[Mairuzu]

Yea loads of people use samples. Its just where they get them from and what they do with them. Using the same popular samples can make a lot of songs sound the same. For example the load of peope who use the same fruity loops sounds, is it not annoying?
I can't beleive such big producers would use Synthogy Ivory, but I guess for some pieces there wouldn't be a lot of difference than a real piano. Real instruments have expression. What are interesting though are modelling instruments, like electric piano/string instrument modellers, they have lots of paremeters to deal wth much more than the playback of a sample.

I guess samples are however you use them, but you have to be wary of how it sounds. I was listening to some of the Chono Symphonic stuff and I didn't really like it, there were some nice sounds but it lacks the realism and small inperfections of a real orchestra, although some tracks are better than others.

If you've heard a LOT of music where people are using the same samples hearting more of it gets kind of boring. Only tweaking samples slightly can make a lot of difference is all i'm saying.
And the originality is noticed by the listener, may sound more original to some rather than others.

But I don't want to start a massive discussion, just trying to give advice to people who use freely available/popular samples, TWEAK!