MPB Guitar Tone - Amp Settings, Gear, and Songs
11 iconic MPB tones with the exact settings behind them - gain, EQ, pickup, tuning, and pedal chain per song, plus the median amp settings across the whole style. 1 of them are bass tones. Built to be dialled in on whatever gear you own.
Translate any MPB tone to the rig you already own
Median knob positions across the 11 catalog tones in this genre, on the amps they were recorded with. A starting point for the sound - then pick a song below for the exact recipe.
- Gain
- 2.5
- Bass
- 5
- Mid
- 6
- Treble
- 6
- Presence
- 5.5
- Volume
- 5
Gear That Defines the MPB Sound
- ampFender '65 Deluxe Reverb ReissueModern equivalent - the original isn't named hereon 5 MPB tones
- ampTwin ReverbModern equivalent: Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissueon 3 MPB tones
- guitarStratocasterModern equivalent: Fender American Professional II Stratocasteron 3 MPB tones
- guitarTaylor 314ceModern equivalent - the original isn't named hereon 3 MPB tones
- ampRoland JC-120 Jazz Choruson 1 MPB tone
- guitarStratocasterModern equivalent: Fender Vintera '60s Stratocasteron 1 MPB tone
- bassPrecision BassModern equivalent: Fender Vintera II '60s Precision Basson 1 MPB tone
- pedalTC Electronic Hall of Fame 2 ReverbModern equivalent - the original isn't named hereon 1 MPB tone
- pedalBoss CE-2 Choruson 1 MPB tone
Artists With the Most MPB Tones
MPB Tones You Can Dial In
- Preta PretinhaNovos Baianos · 1972
- Presente de um Beija-FlorNatiruts · 1999
- MalandragemCássia Eller · 1994
- Maluco BelezaRaul Seixas · 1977
- SutilmenteSkank · 2008
- Último RomanceLos Hermanos · 2003
- O VentoLos Hermanos · 2005
- Azul da Cor do MarTim Maia · 1970 · bass
- Águas de MarçoElis & Tom · 1974
- SampaCaetano Veloso · 1978
- Chega de SaudadeJoão Gilberto · 1959
Common Questions About MPB Tone
What amp settings do I need for MPB?
Across the 11 MPB tones in our catalog the median is gain 2.5 (range 0–5), with bass 5, mid 6, treble 6 - on a 0–10 scale. That's the window, not a recipe: pick any song below for the exact knob positions it was recorded with, then let ToneMirror re-voice them for your amp.
What gear gives you the MPB sound?
In our catalog the MPB tones lean most on the Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue (a modern equivalent), the Twin Reverb (modern equivalent: Fender '65 Twin Reverb Reissue), the Stratocaster (modern equivalent: Fender American Professional II Stratocaster). You don't need any of it - the match engine translates each recipe onto the gear you already own, compensating for a different EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type.
Which artists best represent MPB?
Los Hermanos, Novos Baianos, Natiruts have the most MPB tones catalogued here. Each artist page breaks down their full rig and how their tone changed across records.
Can I get these tones without buying vintage gear?
Yes - that's the point of ToneMirror. Every setting on this page was dialled in on the original artist's rig, and the match engine re-voices it for whatever guitar, amp, and pedals you actually have, including modellers like the Helix, Katana, and Kemper.