Freeware: FreqEcho, Rocksichord

Starting with this article, we’re going to have a (more or less) regular monthly freeware section here on ANR.

This time we’d like to introduce a couple of excellent new releases: FreqEcho from ValhallaDSP (a new company, created by Sean Costello, who worked also on AudioDamage Eos, one of our picks of the year in the recent Sonic Joy Awards), and the Rocksichord from SonicCouture.

FreqEcho, available as VST, AU, RTAS for both OS X and Windows systems is a “Bode-style frequency shifter + analog echo emulation = skull melting chaos. Perfect for dub, Dr. Who and all of your psychedelic needs. Sonic results range from subtle chorusing and double tracking to barberpole phasing and flanging to endless glissandos and runaway echos.”

Actually I think this description is spot-on, I’d have no better words to describe the FreqEcho. By the way, the plug-in has been available for some time without graphical interface, but I’m sure this simple and effective GUI will make it more appealing to users.
I’m really having fun with this little plug-in lately. I’d recommend trying it on different sound sources, from piano to percussions.

Get FreqEcho here

Rocksichord is a Kontakt library (requires v.3 or 4). The instrument sampled is the Rock-Si-Chord, or ‘Rocksichord’ electric harpsichord, made in the sixties by RMI.
This keyboard has been used by artists like Beach Boys, John Lennon, Genesis, Yes, Stereolab, Radiohead, Wilco, etc.

There’s a funny story behind this sample library, on SonicCouture’s website: “a certain Mikael Jorgensen from Wilco mentioned to us that he had started sampling his ancient RMI Rocksichord keyboard, but hadn’t the time to finish the looping and programing. We asked him how he would feel if we finished the job and offered it as a free download from the Soniccouture site.
Happily, he agreed, and if you’re reading this, you now have the result…”

Get the Rocksichord here

P.s: feel free to share with us your favorite freeware stuff…