I think some of you are right mentioning several tracks with beautiful instruments. One of my fav atm is the piano in Mike Foyle & Signalrunners - "Love Theme Dusk". Or you know the violin in the intro of "Affection Over Reason" (Basic Draft) by Draft 2 Design ? Though it's clearly hearable synthesized , it fits well there !

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Piano for sure. followed by a nice guitar lick.

My favourite sounds in not just trance but EDM in general are warm pads (think just about anything by Chicane) and piano and/or strings, especially when used together as in the Thrillseekers remix of Chicane's Saltwater. I'd think of better examples but I really don't have the energy.

Acid. I'm a complete sucker for it in trance.

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quote:

Originally posted by Ishkur What you are all listening to is sample playback synthesis. Not actual instruments.

So you're saying every single realistic sound in every trance track ever is just sample playback synthesis?

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quote:

Originally posted by [MaRt] in the Thrillseekers remix of Chicane's Saltwater.

FTW!

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hello thar

granular synthesis

I like strings too

quote:

Originally posted by Mr.Mystery So you're saying every single realistic sound in every trance track ever is just sample playback synthesis?

Not every....but most. Like....99%.

You can tell because a genuine string being stroked has a different texture and timbre to it than a keyboard playing a sample of that string. Audio engineers, producers and electronic musicians have tried for years to replicate the unique feel and quality of string and wind instruments using keyboards, with varying degrees of success, but the end product still sounds artificial and....piano-ey. If you get my meaning.

Didgeridoo ftw!

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//..

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Didgeridoo ftw!

hehe
Gouryella is real!!!!!

Bells too. i forgot about them.

I know it's not trance, but Timewriter's Remix of Mike Oldfield - Far Above the Clouds is amazing w/ the bells.

Violins. I've always loved Chicane - Offshore. Acoustic guitar, piano, and violins!