🎸 Other · 2010s+

On My Soul by Bruno Mars (Riff · Clean) — Guitar Tone

by Bruno Mars · riff

The On My Soul by Bruno Mars guitar tone is dialed in at gain 3.5/10, bass 6, mid 6.5, treble 6.5, presence 5.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

3.5

GAIN

BASS

6.5

MID

6.5

TREBLE

5.5

PRESENCE

3.5

REVERB

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 1310 tones in our researched catalog: Gain 3.5 sits below the catalog average (5.3) — cleaner and more dynamic than typical catalog; mids at 6.5 are right around average (5.9).

Guitar controls

7-8

VOLUME

6-7

TONE

Effects / signal chain

reverb

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 4.5)

Tone character

clean and smooth, warm midrange, subtle amp reverb, tight and percussive rhythm, articulate note separation, no audible overdrive or fuzz, slightly rounded highs, balanced low end, sits well in the mix behind vocals, no modulation or time-based effects

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, medium tempo, medium dynamics · clean distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the On My Soul sound.

Difficulty

2/5 · Riff

The riff requires clean, syncopated rhythm playing and tight timing, but does not involve advanced techniques or fast passages.

Worth knowing

No direct sources confirm the exact guitar, pickups, amp, or pedal models used on the studio recording of 'On My Soul' by Bruno Mars for the riff section.
No official rig rundown, pedalboard photos, or interviews for this song/section found.
Settings are estimated based on typical R&B/funk studio tones from the 2020s and the audible characteristics of the recording.
No evidence of pedals or effects specific to this recording; forum posts discuss general R&B pedal choices, not this song.
No pickup selector position can be confirmed.
No amp model can be confirmed; settings are inferred for a clean, modern R&B tone.
If more information becomes available (e.g., session photos, interviews), this should be updated.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. The riff in 'On My Soul' features a clean but slightly gritty funk tone, typical of Bruno Mars' retro-inspired productions. The amp is set just at the edge of breakup for rhythmic clarity, with full mids and balanced bass/treble, and a touch of reverb for subtle ambience, matching his usual vintage soul/funk approach.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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On My Soul guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the On My Soul guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 3.5, bass 6, mid 6.5, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 3.5. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the On My Soul tone?

Original gear/effects: reverb.

Can I get the On My Soul tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Bruno Mars on On My Soul — what gear and pedals?

Start with the amp EQ above (gain 3.5, bass 6, mid 6.5, treble 6.5, presence 5.5, reverb 3.5), and reverb. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

Share this tone

Sources

Pedals for Rap/R&B? - The Gear Page

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More like this

🎸 How to get Bruno Mars’s guitar tone → · 🎸 more Other guitar tones → · 🎸 more iconic guitar riffs → · 🎯 more percussive tones → · 📖 New to amp settings? What every knob does →

Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com