a chord or note sustained under your playing can be infinitely beneficial as it’s like having someone else holding a chord under you. It’s a ton of fun to play around with as you can play leads over a drone or chord without needing anyone else in the room. It’s also cool for getting effects with the level up all the way and in fast and slow decay modes for getting other types of sustained sounds.


OVERALL OPINION

The Electro-Harmonix Freeze pedal is really a must have! I’ve been thinking about getting one even though I’ve already got a Cathedral Reverb which has a similar type of effect available. This gives you a little bit control over the infinite sustain and is a pedal that can be used either in a very practical manner or just to mess around with. Once you try Freeze I know you’ll want to pick one up for yourself!

RAS, everything has already been said. I insist on against the micro swith to change the 3-position is quite fragile, be careful when transporting! (Micro switch my holy grail and freeze my Petes after a short stay of one hour in a backpack, I was happy ... Well I'm a bit stupid too!)

UTILIZATION

Setup could not be more simple. RAS either, everything has already been said.

Installed at the end of the string or at the end of the loop, unless you want to process the signal with effects (for me, at the very end just before the looper).

SOUND QUALITY

This is exactly what I expected: create a sort of drone or sheet of the most beautiful effect. You can go very far in the experiment by treating the freeze with a delay, octaver etc. but I use pretty basic way.

We play a note or chord (the freeze is polyphonic) which is then stuck with a rather slow and key modulation (15-20 seconds). We think quite a note synth maintained. Ideal for the play "Shine on your crazy diamond" and other pinkfloyderies, or to create a mood background on a song or solo.

Anecdote of the day, thanks to the freeze that I really captured the modes on guitar

For cons, the freeze will capture only the first pulse on the ropes. This means that if you play a chord a little too slowly, only low notes will freezées. We must therefore play the chords rather "snapped" to fully freeze all the strings, and try to have an identical attack on every string, at risk of having its very forward compared to others.

Also note that depending on the attack, the modulation of which I mentioned above will more or less experience (protruding more attacking strong).

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 years. This is far from an "indispensable" effect, but glad to have it. It offers many opportunities to enrich his game, both quietly in the background, by building outright sounds and atmospheres.

For my part, I'm having to do it again this choice so!