The illustrative embodiment of the present invention is a vertical-mode, free-free beam resonator, and micromechanical circuits that include one or more such resonators. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the resonator comprises a movable beam that overlies a drive electrode. The movable beam is supported by a plurality of supports, the length of which is substantially less than one-quarter of a wavelength of the resonant frequency of the resonator.