Vocal experts: Is it possible for Axl to get his 2010 voice back again?

[HisRoyalSweetness]

only in forumland: fans speculate about whether or not axl can recapture the magic... of 2010.

It was really that good. Not everything about the last 18 years of GNR history has been catastrophic - can you get your head around that?

oh, try and keep it together, would you? i didn't say everything's been catastrophic. just that nobody outside of forumland would ever pine for 2010 gnr vs. 2012 gnr. if you think i'm wrong, go ask 1000 random strangers who don't live on a gnr forum when the band was really cooking. i'll bet not a single one of them mentions 2010.

but it's fine that you guys are into 2010 so much. absolutely no reason you can't. i just think it's funny when there are these heated, specific forum discussions about something that's a completely laughable non-issue outside of forumland. to me, this thread isn't much different than one about what kind of shoes axl will be wearing.

Forums pertaining to bands are always more specific/meticulous/concentrated than the general public. Do you think the general public really cared about the shitty mixing of Metallica's Death Magnetic? You do know you are on a forum yes?

yeah, i get this is a forum. yeah, i get that there are weird obsessives on every form for every band. yes, i think that metallica fans who talk like we do are weirdo nerds too.

[Young_Gun]

only in forumland: fans speculate about whether or not axl can recapture the magic... of 2010.

It was really that good. Not everything about the last 18 years of GNR history has been catastrophic - can you get your head around that?

oh, try and keep it together, would you? i didn't say everything's been catastrophic. just that nobody outside of forumland would ever pine for 2010 gnr vs. 2012 gnr. if you think i'm wrong, go ask 1000 random strangers who don't live on a gnr forum when the band was really cooking. i'll bet not a single one of them mentions 2010.

but it's fine that you guys are into 2010 so much. absolutely no reason you can't. i just think it's funny when there are these heated, specific forum discussions about something that's a completely laughable non-issue outside of forumland. to me, this thread isn't much different than one about what kind of shoes axl will be wearing.

Forums pertaining to bands are always more specific/meticulous/concentrated than the general public. Do you think the general public really cared about the shitty mixing of Metallica's Death Magnetic? You do know you are on a forum yes?

yeah, i get this is a forum. yeah, i get that there are weird obsessives on every form for every band. yes, i think that metallica fans who talk like we do are weirdo nerds too.

So why bring up the subject if you know all this? It's not going to change...

Edited June 2, 2012 by Young_Gun

[HisRoyalSweetness]

sometimes i think we need nerd checks around here. it's not impossible to have a normal conversation around here. especially now that normal people are mods again. i'd like to see the conversational paradigm shift more towards the center here. whenever conversation veers into laughable territory, i like it when people pipe in and remind us of the world outside of the cult compound's walls.

you don't, young gun. and that's cool. honestly, the place wouldn't be as entertaining without debates about which songs off chinese democracy can make you cry and what kind of facial hair axl should have.

Edited June 2, 2012 by HisRoyalSweetness

[Young_Gun]

sometimes i think we need nerd checks around here. it's not impossible to have a normal conversation around here. especially now that normal people are mods again. i'd like to see the conversational paradigm shift more towards the center here. whenever conversation veers into laughable territory, i like it when people pipe in and remind us of the world outside of the cult compound's walls.

you don't, young gun. and that's cool. honestly, the place wouldn't be as entertaining without debates about which songs off chinese democracy can make you cry and what kind of facial hair axl should have.

All sweet

[Guest Gunns]

I think the problem is that casual fans that may happen to see axl once or twice, just go and see him play the old hits and really aren't fussed as to what Axl sounds like or who else is in the band.

The gnr fans/forum fans know what Axl is capable of and constantly measure his performance and subsequently, his voice on previous efforts such as 2010, and therefore question why he is no longer capable of it.

Like EVERYTHING in life, you get some people mor passionate in vocalizing their opinion then others, an some just like to debate about his voice on here for the thrill of the fight.

It's like economics, the general person on the street couldn't tell you what effects the economy and why, yet they all have what they consider to be a valid opinion and are passionate in telling it to whoever listens.

It's easier to bitch about those bitching, then to contribute anything of value IMO

Edited June 2, 2012 by Gunns

[Cosmo]

I just think if he went from 2002 voice to 2006 voice, he could do it again. But he needs to get serious about it.

[trqster]

I just think if he went from 2002 voice to 2006 voice, he could do it again. But he needs to get serious about it.

Not even that much of a change needed - he's already sang at top level this year back in February at some odd shows like Philly. It's really strange that he started 2012 with virtually no rasp then in Philly he pulled almost 2010 rasp, then he just lost it once again until right now.. WTF Axl!?

Edited June 2, 2012 by trqster

[arm breaker]

I wonder how much he recognizes/cares about these obvious fluctuations in performance? At each of the six shows I've been to he had awesome moments with most being ok and some being outright terrible. At least in 2011 there were a few times that he just nailed something, and it almost seemed he reacted like he was happy as he had a little smirk on his face like "oh yeah I just nailed that one." My guess is he wants to sound as good as possible while preserving his voice from damage. It seems that MM voice is a way to escape voice damage and sometimes a conscious decision. Other times there is not a good MM, just really bad singing. Either way I think he cares but probably doesn't do too much to correct the problem beyond trying each night.

[HB3]

I just think if he went from 2002 voice to 2006 voice, he could do it again. But he needs to get serious about it.

Not even that much of a change needed - he's already sang at top level this year back in February at some odd shows like Philly. It's really strange that he started 2012 with virtually no rasp then in Philly he pulled almost 2010 rasp, then he just lost it once again until right now.. WTF Axl!?

It is pretty confusing. I know before people have said he's saving his voice to record in the studio. And I really hope that's true. I do actually like his voice this year. It's solid and even amazing on some songs. But I think he has the potential to have the best of both worlds: 2010 rasp and 2002 clean voice. Because you have to admit that the clean voice sounded incredible on some songs like The Blues and Madagascar. Look up The Blues from Osaka 2002. It's awesome.

[KiraMPD]

I just think if he went from 2002 voice to 2006 voice, he could do it again. But he needs to get serious about it.

Not even that much of a change needed - he's already sang at top level this year back in February at some odd shows like Philly. It's really strange that he started 2012 with virtually no rasp then in Philly he pulled almost 2010 rasp, then he just lost it once again until right now.. WTF Axl!?

I think he can pull the "rasp" at certain high pitches.

The presence or lack of rasp isn't what bothers me personally... Well it does but... his mid range vocals concern me sometimes. I noticed this only a couple of times last night but his voice seems to go all over the place at certain pitches? I wasn't hugely distracted by it cuz the music was so loud and I was really into the songs and stuff but I did notice it.

Idk, something just seems really off about his voice sometimes (especially when I listen to the bootlegs and YouTube vids).

[Young_Gun]

I just think if he went from 2002 voice to 2006 voice, he could do it again. But he needs to get serious about it.

Not even that much of a change needed - he's already sang at top level this year back in February at some odd shows like Philly. It's really strange that he started 2012 with virtually no rasp then in Philly he pulled almost 2010 rasp, then he just lost it once again until right now.. WTF Axl!?

I think he really gave it his all for the Philly show, I even made a thread about how impressed I was with his vocals for that show. Alas, he relegated to singing without the rasp the very next show. I think he can sing close to how he used to in 2010, but doesn't want to due to the damage it can cause on his chords.

[KetchupNotMayo]

I think it has to do with a variety of things; if Axl rehearsed and soundchecked more often, kept up drinking/smoking, pushed himself to the limit etc. then I'm confident he could sing like '06/'10 again.

But whatever, I'm happy to have a bit of rasp as long as he doesn't sound like he did at Rio last year, yeah he could sound better but I saw Guns in '06 and I saw Guns in '10, the band are super tight now and Axl sounds good enough to justify me buying tickets for his shows.

When/if Axl wants to get his voice back into that raspy consistency he had in the past, he will. Until then I'll happily pay to see him sing how he has been recently, as long as it doesn't dip to some of the lower points of the '11/'12 tour.

Edited June 2, 2012 by KetchupNotMayo

[Freddie Mercury's Ghost]

Serious thought - it's possible Axl got the "rasp" back in 2006 and 2009 from cocaine abuse.

[trqster]

How come in 2010 his voice lasted just fine and was comsistent throughout the year in terms of power and rasp, then all the sudden in 2011 it sounded weak most of times and Axl started thinking about not damaging his vocal chords? Something does not figure...

[downzy]

The "rasp" sound you're referring to is often a result of polyps on the vocal chord. Polyps are a double edge sword. They help distort the sound coming out of your voice (hence the rasp), but can pose as a health risk with potential for cancer down the road if they aren't treated properly. The two biggest causes of polyps is tremendous strain on the vocal chords and possibly the addition of smoking (alcohol generally has little effect, at least that's been my experience).

Polyps can heal themselves with time or if they're posing too much of a risk, can be removed via surgery. If Axl went without singing between the end of the Canada/SA/Europe tour in 2010/11 tour it could explain why perhaps his vocal chords have healed themselves. Another possibility is that he either quit smoking or had surgery to have them removed as if they become too big of a problem a singer wouldn't be able to sing at all without sounding like a squawking parrot (think of Axl's vocals in 92/92).

Ultimately, i think Axl's making a conscious choice to hold back the amount of strain he puts on his vocal chords (thus producing the rasp) for reasons unknown to us. My bet is he might have quit smoking and thus in order to create the rasp we heard in 2010, he has to put more strain on his vocal chords, thus limiting their performance. In 2010, assuming he was smoking, he could have relied on the natural state of his vocal chords without having to put too much strain on them and thus was able to sing as long as he did.

I'm not an expert but have experience with singing and dealt with many vocal coaches and hence my own understanding of the situation. So yes, he could get his 2010 vocals back consistently but it might require detrimental ramifications (smoking) to get them back

Cheers,

Andrew

[riot]

sure he could!! he just doesn't push his voice. it's a choice from the man himself, and that, i'm totally sure of that. its harder to sing like 2010 and sometimes it hurts a lot more too. doing a clean voice like he does on some songs help him restore between gigs. that said I loooooooove 2010 voice

[rendestroi95]

For me, his voice are better here than in 2010 '-'

[rabia]

The "rasp" sound you're referring to is often a result of polyps on the vocal chord. Polyps are a double edge sword. They help distort the sound coming out of your voice (hence the rasp), but can pose as a health risk with potential for cancer down the road if they aren't treated properly. The two biggest causes of polyps is tremendous strain on the vocal chords and possibly the addition of smoking (alcohol generally has little effect, at least that's been my experience).

I dont think its worth it for him to incur that kind of risk to please a few rasp-loving internet fans when people attending the shows seem generally satisfied.

Everybody has the right to their own opinion but I find it really hard to understand how anybody can proclaim that he sounds terrible right now. The obsession with rasp has gotten to ridiculously exaggerated levels, in my view.

Was Axl ever a singer who sang every single note with rasp? I think he would be a very one-dimensional singer if that was the case. And one-dimensional he is not. In 2012, from what I've seen, when he sings without rasp he still sings with a good amount of power but somehow people still keep claiming that its Mickey House.

At this point, the Mickey Mouse label has been totally emptied of meaning and can be randomly applied anywhere.

[Damn_Smooth]

For me, his voice are better here than in 2010 '-'

I completely agree. I wish that he had kept in in the set because he nailed it in most of the UCaP performances.

[bacardimayne]

2010 isn't just about the voice. It's clear by watching videos that he's using a completely different singing technique than he is now.

[Damn_Smooth]

Fuckin' Tom Cruise borrowed Axl's voice coach so he could attempt to play him in a movie. He must not have returned him when he was done.

I don't even want to know the horrors that a scientologist would put a voice coach that they no longer have any use for through.

[rudolf1978]

The "rasp" sound you're referring to is often a result of polyps on the vocal chord. Polyps are a double edge sword. They help distort the sound coming out of your voice (hence the rasp), but can pose as a health risk with potential for cancer down the road if they aren't treated properly. The two biggest causes of polyps is tremendous strain on the vocal chords and possibly the addition of smoking (alcohol generally has little effect, at least that's been my experience).

Polyps can heal themselves with time or if they're posing too much of a risk, can be removed via surgery. If Axl went without singing between the end of the Canada/SA/Europe tour in 2010/11 tour it could explain why perhaps his vocal chords have healed themselves. Another possibility is that he either quit smoking or had surgery to have them removed as if they become too big of a problem a singer wouldn't be able to sing at all without sounding like a squawking parrot (think of Axl's vocals in 92/92).

Ultimately, i think Axl's making a conscious choice to hold back the amount of strain he puts on his vocal chords (thus producing the rasp) for reasons unknown to us. My bet is he might have quit smoking and thus in order to create the rasp we heard in 2010, he has to put more strain on his vocal chords, thus limiting their performance. In 2010, assuming he was smoking, he could have relied on the natural state of his vocal chords without having to put too much strain on them and thus was able to sing as long as he did.

I'm not an expert but have experience with singing and dealt with many vocal coaches and hence my own understanding of the situation. So yes, he could get his 2010 vocals back consistently but it might require detrimental ramifications (smoking) to get them back

Cheers,

Andrew

PolypS! have you ever listen to someone with polyps! is like putting your voice on/off! its not polyps for sure.

And you are rtight in this.

Axl's making a conscious choice to hold back the amount of strain he puts on his vocal chords (thus producing the rasp) for reasons unknown to us

Thats all,he doesnt want to sing with rasp because its something wrong for him.if you check in some videos he tries to put rasp ( civil war for ex) but it doesnt happens.

[Kill Devil Hill]

The "rasp" sound you're referring to is often a result of polyps on the vocal chord. Polyps are a double edge sword. They help distort the sound coming out of your voice (hence the rasp), but can pose as a health risk with potential for cancer down the road if they aren't treated properly. The two biggest causes of polyps is tremendous strain on the vocal chords and possibly the addition of smoking (alcohol generally has little effect, at least that's been my experience).

Polyps can heal themselves with time or if they're posing too much of a risk, can be removed via surgery. If Axl went without singing between the end of the Canada/SA/Europe tour in 2010/11 tour it could explain why perhaps his vocal chords have healed themselves. Another possibility is that he either quit smoking or had surgery to have them removed as if they become too big of a problem a singer wouldn't be able to sing at all without sounding like a squawking parrot (think of Axl's vocals in 92/92).

Ultimately, i think Axl's making a conscious choice to hold back the amount of strain he puts on his vocal chords (thus producing the rasp) for reasons unknown to us. My bet is he might have quit smoking and thus in order to create the rasp we heard in 2010, he has to put more strain on his vocal chords, thus limiting their performance. In 2010, assuming he was smoking, he could have relied on the natural state of his vocal chords without having to put too much strain on them and thus was able to sing as long as he did.

I'm not an expert but have experience with singing and dealt with many vocal coaches and hence my own understanding of the situation. So yes, he could get his 2010 vocals back consistently but it might require detrimental ramifications (smoking) to get them back

Cheers,

Andrew

PolypS! have you ever listen to someone with polyps! is like putting your voice on/off! its not polyps for sure.

And you are rtight in this.

Axl's making a conscious choice to hold back the amount of strain he puts on his vocal chords (thus producing the rasp) for reasons unknown to us

Thats all,he doesnt want to sing with rasp because its something wrong for him.if you check in some videos he tries to put rasp ( civil war for ex) but it doesnt happens.

Gotta agree about the polyps. Make you sound like ass.

[Mysteron]

Is it possible for Axl to get his 2010 voice back again? I know he had the whole bronchitis thing last year, but I'm shocked that he's still not back to his 2010 level.

Voices mature as one gets older. People lose the extreme highs and lows, but what is left sound alot richer.