subject: Want To Lower The Pitch Of Your Voice? [print this page] Though people may claim otherwise, objectively, it's hard to deny that we all make assumptions about people based on their voice. Someone who speaks in a low pitch is assumed to be confident and trustworthy, whereas someone who speaks in a high pitch is assumed to be the opposite. Of course, this is often not true, but first impressions are very important.
All of the evidence suggests that testosterone is the agent responsible for the deepening of male voices. On average, a mans voice will be full octave lower than a woman's. If your voice isn't as deep as what it should be, then you probably feel self conscious about it. So, what can you do to deepen yours?
Thyroplasty is a surgery that some may recommend. It's really only meant to be used to repair damaged vocal chords, but an increasing amount of men are undergoing this risky surgery to lower the pitch of their voice. Personally, I think that's unwise. Mistakes can be made, and your voice can be really screwed up. Another option is fat injection thyroplasty, where fat is injected into the folds in the vocal chords. It works, but the deepening is only temporary, so this solution isn't ideal either.
A safer option is to work on your speaking and breathing patterns. Try this as an experiment; first speak while holding your breath, then immediately repeat the words while exhaling slowly. Notice a difference? Next, when you talk, avoid the tendency speak from your nose. Instead, bring the sound up from deep within your throat. Try speaking both ways right now, and you'll notice a big difference.
Also, speak slowly. Once again, say a phrase very quickly, then repeat it while speaking slowly. You'll see that fast speech raises the pitch, while slow speech lowers it. Finally, keep in mind that your vocal chords can be trained. If you're highly motivated, consider going to a vocal coach. Using a vocal coach will bring you the quickest results, but if you can't afford one just yet, then do this exercise for 10-15 minutes every day...
Count from 1 to 30 in your normal speaking voice. Next, count from 1 to 100 in the lowest pitch that you can that doesn't put a strain on your vocal chords. While counting, be mindful of all the suggestions above. Breath out slowly, speak softly, and bring the sound up from deep down in your throat. Do this as naturally as you can though, as remaining relaxed is key. The more you push and strain, and try to speed up the process, the less swift your progress will be. It might takes weeks or months to achieve your goal, but you'll get there in the end, so long as you're motivated.
