A lot of new gear has been appearing lately touting the ability of digital modeling to recreate the sound of classic musical equipment. Whether they be electronic drums, microphone modelers, or even speaker systems, the results can be varied. We'll explore the history and current trends in what is now the hot buzzword in music technology.

Groundbreaking working was made in the basements of many university music departments, where electronic engineers, physicists, and musicians teamed together to analyze all components of how an instrument creates sound. Complicated algorithms were created to simulate the action of dragging a brush across a drum head, wind blown into a tube, or a string plucked by a fingertip. These algorithms were further refined when changes were made based on whether the imaginary brush was plastic or wire, the tube was wooden or metal, or the string was rubber or steel. Every component was analyzed and given it's own part in the formula.

Yamaha released the very first digital modeling instrument with the VL-1. The VL-1 was as mind-blowing as it was expensive ($7000). Korg was also one the first companies to make this technology commercially available with the "Wave Drum". This revolutionary instrument allowed a drummer to scratch, tap or beat a single pad, with the output of th4e pad reacting as if it were a gong, conga drum, or tambourine. This all came with a price as the single drum cost close to $2000. Savvy musicians realized the possibility of creating a virtual instrument that could simulate the sound of a 100' rubber band being gently bowed across a pool of water, or a simple flute that reacted like a true acoustic instrument, but few could actually spend the money for one sound.