Is the guitar tone related to the drums?

[MultiM]

Hey Guys :

when I'm mixing songs I choose my lead tone depending on the rhythm tone I have so each of them can be heard and not blended in each other.

I know it sounds stupid a bit, but do you build your guitar tone depending on your drums? I'm not talking about each of them cutting through in the mix, just the main sound.

Thanks.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

definitely...some guys build drums around guitars (sneap for instance), some guys build guitars around drums (bergstrand for instance)

 

[Jormyn]

I tend to think more in terms of an overall sound... is it more classic/80s with some reverb? Try a little less gain on a Marshall or a Boogie. Tight modern stuff? More gain or a tube screamer, hard noise gating, something crunchier like an Engl. However, if you have a specific guitar tone you like, most of the time it's just a matter of finding the right EQ to make it sit well.

 

[HOFX]

definitely...some guys build drums around guitars (sneap for instance), some guys build guitars around drums (bergstrand for instance)

Interesting.

I always start a mix getting the best drum sound, then fitting everything in, with guitars last. I've never started a mix around the guitar sound. I'll have to try that one day.

 

[crillemannen]

Interesting.

I always start a mix getting the best drum sound, then fitting everything in, with guitars last. I've never started a mix around the guitar sound. I'll have to try that one day.

I don't think Andy starts with guitars (dunno though) but i think Genious meant that he sculpts the drums after the guitars so the guitars can be made thick alá Sneap. Like if you wan't the guitars to be very thick around 100-200hz you might have to adjust your kick accordingly or else the bass range of the mix will be muddy in overall.

While if you want to have the biffiest drums you might have to compromise the guitars in certain frequency's. So they sound great in the mix but a bit thin when solo'ed.

 

[JeffTD]

I think the overall vibe and character of the drums (especially the room) should certainly influence the guitar tone; you're not gonna have super dull guitars with super hi-fi, attack-heavy drums and have it balance out well. In other words, you should be mixing.

 

[Nimvi]

I always start a mix getting the best drum sound, then fitting everything in, with guitars last.

Same here. Drums IMO are the framework in almost any genre (as long as it uses drums/percussion ofc), and if you can get those to sound cool, everything else will have a much stronger delivery already.

I treat the high and low frequency range of the drums (and sometimes the width) as an arbitrary limit for the rest of the instruments. I think of it as the borders of a painting.
The overheads determine the brightness of the total mix for me, and other elements should slot into that without exceeding it too much or falling obviously short, or they will sound disconnected. Same goes for the kick drum vs bass elements.

I think the overall vibe and character of the drums (especially the room) should certainly influence the guitar tone; you're not gonna have super dull guitars with super hi-fi, attack-heavy drums and have it balance out well. In other words, you should be mixing.

Completely agree.

 

[AssNasty]

"Everything is related to everything."

 

[Deuteronomy]

AssNasty is totally right: "Everything is related to everything."

The guitar tone is related to all the other instruments, just like al the other instruments are related to the guitar tone.This can be easily understood since it is included in the meaning of the word "mix".
Mix is from the Greek Μίξη and it means a combination of things, in order to have a result.
For me, the cymbals shape a lot the guitar tone.