How It Was Recorded

Joe Walsh · But Seriously, Folks..., 1978

Life's Been Good

Lead and backing vocalsElectric and acoustic guitarsBassDrumsOrgan, piano and synthesizerTape and mixReported26

What the sources do and do not say

One Mix Classic Tracks article by Dan Daley, built on an interview with producer-engineer Bill Szymczyk, covers the song's tracking on a boat, the middle-section overdubs at Bayshore and the mix. Most gear is stated in the journalist's narrative, so rows are reported rather than verified. The 414 model variant and the Leslie, Hammond and Eventide models are not given; the article was first posted in 2009. Two other Mix pages (a 2012 Analog Man piece and a NAMM notice) were read and are not about this song.

Lead and backing vocals

Joe Walsh

Microphone

Neumann U 87

Reported

Lead vocal microphone for Walsh.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Input chain

UREI 1176

Reported

Lightly compressed the lead vocal while tracking.

Settings
light touch

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

compressor

Models several revisions of the 1176, including the blackface units.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter (Models two 1176 revisions (blacky and bluey)).

Mix effects

Eventide Digital delay (model not stated)

Reported

Stereo delay on the lead vocal in the mix, giving a canyon-like effect on the verses.

Settings
40 ms delay panned left, 80 ms delay panned right

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

Soundtoys PrimalTap

delay

Models an early studio digital delay, the Lexicon Prime Time, so it has the same grainy, band-limited repeats. It is not a model of the unit on the record, which the source does not name.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Cooper Time Cube

Reported

Replaced the delay on the double-tracked chorus vocals to thicken them.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Cooper Time Cube Mk II Delay

delay

Universal Audio's model of the Cooper Time Cube, which its founder's company built.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Lexicon 224

Reported

A pair of units, one set to a hall and one to a room, gave basic ambience to the background and chorus vocals.

Settings
one set to hall, one to room

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb

reverb

Made with Lexicon as a model of the 224.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Electric and acoustic guitars

Joe Walsh and Joey Murcia

Instrument

Gibson Les Paul

Reported

Walsh's Les Paul joined the opening kick and snare after four bars.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. A guitar is the source of the sound, not a process applied to it. No plugin stands in for it.

Amplifier

Fender Twin Reverb

Reported

Walsh's Les Paul was played through it when the guitar joined after four bars.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5

amp and cabinet simulator

An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear).

Microphone

Neumann KM 84

Reported

Microphone on the acoustic guitar part that comes in after the electric layers.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Input chain

UREI 1176

Reported

Compressor the acoustic guitar microphone was fed through.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Universal Audio 1176 Classic Limiter Collection

compressor

Models several revisions of the 1176, including the blackface units.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Waves CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter (Models two 1176 revisions (blacky and bluey)).

Bass

Willie Weeks

Amplifier

Recorded direct (DI), no amplifier

Reported

A DI tap taken from the bass, combined with the amp signal.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Recorded direct, so there is no amp to model. Leave the amp simulator off.

Ampeg B-15

Reported

Bass amp blended with a DI tap.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5

amp and cabinet simulator

An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear).

Drums

Joe Vitale

Microphone

Shure SM57

Reported

Snare microphone.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model. The SM57 is still made and inexpensive: the real thing is the practical route.

AKG D12

Reported

Kick drum microphone.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Neumann U 87

Reported

A pair used as overhead microphones.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Sony Lavalier microphone (model not stated)

Reported

Placed on the hi-hat to capture the 3 kHz region, a technique Szymczyk still uses.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Organ, piano and synthesizer

Jay Ferguson and Joe Vitale

Instrument

Hammond B3

Reported

Ferguson’s organ part.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Arturia B-3 V

instrument

A model of the Hammond B-3 with a Leslie speaker. The C-3 is the same organ in a different cabinet.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: IK Multimedia Hammond B-3X (Made with Hammond as a model of the B-3).

ARP Odyssey

Reported

Walsh and Vitale programmed the simple eighth-note sequence in the middle section on it; Szymczyk says it was a synthesizer, not a Jew’s harp.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Korg KORG Collection

instrument

Korg's bundle of software instruments, which includes its ARP Odyssey.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

ARP Odyssey

Reported

Vitale also played a bass part on it in the middle section.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Emulation of this unit

Korg KORG Collection

instrument

Korg's bundle of software instruments, which includes its ARP Odyssey.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Unidentified Grand piano (model not stated)

Reported

Played the left-hand whole notes and then block chords in the middle section, through the Leslie with the same microphones as the B3.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. The source does not name the model, so no specific plugin can be suggested.

Amplifier

Leslie Rotary speaker (model not stated)

Reported

Rotary speaker cabinet the B3 was played through.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Covers this kind of unit

IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5

amp and cabinet simulator

An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Native Instruments Guitar Rig 7 Pro (An amp and cabinet simulator that covers a wide range of amplifiers and speaker cabinets of this kind. It is not a model of this unit, so pick the nearest one in it by ear).

Microphone

Neumann U 87

Reported

A pair on the upper Leslie speakers for the B3.

Position
upper speakers of the Leslie

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Electro-Voice RE20

Reported

Microphone on the lower Leslie speaker for the B3.

Position
bottom of the Leslie

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Microphone-modelling plugins only work with their own matched hardware microphone, so there is no plugin to link. Placement and the room matter more than the model.

Tape and mix

Input chain

MCI 4-track tape deck (model not stated)

Reported

Four-track recorder fitted on the boat for the original sessions.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines

tape

Models two Studer machines, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape).

Ampex 456 tape

Reported

The verse-and-chorus recordings were each put on their own reel of 2-inch tape of this type.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

No plugin suggested. Tape stock, not a machine. Tape plugins usually let you choose a tape formulation.

Mix effects

MCI 500 Series console

Reported

Szymczyk mixed each of the three sections separately on this 36-input console.

Settings
36 inputs

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Close match

Metric Halo MBSI Channel Strip

channel strip

Models the channel strip of a custom MCI desk at Criteria Studios from the same years; it is the same maker's sound but not a JH-500.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

MCI 2-track tape decks (model not stated)

Reported

Three decks were used to crossfade between the edit points of the three mixed sections.

Source: Mix, accessed 15 Nov 2026

Approximate

Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines

tape

Models two Studer machines, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape.

Get the plugin ↗What else it stands in for

Also worth a look: Universal Audio Studer A800 Tape Recorder (Models a Studer A800, not this recorder. It gives the general behaviour of analogue multitrack tape).

Sources

  1. Classic Tracks: Joe Walsh's "Life's Been Good", Mix, 2024-10-18. Accessed 15 Nov 2026.
Verified

Stated by the engineer, producer or artist, or by the manufacturer.

Reported

Stated by a reputable secondary source.

Inferred

An educated suggestion, not a documented fact.

Disclosure: plugin links currently go straight to the maker and earn us nothing. If that changes, affiliate links will be marked here. Suggestions are chosen on fit, never on commission, and are kept separate from the recording facts. More.