Why is Axl's (speaking) voice higher pitched than it used to be?

[Vincent Vega]

If you go back and watch really any interview from the '80s or '90s, Axl had a really fucking deep speaking voice. But these days, ever since he came back into the public eye, it's higher pitched and sounds a bit different. Why do you think that is? Compare both interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7gjUa1y99g

[Mfegz]

Because he smokes less ?

[saber_]

Because people's voices change over time as they get older?

Also, in the Kimmel interview he had strep-throat.

[Coma16]

Al Pacino

[Vincent Vega]

Because people's voices change over time as they get older?

Also, in the Kimmel interview he had strep-throat.

Most people's voices get deeper as they get older, though, or raspier, or throatier. Not higher pitche and more effete.

Here's a non-strep interview post 2000

Compared with 1993

Al Pacino

Al's voice got deeper and raspier with age though...Not higher pitched and sorta feminine.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Vincent Vega

[Guest NewGNRnOldGNR]

Wasn't there a theory that Axl, at some point, suffered from throat cancer? Or was that a complete falsehood?

[saber_]

Because people's voices change over time as they get older?

Also, in the Kimmel interview he had strep-throat.

Most people's voices get deeper as they get older, though, or raspier, or throatier. Not higher pitche and more effete.

Honestly I'd like to just cut through the bullshit and use some sort of analytical audio program to measure the pitch. Then we can talk facts and data. Some of these videos you're showing me, his voice doesn't sound much different at all. Also, keep in mind that cocaine n' cigarettes could've made his voice sound artificially lower when he was younger.

Edited December 22, 2012 by brainsaber

[Vincent Vega]

Edited December 22, 2012 by Vincent Vega

[saber_]

Cigar smoke is not inhaled (and when it is, it's an infinitesimally small fraction of the time) . It's not passing over his vocal cords.

[Vincent Vega]

It's still a very dramatic change in intonation, pitch and accent. You figure 1993 and 2001 were 8 years apart--really not that far apart--and he was still smoking in photos from '94 and '95. I really, really doubt that stopping smoking for 6 years or so could so dramatically change someone's voice, if that was even the cause. People I've known who stopped smoking still sounded pretty much exactly the same years later.

When cigarette smoke changes your voice it's usually permanent. Al Pacino went from having a very soft spoken voice to a very throaty raspy voice (In a very short span of time too; He sounds the same in 1980 as he did in The Godfather in 1972, but when he came back in 1989 he had his now trademark raspy, deeper voice. He was smoking up to 4 packs a day) due to smoking cigarettes and he hasn't smoked in almost 20 years and the damage and changes smoking did to his voice are still there.

Also, cigarette smoke doesn't tend to make you sound like you have a bass voice. It just makes it sound breathy, scratchy, etc. Axl's speaking voice never sounded scratchy.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Vincent Vega

[saber_]

Axl's vocal cords aren't like other people's, Vince. Axl's vocal cords defy both the laws of science and the observational data derived from others.

[Ragnar]

Another dumb thread by yours truly Vincent Vega AKA Miser

[saber_]

Another dumb thread by yours truly Vincent Vega AKA Miser

I'm one of Miser's biggest critics as far as his thread-making goes, but this one is both on-topic for the section, and he has presented evidence to support his case. Although I still don't fully agree with his synopsis, this thread has its own validity as a discussion topic.

Carry on.

[Ragnar]

Another dumb thread by yours truly Vincent Vega AKA Miser

I'm one of Miser's biggest critics as far as his thread-making goes, but this one is both on-topic for the section, and he has presented evidence to support his case. Although I still don't fully agree with his synopsis, this thread has its own validity as a discussion topic.

Carry on.

As it really mattered why his voice is higher pitch then it used to be, whatever

[dalsh327]

Eddie Trunk interviews didn't sound higher, did they?

Have you ever talked at a concert or in a room where everyone else is talking, doesn't your speaking tone go up a bit?

[trqster]

Yeah it's really odd that Axl's speaking voice got much 'thinner' sounding throughout the years, as most people experience the opposite - just take Slash as an example.

Still, even odder to me is that Axl low voice whenever he choose to use it it's as deep if not deeper than before!

[saber_]

Another dumb thread by yours truly Vincent Vega AKA Miser

I'm one of Miser's biggest critics as far as his thread-making goes, but this one is both on-topic for the section, and he has presented evidence to support his case. Although I still don't fully agree with his synopsis, this thread has its own validity as a discussion topic.

Carry on.

As it really mattered why his voice is higher pitch then it used to be, whatever

I guess for me, I'm not as offended by such topics because obviously I'm a star wars nerd. In the world of Star Wars, every minute detail of every movie is discussed and analyzed. For me, Guns n Roses is the same way: I'll discuss anything. Especially since Guns is basically just touring and no new music is on the horizon. If Vince wants to discuss Axl's speaking voice, I'm down with the bullshit. ; )

[Ragnar]

Another dumb thread by yours truly Vincent Vega AKA Miser

I'm one of Miser's biggest critics as far as his thread-making goes, but this one is both on-topic for the section, and he has presented evidence to support his case. Although I still don't fully agree with his synopsis, this thread has its own validity as a discussion topic.

Carry on.

As it really mattered why his voice is higher pitch then it used to be, whatever

I guess for me, I'm not as offended by such topics because obviously I'm a star wars nerd. In the world of Star Wars, every minute detail of every movie is discussed and analyzed. For me, Guns n Roses is the same way: I'll discuss anything. Especially since Guns is basically just touring and no new music is on the horizon. If Vince wants to discuss Axl's speaking voice, I'm down with the bullshit. ;)

OK, cool story bro

[saber_]

OK, cool story bro

It's better than discussing Axl's cats. At least gimme that. ; )

[Ragnar]

OK, cool story bro

It's better than discussing Axl's cats. At least gimme that.

Fine credits when they`re due

Edited December 22, 2012 by Son of a Guns

[trqster]

No voice trainer expert around that could present us with a credible opionion on this matter?

I've recently made some voice recordings and my speaking voice @37 is definitely deeper than it was when I was 25 and back then I still smoked...

Edited December 22, 2012 by trqster

[Chewbacca]

Because he's getting old. Your voice will change once you reach a certain age.

[Vincent Vega]

Because he's getting old. Your voice will change once you reach a certain age.

But with age your voice gets deeper, not higher pitched. Or for some stays the same.

And I said, chain smoking can make a person's voice deeper, but only after it damages that person's voice. Once the damage is done, stopping smoking will not reverse it. Al Pacino stopped smoking in 1995 but his voice is still as raspy and worn as it was when he was actively smoking.

Or, from personal example, my brother in law's mother smoked for over 40 years until she had to get heart surgery. She stopped smoking and it's been about 7 years now since she's smoked. But her voice sounds exactly the same as it did when she smoked.

With some, your voice can actually stay the same with age. My parents are 58 and yet they sound almost exactly the same as they did in home movies we have from say 1991/ The same tones and accents, though and my father has early emphysema. Didn't change his voice much.

The point is, your voice doesn't go from sounding like Leonard Cohen to sounding like a teenaged girl (I know some girls whose voices are like Axl's now) with age. The opposite would usually happen; His voice would've been more gravel-y and deep. Look at Harrison Ford, who had a very similar voice to Axl's. It only got deeper and deeper with age.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Vincent Vega

[Chewbacca]

Because he's getting old. Your voice will change once you reach a certain age.

But with age your voice gets deeper, not higher pitched. Or for some stays the same.

And I said, chain smoking can make a person's voice deeper, but only after it damages that person's voice. Once the damage is done, stopping smoking will not reverse it. Al Pacino stopped smoking in 1995 but his voice is still as raspy and worn as it was when he was actively smoking.

Or, from personal example, my brother in law's mother smoked for over 40 years until she had to get heart surgery. She stopped smoking and it's been about 7 years now since she's smoked. But her voice sounds exactly the same as it did when she smoked.

With some, your voice can actually stay the same with age. My parents are 58 and yet they sound almost exactly the same as they did in home movies we have from say 1991, except a bit raspier and deeper. The same tones and accents, though and my father has early emphysema. Didn't change his voice much.

The point is, your voice doesn't go from sounding like Leonard Cohen to sounding like a teenaged girl (I know some girls whose voices are like Axl's now) with age. The opposite would usually happen; His voice would've been more gravel-y and deep. Look at Harrison Ford, who had a very similar voice to Axl's. It only got deeper and deeper with age.

Not always. It depends on what Axl did with his voice along the years. Everyone ages differentely.

[Rustycage]

The transformation to Mickey Mouse is real?