Physics-based modeling of musical instruments for interactive virtual reality

In this paper, we describe how different the physics-based modeling paradigms can be in making a sound synthesis of musical instruments. We also discuss different ways to construct user interfaces for interactive virtual reality applications. For multi-paradigm modeling, we have investigated how digital waveguides (DWGs), finite difference time domain schemes (DFTDs), wave digital filters (WDFs), modal decomposition models, and source-filter models interrelate and mix together. We have investigated both the user interface control of these models in a cave-like virtual room using special hand-held controllers. Modeling examples of a 'virtual air guitar" and a virtual bell-xylophone are described and demonstrated.