Modeling

The technical definition is: Use of mathematical equations to simulate and predict real events and processes. Modeling has become a huge buzzword in modern electronic musical equipment. It is already a widely deployed technology for synthesizers and many different types of signal processors. Modeling allows programmers to create sophisticated computer algorithms that behave in very specific and detailed ways depending upon a variety of input data. Until the last 10 or 15 years modeling required so much computational horsepower that it wasn’t practical to use in commercially available production equipment. Today you can get a modeling processor that can accurately emulate the sounds of dozens of different devices for a fraction of what a digital delay cost 10 years ago. That said, most modeling systems in use today are relatively crude compared to what is theoretically possible. As processing power becomes better and less expensive we will continue to see more amazing things done with modeling technology.