FreePlayer Ltd. has announced that FreePlayer is now available to pre-order.

FreePlayer, which allows guitarists to control effects by motion and touch, consists of a hardware attachment for the guitar and a software application that hosts VST plug-ins and controls MIDI devices. A Windows version is offered initially, with other operating systems to follow.

The first models to be made available are:

• FreePlayer Pro for Les Paul guitars – pre-order price €299 (normal price €399) – contains a complete set of FreePlayer sensors in an ‘easy-fit-kit’ pickguard:
  • 38x48mm Touchpad (responds smoothly to a pick or a fingernail)
  • 3-Axis Motion Sensor (Responds to motion up to 3G – Shock-proof to 10,000G!)
  • Flexible Light Sensor (Detects light changes in 1000 smooth increments)
  • Tactile button array (Five buttons individually shaped for recognition by touch.
• FreePlayer Express – pre-order price €149 (normal price €199) – a universal kit that attaches to most guitars or basses with a simple adhesive pad (included). With a 3-axis Motion Sensor and Tactile Button array, it’s all you need to get up and running!
• FreePlayer Express Plus – pre-order price €199 (normal price €249) – all the benefits of FreePlayer Express, with an additional Flexible Light Sensor.

Each FreePlayer unit comes with a USB cable, the FreePlayer software, and is bundled with these VST plug-ins:

• Saltline Audio Solutions: Bachelard, ‘Son of a Pitch’ and Cadence.
• Voxengo: Voxengo Boogex.
• MeldaProduction MFreeVSTBundle: includes MCompressor, MEqualiser, MPhaser, MRingModulator, MFlanger, MTremolo, MVibrato, and many others.
• NDC’s Open source VST plugins: Fragmental, and the wonderfully named Reversinator.
• FrettedSynthAudio: FreeAmp3.

Users will be able to download more VSTs and sounds from the FreePlayer SoundStore, including Saltline Audio Solution’s previously announced range of plug-ins developed specifically for FreePlayer.

Customers Pre-ordering FreePlayer between now and the product release (expected end of July) receive a discount of up to €100 – with deposit of just €50.

More information: FreePlayer

Fretted Synth has released version 2.5 of FreeAmp2, a freeware multi guitar amp-sim, with built-in guitar synth.

FrettedSynth writes:

Have had quite a few email requests for FreeAmp2, After three years of not playing FA2 I found it to be a quite different sounding amp from FA3. Much more color in its tone compared to FreeAmp3 but very useful. So I updated the plugin a bit and put it back on my site.

New in FreeAmp v2.5

• Provided a much larger frequency range.
• Added a three band parametric equalizer.
• Added an output limiter.
• Changed HP, LP in the synth to a Hi\Lo shelf Eq.
• Some small changes.

Fretted Synth has also updated SoftDrum LTD, a instrument that features 12 drum-pads (using Soundfonts per drum-pad as its sample source) was also updated. The update provides a fix so it will trigger from Alesis pad to MIDI controllers.

Both plug-ins are available as freeware for Windows PC (VST).

Visit FrettedSynth for more information and a link to download FreeAmp2 and SoftDrum LTD.

FrettedSynth has released version 3.5 of FreeAmp3, a freeware guitar amp VST plug-in for Windows PC.

Changes in v3.5

• Limiter system implemented.
• Tweaked control ranges and internal fixed values.
• Some bugfixes.

Visit FrettedSynth for more information and a link to download FreeAmp3.

FrettedSynth has released v3.1 of FreeAmp, the freeware guitar amp simulator effect plug-in for Windows PC.

Changes in v3.1

• Fixed: speakers and output limiter, they now may be pushed quite hard without crackle.
• Improved: Wah effect.
• Many small tweaks internal and adjustments of control ranges.
• All sleep bugs should now be fixed.
• Small GUI change (little lighter).

Visit FrettedSynth to download FreeAmp3 v3.1.

FrettedSynth has released FreeAmp3, a freeware virtual guitar setup plug-in for Windows PC.

FreeAmp3 features

• 5 Clean amps.
• 19 Drive amps, Provides clean/drive amp switching.
• 5 Amp equalizers.
• 2 Power amps.
• 17 Speakers, including 4 bass cabs.
• 3 Effect slots both pre (mono) and post (stereo) amp positions.
• Noise gate and output Limiter.

FreeAmp3 comes in both an amp only version and a FX full version.

Visit FrettedSynth for more information and a link to download FreeAmp3.

The plug-ins from GVST now can be skinned with a new gorgeous design.

GVST’s plug-ins (by Graham Yeadon) are designed by to be simple, light-weight and efficient, although some are more ambitious and some more experimental and include amongst others a Chorus, Compressor, Delay, Gate and several Filter effects.

The new skins are done by Rick Christy from Designer Monkey, who also did the original design for the GVST plug-in suite, and recently designed FreeAmp2‘s skin.

Check the GVST website for more information and links to download these excellent skins for the GVST effects and instruments. You can download all plug-ins in one package as well.