mellotronic blast as my iMac starts up
John Wetton's voice and bass on the Larks' Tongues in Aspic album
the dawn chorus at this time of year

...I believe Brian Poole's favourite was that rare beast they called 'the Dagenham sound'.

...of the cork coming out of a bottle of port.

and 33"

You lie in, I'll make the coffee.
Here's £20 to go down the pub, I'm watching Coronation St.

listening to the train going clackety clack over the tracks and falling asleep, the dawn chorus and the sound of silence/quiet conversation in pubs.

...going bananas when Stimpy hits the lost chord at 11, having just enjoyed the BUNGGGGG of his amp being turned on...

that my bike makes as I (naughtily) ride it across the metal zig-zag walkway over the huge weir. It combines with the roar of the river and the resigned holler of the lock-keeper...bliss!

...surely there'll be three more from them later, Kate? :-)

my car closing on a Friday evening as I get in after work

Merlin engine

Stomach tightening rhythm, power and beauty.

Everyone's favourite sounds seem to be associated with rest and relaxation. Apart from the dawn chorus bit. Why would anyone take delight in being woken up by a load of birds giving it six 'n' out outside their bedroom window at five in the bloody morning?

So. Mine. Probably the squeak of fresh snow under skis first thing of a morning. A sound I hear only a couple of times a year if I'm lucky but when it comes.. Ahh.. joy.

Also the sound a golf ball makes as it makes contact with a long iron in optimal fashion. It is also a feel. You know it is good even before your eye rises to follow the soaring path of the ball, rising on the spin as it tracks towards a distant green.

This sound also only occurs once or twice a year if I am lucky.

Another sound I like is people I know saying "Lenny!" as I enter a certain pub near to Euston station. I wish it would happen more often.

...but, definitely:-

Seagulls - living on the coast they are the sound of home, rather than the sound of the tip for the more "mainland"of you out there.

Merlin Engines - maybe an Airfix generational thing, but the feeling that they inspire when I hear them at Airshows is up there with the Ramones "1-2-3-4!" in how it means something good is going to happen now

And the honking of the Greylags when they come back each Autumn. Some kind of convoy maintenance thing for them, an inspiration to stop whatever I'm doing and stare at the huge V of them for me.

whilst sitting outside in the sun in the summer

a wintertime noise - the sound of walking boot clad feet striding across hard-as-iron earth and shattering the icy crusts on frozen puddles

springtime noise - the droning of bumblebees, the mellodious tweeting of the first skylarks of the year and the throaty caws of rooks and crows

and one of my favourite general feelgood noises - the sound of morning and afternoon playtime at the primary school 1/4 of a mile from my house, only heard on and therefore signifying that i'm having a day off from work during the week. A sound of pure innocent joyousness.

4 of them on a lanc or two on the magnificent,unparalleled mosquito.And H.M.stevie marriotts voice on'Rocking the Fillmore' by ver Pie.

and laughter.

would be a combination of peerless commentator for the San Jose Sharks Randy Hahn ("Joe Pavelski...SCOOOOOOORRRRREEES!!!!") and the crowd at HP Pavilion (aka 'The Shark Tank') during the Stanley Cup playoffs...

...on my Jazzmaster through my Marshall Jubilee with the overdrive channel on and the valves cooking. Cor. Still does it.

But honestly the best sound in the world is my little girls playing nicely together, chatting and making each other laugh and generally being best friends.

1) my new favourite musical sound is the twang of my ukulele. I love playing it.

2) my favourite people sounds (although technically not really musical, even though it should be) are my little girls singing. My little daughter wanders around singing (singing is sort of stretching it, it's more of a wavering parple than anything) to herself all day, everything from "I'm a Little Teapot" to "Mamma Mia". My elder daughter likes to make up songs. Often about how much she loves me. Gotta love that :-)

3) my favourite non-musical, non-people sound is the doorbell ringing when I'm expecting friends over. Or possibly the ping of the oven when I'm expecting friends over, and the cake's ready.

Birdsong in Spring.

The sea lapping on the shore.

The soft breathing of my beautiful wife as she sleeps safely beside me.
The joyous laughter of my friends.
The sound of a butter knife as it's dragged across newly toasted bread.
Rainfall on leaves.
Waves on the seashore.
Birdsong.
The faint sound of a paintbrush as it leaves a perfect stroke of colour across the surface of paper.

Damn funny.(I can write damn can't I Fraser? It's not like I wrote B*no)