Rick`s playing in "Cirrus Minor " "Cymbaline " are all about the sound of Pink Floyd .He was (is ) the most important member .

I disagree; Gilmour's guitar was most defining factor of Floyd sound and is main reason why Floyd still sounded Floyd in The Wall days. That's also reason why Animals and On An Island sound so very Floydian.

I'm not downplaying Rick here, but in their classic era and onwards it was Dave's guitar that was the dominating factor (in certain sense in Syd days too as Dave heavily influenced Syd's style) of their sound, in their formating years (ASOS, Ummagumma, More...) I'd give edge to Rick in dominance without doubt.

But really, the soul and crystalline clarity of Orthodox Floyd sound can be constructed of these pieces:

The incredibly woven texture rich beauty of the music that is constructed of
1. David Gilmour's guitar
2. Rick's organ work

(as examples: SOYCD is clearly more Dave and overall WYWH + Animals are easily most "Gilmour" in sound. DSotM is like Echoes Rick/Dave soundwise and The Wall really stands from other Floyd material. What I said about SOYCD extends to all Animals tracks too.

Echoes and AHM stand together as equally Rick/Dave. Roger's contributions are absolutely minimal on those tracks when it comes to music.

This Rick/Dave musical dominance comes very clear if you go and listen to ANY bootleg from the forming years. They form vast majority of music heard in jams etc.

Some Piper tracks, ASOS and More are very Rick in sound. Though importance of Dave's wordless vocals + Rick's organ co-operative beauty should not be dismissed in this era. For example Celestial Voices section)

Second defining factor in singing is:

1. Gilmour's singing (well, all records)
2. Rick/Dave harmonies (DSotM and Echoes above all others)
3. Different leads on same track (let's see...none other than frickin' Time, Dogs and Comfortably Numb as prime examples)
4. Waters strange hissing and other inhumane noises (CWTAE, Animals tracks, The Wall...)

Third:

1. Conceptuality (Thanks Roger! This is your biggest contribution to Floyd.)
2. Weird noises, sound effects etc. (them all)



Soul and essence of Floyd's sound is borne out of Rick's and David's musical interplay.

A great reply from Xardie to my "all things Rick " contribution . Without Dave Gilmour , Floyd would have ceased to be .That is a certainty. My point in that Rick is the most important member comes from before Dave joined the group . Rick`s playing on "The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn " is incredible . Listen to the things that he does on "Intersteller Overdrive" . He is predominant on the whole album and also "Saucerful Of Secrets " .I think that his greatest hour is on "Wish You Where Here" ,not to forget "Cluster One " on "The Division Bell" .Anyway we all are here in appreciation of The Floyd .