Remaking the fx synth from the 1978 song "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh can be an exciting challenge for any synthesizer enthusiast. Here’s how you can create the "Life's Been Good" fx patch and play this iconic sound on most hardware or software subtractive synthesizers (Serum, Vital, Pigments, Prophet, Korg, Moog, etc). We've included the preset download directly for your convenience, but we strongly recommend you use our programming tutorial to recreate it yourself.
Original Audio
Joe Walsh’s 1978 hit “Life’s Been Good” from *But Seriously, Folks…* features a distinctive self-oscillating filter sequence that emerges during the guitar solo section starting at 2:53. This sound, created using an ARP 2600 synthesizer with its built-in sequencer, combines a resonant, droning filter with a rhythmic pitch pattern to create a “blippy” bass/lead hybrid texture. The sequence’s sustained, wavering tones derive from the ARP’s filter self-oscillation, while the sequencer generates the staccato pitch variations that drive the rhythm. This iconic synth part transitions into the solo, providing a dynamic contrast between electronic and organic instrumentation.
Original Performing Instrument
ARP 2600
Our Remake of The FX Synth
This audio clip is how close we've matched the original tone of the fx synth from the song "Life's Been Good" by Joe Walsh, giving you a reference point as you design your own synthesizer preset. Play it as often as you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of the sound.
Synth Patch Programming Recipe
Getting Started
- Start by initializing your synthesizer to a plain saw with no filter, modulation or effects. For soft synths use the "init"/"default" preset or the the button to reset all parameters to their default factory values.
- No two synths are exactly alike, so treat the values below as approximate, and use your ear.
- Percentage values (e.g. 50%) represent the relative position of a knob or slider within its full range. The full range of each parameter may differ from synth to synth, so use your ear.
Note: the patch settings may slightly differ in the Syntorial challenge.
Explore More
- Ksetlist Forum Thread: ARP 2600 Recreation Discussion
- Matrixsynth: Multi-Synth Recreation Approach
- YouTube: Ross Totino’s Synth Recreation Demo
Preset Downloads
Don't want to learn synth programming now? Use our synth preset as your starting point and tweak it from there. Register an account with Audible Genius and download the presets for free for the following synths:
- Vital
