Which musical instrument

[Smokey]

I don't know if this has been asked before or not.....but when listening to music or a song, the sound of which instrument(s) draw you in intitialy or make you pay close attention?

A good drum work always perk my ears (ex, Rush), or variety of keyboard sound that elevate the music (ex, DuranDuran).

[JohnMichael]

I would have to say the violin. My mind and emotions can float on the sound it creates.

[RoyY51]

I'm partial to a well-played, well-miked acoustic guitar.

[Swish]

I can't reply with one or two particular instruments. With some songs it's guitar, with others it's the bass lines, with others the beat/drums, with others it's the horns. Seriously, I can't say I listen for any particular instrument, just something that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

[Jack in Wilmington]

I gotta agree with JM, the violin gets my juices flowing. Especially when I'm watching a live performance. Watching all those bows moving in unison is just mystifying.

[RGA]

With rock and pop it is always the vocals first followed by the drums if it is amplified music. If it is acoustic music then piano or acoustic guitar - but still I tend to always gravitate to the vocals which is unfortunately why - if the singer is a bum it doesn't matter how good the drummer or bass guitar player is I can't listen to the group. Which is why the likes of the Stones, Led Zepplin, Bob Dylan etc don't do it for me.

With Jazz it depends but usually the brass - sax, trumpet

With Classical; Piano is almost always first if there is a piano involved, followed by Cello and if Vivaldi often the Oboe, Mozart often the Violin. Suppose it depends on the composer as well who tend to direct you to what is placed up front to pay attention to.

Dance music - bass and drums - as they say "follow the bass line"

Latin type music the various drums and brass.

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells - what else?

[Smokey]

If it is acoustic music then piano or acoustic guitar - but still I tend to always gravitate to the vocals which is unfortunately why - if the singer is a bum it doesn't matter how good the drummer or bass guitar player is I can't listen to the group. Which is why the likes of the Stones, Led Zepplin, Bob Dylan etc don't do it for me.

I'm kind of opposite to you when it comes to hearing favorite instrument. I can tolorate a mediocre song if it got good drum or keyboard sound. For example, not a big fan of Genesis, but some of their songs have killer drum work which get my blood flowing (ex, Home By the Sea).

[Feanor]

I don't know if this has been asked before or not.....but when listening to music or a song, the sound of which instrument(s) draw you in intitialy or make you pay close attention?

A good drum work always perk my ears (ex, Rush), or variety of keyboard sound that elevate the music (ex, DuranDuran).
My favorite instrument from a pure enjoyment point of view is the cello, and I enjoy pieces that highlight the instrument, i.e. solo or accompanied sonatas or concertos.

From the perspective of evaluating sound, however, it would be violins, brass, and percussion such as cymbals. And the human voices, specifically choruses where multiple voices permit one to evaluated air and transparency.

[ForeverAutumn]

That's a very difficult question. I can't say that one instrument on it's own will draw me in. It's really a big picture thing for me. Everything has to come together and come together well. Whether it's just one vocalist and a guitar performing a simple melody, or a group of musicians playing a complicated and busy progressive piece, or an entire orchestra, it just has to be done well and everything has to mesh together cohesively.

I listen to so many different genres of music that it would be very difficult to pick just one instrument.

[Smokey]

And the human voices, specifically choruses where multiple voices permit one to evaluated air and transparency.

Did you know that in some cultures (mostly eastern), vocals take precedent over all other intsrumenets. The guy/gal could sing about five minutes without any instruments and then it is used sparingly.


I listen to so many different genres of music that it would be very difficult to pick just one instrument.

I imagine it would be if you listen to so many different genres. I mostly listen to pop and rock and pretty much tune out other genres. May be that made it much easier to pick just one instrument.

[dean_martin]

It varies, but at the moment I like that Fender Telecaster sound in a good roadhouse country song like Dwight Yoakam's Guitars, Cadillacs. Some well-placed licks on a Tele do it for me. Throw in a few minimalist honky-tonk piano licks like in Willie Nelson's Paul and Me and I'm set.

Then there was the first time I heard the timpani in the outro of Dinosaur Jr's "What Else is Knew" from the album Where You Been. I knew what they were because I grew up in concert and marching bands, but I had never really noticed their use in rock before. (Other bands like the Beatles had used timpani, but it never jumped out at me.) I think there's an interesting use of chimes on that album too.

I also love it when a trumpet or sax solo floats from my speakers.

In my younger days I liked Sonic Youth's swirling guitar sounds. Loved the harmonics and feedback. Still do, but I'm leaning toward simpler and cleaner now - easier for my tired, aging brain to grasp.