# Sounds of voices before sound recording

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-of-voices-before-sound-recording/268762>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 12, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-of-voices-before-sound-recording/268762 "2004-10-12T02:48:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rippingtons\_fan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rippingtons_fan/32/11767_2.png) [@rippingtons\_fan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rippingtons_fan)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-of-voices-before-sound-recording/268762/1 "2004-10-12T02:48:04Z")

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Before the advent of sound recording technology, did anybody ever try to describe how certain people sounded like when they spoke?  
For example, did anybody ever write down descriptions of what George Washington’s voice sounded like? (Did he speak slowly or rapidly, was his voice hi-pitched or low?) What about people in other cultures?

How about further back in history? Did Socrates have a squeaky voice or did he have a lisp? I’d like to see Rich Little try to do John Quincy Adams!

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sounds-of-voices-before-sound-recording/268762/2 "2004-10-12T03:03:21Z")

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Sure, people have always described people’s voices and manner of speaking, ever since they’ve been describing other people. For example, we know from a number of writings that, despite popular myth, Lincoln actually had a high squeaky voice.