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.

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

I love a good piano piece.

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

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.

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.

Hurdy Gurdy

Saxophone

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

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

oboe, cello, violin...

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.

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

Pipe Organ

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.

Yamaha DX7

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

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

Piano.

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?

Violin is up there for me, such rich notes and emotion can be pushed through it.

After that a didgeridoo played well is awesome. I like to play mine into the bath tub so I get the reverberation and can really hear it

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

Dual-rectified electric guitar.

Strung Out - Bring out Your Dead

Foo Fighters - Everlong

Tool - Forty Six & 2

Electric guitar.

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

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.

Who doesn't enjoy some good theremin

https://youtu.be/9qYndeST4aw

My actual favorite is electric guitar followed by violin, and I'll gladly expound, but those have already been mentioned.

So for this comment I'll go with handpan drum. Those sound so amazing and soothing to me.

I love a lot of different instruments, but I fell in love with the Erhu after ATLA. Second to that, the orchestral strings like the violin, viola, cello, etc. Scores from Halo and Elder Scrolls franchises.

Finally, the collective vocal cords of choirs.

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

Accordion, dammit Accordion!

Sitar!

Hang drums sound beautiful