Lately, we had the pleasure to speak with Emanuele Parravicini, Co-Founder, CTO and Gross sales Director at Audio Modeling, a worldwide chief in multi-vector expressive acoustic instrument emulation. The corporate’s objective and analysis goals at discovering options to allow the consumer to beat the inherent limitations of conventional samplers, along with creating technological options, particularly in software program, that actively assist musicians, composers and producers in delivering their creative expression.
Be a part of us as we delve into their outstanding journey, highlighting the pivotal moments and obstacles they’ve confronted alongside the trail.
Q1: Are you able to present a short overview of Audio Modeling’s historical past? How did the corporate come into existence, and what have been among the key milestones in your journey up to now?
The story of Audio Modeling started lengthy earlier than the corporate itself was formally based. I began working with Stefano Lucato on the finish of 2009, pushed by a shared ardour to break the boundaries of conventional digital instrument emulation. We had been fascinated by the expressive potential of acoustic devices—significantly woodwinds, brass, and strings—and annoyed by how typical sampling fell brief in capturing that depth.
In 2011, Stefano created the SWAM expertise (Synchronous Waves Acoustic Modeling), a groundbreaking strategy that mixes bodily modeling, behavioral modeling, and our distinctive multi-vector sample-morphing approach. That very same 12 months, we launched our first product, Ms. Sax S, marking the beginning of a brand new period in digital devices.
Between 2011 and 2017, we developed 17 devices, consistently refining our modeling strategies and increasing our imaginative and prescient. However we quickly realized that to actually convey this expertise to extra musicians world wide, we would have liked to go additional. We wanted a full crew—builders, testers, entrepreneurs, and gross sales consultants—to assist broader improvement, higher compatibility, and a worldwide attain.
So, in 2017, we based Audio Modeling. It was the appropriate time to scale up, each creatively and operationally. Since then, our mission has been clear: to empower musicians, composers, and producers by eradicating the restrictions of conventional instruments and making expertise a pure extension of their expression.
At the moment, Audio Modeling stands as a worldwide chief in expressive acoustic instrument emulation. However at our core, we’re nonetheless the identical passionate explorers who began this journey—curious, dedicated, and at all times pushing ahead.
Q2: What impressed the route you’ve taken together with your merchandise? Had been there any key moments that helped form your present focus?
The route we’ve taken with our merchandise was born out of frustration—particularly, the frustration of working with pattern libraries for acoustic devices. Whereas these libraries can superbly seize the timbre of an instrument, they fall brief in a single essential space: real-time expressiveness. Acoustic devices are multidimensional by nature; musicians consistently form their sound by delicate, simultaneous modifications in breath, stress, articulation, and extra. Pattern-based options merely couldn’t present that degree of management.
That limitation pushed us to discover new applied sciences. We needed to create devices that not solely sounded reasonable however felt alive—aware of the musician’s enter in real-time, identical to their acoustic counterparts.
Two key moments formed our path. The primary was the discharge of Ms. Sax S, our soprano saxophone emulation. Seeing its success and the enthusiastic response from musicians confirmed that we had been on to one thing significant. The second pivotal second got here in 2013, when Stefano and I made a transparent choice: from that time on, we’d transfer away from multi-vector sample-morphing and focus completely on pure bodily modeling. That alternative allowed us to succeed in new ranges of expressiveness, realism, and consistency throughout all our devices.
Over time, our mission expanded. We realized that serving to musicians specific themselves additionally meant giving them higher instruments to handle their reside efficiency setup. One other key second was when Simone Capitani joined the corporate and introduced with him the imaginative and prescient and improvement of Camelot Professional, a strong platform for managing reside efficiency environments. That undertaking marked a pure extension of our philosophy—eradicating technical friction and placing the artist totally in management.
These experiences proceed to encourage every little thing we do. Our mission stays to offer musicians with instruments that give them the freedom to precise themselves totally—with out technological obstacles.
Q3: In your opinion, what makes your strategy or options distinctive throughout the music expertise house?
What units our strategy aside within the music expertise house is our unwavering dedication to expressiveness and realism—not simply in how our devices sound, however in how they reply to the performer.
Most digital instrument applied sciences prioritize timbral accuracy utilizing static samples. Whereas this may sound spectacular, it typically leads to inflexible and unnatural performances. We took a distinct path. At Audio Modeling, we design devices that behave like their acoustic counterparts. Our SWAM expertise is not only about replicating sound; it’s about capturing the delicate, real-time interactions between the performer and the instrument.
What additionally makes our work distinctive is the depth and complexity behind it. Creating our merchandise takes years of analysis and improvement. We frequently observe unconventional paths—technological instructions which can be removed from apparent—as a result of they result in breakthroughs that may’t be achieved by normal strategies. These paths are difficult and the options are complicated, however they’re essential to ship the extent of realism and expressivity we intention for.
We combine bodily and behavioral modeling in a manner that enables musicians to affect each nuance of their efficiency—vibrato, articulation, dynamics, phrasing—in real-time, with rapid responsiveness. This multi-vector expressive management is on the coronary heart of every little thing we construct.
One other essential side is our ongoing dialogue with musicians. We don’t simply mannequin devices—we reply to the real-world wants of performers, serving to them push their inventive boundaries with out compromise.
Our options should not static libraries or preset-driven engines; they’re residing, respiratory devices designed for steady, expressive interplay. That’s what makes Audio Modeling actually completely different.
This autumn: Are there any examples or tales that come to thoughts the place your instruments have supported artists or creators in a particular manner?
Through the years, I’ve been deeply moved by what number of artists, composers, and producers have embraced our instruments in ways in which go far past what we initially imagined.
One story that actually caught with me comes from John Powell, the acclaimed movie composer recognized for scores like The way to Practice Your Dragon and The Bourne Identification. He informed us that SWAM devices permit him to “compose with out interrupting his inventive move.” That’s precisely the form of expertise we wish to allow—instruments that disappear and let inspiration take over.
One other nice instance is Geoff Stradling, who makes use of SWAM devices in his orchestration work for the Golden Globe Awards. The power to attain expressive realism shortly and reliably is important for that form of high-pressure manufacturing.
Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for Dream Theater, makes use of SWAM each in his solo albums and reside performances with the band. And Pedro Eustache, a world-renowned wind participant, incorporates SWAM devices within the Hans Zimmer Reside tour—utilizing a wind controller to attain breathtaking realism and management on stage.
We’ve additionally seen artists like Omri Abramov, saxophonist for Israeli singer Noa, mixing our instruments into their reside performances. Omri makes use of SWAM devices for expressiveness and Camelot Professional to handle his total efficiency setup, switching seamlessly between sounds and units in real-time.
These are only a few examples—there are dozens extra. From movie studios to live performance halls, our mission has at all times been to assist creativity with out compromise, and it’s extremely rewarding to see our instruments play even a small position within the creative journeys of such inspiring individuals.
Q5: Wanting forward, what strategic objectives or initiatives are you enthusiastic about for the way forward for Audio Modeling?
In some ways, I really feel like we’re simply getting began. The world of musical expression is huge, and there are nonetheless so many devices ready to be modeled with the extent of depth and realism our expertise can supply. We’re particularly enthusiastic about increasing into new households—percussions, guitars, electroacoustic devices, and free-reed devices like harmonicas and accordions. There’s additionally a wealthy number of conventional devices from Asia, the Far East, and Africa that deserve correct, expressive digital counterparts.
However our imaginative and prescient goes past instrument modeling alone. Audio Modeling’s mission is to empower creativity and expression in each kind. That’s why we’re engaged on new instruments designed to assist polyphonic efficiency, real-time harmonization, and even musical inclusivity—in order that extra individuals, no matter bodily capacity or background, can entry the enjoyment of creating music.
We see expertise as an enabler, not a barrier. Wanting forward, I’m extremely enthusiastic about persevering with to construct options that take away friction from the inventive course of, spark new concepts, and in the end assist musicians world wide specific themselves in ways in which had been by no means earlier than doable.
Q6: How do you keep related to your consumer neighborhood, and what position does their suggestions play in your journey?
Staying near our consumer neighborhood is likely one of the most essential components of our journey. It’s not nearly advertising and marketing—it’s about constructing actual, ongoing conversations with the individuals who use our instruments every single day.
We preserve an lively presence throughout a number of platforms. Our web site is commonly up to date with information and assets, and we ship out newsletters to maintain customers knowledgeable about product updates, occasions, and insights. Social media is one other key touchpoint for us—we’re on Fb, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn, and X. These platforms permit us to share our story, however extra importantly, to hear: we intently monitor feedback, messages, and discussions to know how persons are utilizing our instruments and what they want.
We’ve additionally developed a devoted consumer portal the place clients can request assist, ask questions, or share suggestions. All year long, we host reside streams to have interaction straight with our viewers in real-time.
We take nice care in responding to each remark, message, or assist ticket—shortly and personally. We actually imagine that the worth of our merchandise doesn’t lie in innovation alone, but additionally within the assist we offer and our capacity to show consumer suggestions into sensible options.
Our customers should not simply clients—they’re collaborators who encourage us to evolve, enhance, and picture what’s subsequent.
Q7: If there’s one key perception or takeaway you’ve gained by your expertise up to now, what wouldn’t it be?
If there’s one key perception I’ve gained over time, it’s this: extraordinary issues take time—and the braveness to remain dedicated to a imaginative and prescient even when the trail is unclear.
When Stefano and I started this journey, we knew we had been venturing into complicated, uncharted territory. The expertise we needed to create didn’t exist but. There have been no shortcuts—solely lengthy days, failed experiments, and years of analysis and iteration. However we believed within the purpose: to offer musicians instruments that really reply to their expressive wants.
What I’ve realized is that having a transparent imaginative and prescient is important—however it’s not sufficient. You want the proper individuals by your aspect. Collaborating with sensible, passionate people like Stefano, Simone, and the remainder of our crew has made all of the distinction. It’s their expertise, dedication, and perception in our mission which have turned an bold concept into one thing actual and impactful.
So, my greatest takeaway is that this: be affected person, keep true to your imaginative and prescient, and construct it with individuals who share your ardour. That’s probably the most highly effective mixture I’ve skilled.
We hope Audio Modeling’s story impressed you as a lot because it impressed us. Their steadfast dedication to innovation and empowering customers has reworked them from a daring startup right into a frontrunner in music software program options.
Preserve following us for extra compelling interviews as we shine a light-weight on the journeys of remarkable corporations and their roads to success!
