Ask Lemmy

Pro musician here.

There are so many, but a hurdy gurdy has gotta be up there. Played by someone who knows more than the basics, it sounds like something a medieval king would demand played to relax.

(They’re also among the most expensive instruments out there, as the only makers today are extremely talented individual ones; no big company like Fender or anything makes them. If you see one, you know it was handmade by a master.)

I also love the sound of the Crwth. It’s from Wales, and is sort of like a regional spinoff/precursor to the violin.

Dual-rectified electric guitar.

Strung Out - Bring out Your Dead

Foo Fighters - Everlong

Tool - Forty Six & 2

Piano or Violin for solo instruments, but I love a good concerto or symphony.

Just love a heavy well produced guitar riff. Might be a boring answer but that’s the one for me.

IDK why, but the hurdy gurdy has a pretty alluring sound, in my opinion. So I'm probably going with either that or acoustic guitar.

Edit:

I really like this song using hurdy gurdy because to me it kinda sounds like a soundtrack piece for some prison action film.

I love a good piano piece.

One of my favorites: https://youtu.be/zucBfXpCA6s

Drums - pretty much any single by Street Drum Corp

Probably acoustic guitar tbh, I love acoustic covers, but Piano is amazing too, and electric guitar.

Acoustic covers are just so raw and nice to listen to.

Vibraphone and marimba

Very close, steel drum

Oboe. Anything from the Dream Academy albums would qualify. It has a nice pure sound almost like a vocal.

In second place would be the sitar, or the Hammond Organ if someone is rockin out. The Peddlers, or Fanny would be good examples of excellent Hammond.

Electric guitar.

Not a single instrument, but I love a horn section, too.

Like as the main or only instrument in a song? Probably Spanish guitar. See "Vamo Alla Flamenco" from Final Fantasy 9. I wanna say Diablo 2 had a good Spanish guitar track too, but no idea what it's called.

Drums in music. I always zero in on the percussion patterns.

The hurdy-gurdy is so pleasant to listen too. I love the drone notes it can play.

Piano. Supertramp, "From Now On".

And the sax in that tune is pretty great also.

Saxophone

Pipe Organ

Hurdy Gurdy

Roland TB-303. It's the synth that launched so much electronic music. Examples are legion, but one of my favorites is Psychic TV "E-male:" https://youtu.be/o2U3joQ9oFI

Generally considered among the penultimate 303 examples are:

• "Higher State of Consciousness" by Josh Wink (https://youtu.be/NdaqXjDtXkQ)
• "Acperience 1" by Hardfloor (https://youtu.be/Un4CeV_l3pI)

The Cello, loved it so much that I started learning to play it at around 30.

https://youtu.be/7_8yPpCjK_w

Man, I love me some guzheng nowadays.

oboe, cello, violin...

I'm big fan of pianos (but not all piano genres) and I have learned that I really like piano run through a phaser and doubled with a Japanese koto

Piano. Chopin, especially Raindrop.

https://youtu.be/6OFHXmiZP38

If I said guitar, I'd point you to this song, which is actually a piano song performed on guitar. Lately this is the song that makes me feel things.

https://youtu.be/fnymlUUomKI

When I think of a classical instrument, I think cello - specifically this piece Shadow of Doubt by Yoko Kanno, where it has such a brooding tone and power.

Being a synthesizer nerd, I like those most, but they have such varied tones among them and even on the same synth; 4x Atlantis by Aphex Twin probably captures one of the tones I most love, and the entire "Orphans" piece hits much of the range.

Bassoon or oboe... Maybe it's the double reed?

If you just keep it to the basic instrument drums probably.

If we are allowing it then a heavily distorted guitar tuned stupidly low. But is it the instrument or the various electronics that make the sound?

Yamaha DX7

I love the theremin! This is one of my favorite duets.

Love me a steel drum. No other instrument can instantly transport you to a beach

Who doesn't enjoy some good theremin

https://youtu.be/9qYndeST4aw

I dunno about favourite but Kamancheh sounds pretty lovely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6D_3sBN3FM&t=224

Saxophone. But not always because it's smooth. Because sometimes it ROCKS...

https://youtu.be/7QFNAtnUDJ8

...Or because it's crazier than anything you've ever heard!

https://youtu.be/BARAHLk-8dk

Violin! Especially when they are used to imitate the sound of wind. My current fav examples of this: https://youtu.be/U0TXIXTzJEY https://youtu.be/NqAOGduIFbg