SAMPLED

Synthesis and sound design · updated 2026-08-16

PHYSICAL MODELLING

Synthesis by simulating the physics of a string, tube or membrane instead of replaying a recording of one.

Close-up of a Eurorack modular synthesizer: oscillator, filter and envelope modules wired together with patch cables, showing the signal path these synthesis terms describe.
Synthesis and sound design — Close-up of a Eurorack modular synthesizer: oscillator, filter and envelope modules wired together with patch cables, showing the signal path these synthesis terms describe.

Photo: Eurorack Modular Synthesizer Closeup (opens in a new tab) by Nir Yaniv (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab)

Key takeaways

  • Synthesis by simulating the physics of a string, tube or membrane instead of replaying a recording of one.
  • Patches respond expressively because parameters like material stiffness and bow pressure are continuous.
  • A modelled string responds to a change in pick position immediately, where a sampled one needs a separate recorded layer.
  • Watch out: expecting modelling to beat sampling on realism for solo acoustic instruments.
  • Sits under synthesis and sound design in this glossary, with 2 primary sources below.

Quick checklist

  • Can you define physical modelling in one sentence without looking?
  • Can you point at physical modelling in a real session, mix or contract?
  • Have you tried the practical move above at least once?
  • Would you catch the common mistake before it costs you a take?
  • Have you opened one of the primary sources below rather than a forum thread?

PHYSICAL MODELLING IN DEPTH

Physical modelling synthesises sound by simulating the physics of a vibrating system — string, tube, membrane, exciter — rather than replaying recordings. Patches respond expressively because parameters like material stiffness and bow pressure are continuous.

How it works in practice

A modelled string responds to a change in pick position immediately, where a sampled one needs a separate recorded layer.

The mistake people make

Expecting modelling to beat sampling on realism for solo acoustic instruments. It wins on expression, not always on raw timbre.

WHERE PHYSICAL MODELLING SITS

Physical modelling belongs to synthesis and sound design in the Sampled music glossary. How synths make sound, in the order the signal actually travels.

TEST YOURSELF

0/3 answered · 0 correct

3 quick questions on physical modelling. Answers are marked instantly — nothing is sent anywhere.

  1. 1. Which statement best describes physical modelling?

  2. 2. What is the mistake people most often make with physical modelling?

  3. 3. In practice, which of these applies to physical modelling?

Ready for the full thing? Take the 25-question terminology test and get a certificate with your name and score.

SOURCES AND CITATIONS

Free, primary references for physical modelling — standards bodies, manufacturers, government offices and university course material. Each one lists the line of this entry it backs up.

  • Stanford CCRMA — physical audio signal processing (opens in a new tab)

    University research centre · Stanford CCRMA

    “Synthesis by simulating the physics of a string, tube or membrane instead of replaying a recording of one.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: The CCRMA course material derives this from first principles, so you can check the maths behind the plain-English version above.

  • UC Berkeley CNMAT research (opens in a new tab)

    University research centre · UC Berkeley (CNMAT)

    “Physical modelling synthesises sound by simulating the physics of a vibrating system — string, tube, membrane, exciter — rather than replaying recordings.”— the claim this source supports

    Why it counts: Berkeley's research notes cover the implementation detail that day-to-day usage of the term skips over.

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