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How to Change Your Voice From a Man to a Woman

The biggest difference between the male and female voice is pitch. Vocal pitch comes from the rate at which vocal cords vibrate, with more vibrations producing a higher pitch. The vibration rate is determined by the length and thickness of the vocal cord. In general, women have shorter vocal cords than men, which is one reason women have higher pitched voices. Vocal control is also tied to emotional control. When a person feels frightened or excited, the person's voice box muscles will contract automatically and create a higher pitched voice.

Things You'll Need

  • Mirror
  • Piano
  • Tape player or recording device
  • Blank tape
  • Book passage or monologue
  • Recording of a female vocalist
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Instructions

  1. Instructions

    • 1

      Stand in front of a mirror and observe the way you speak. Pay attention to the way your mouth and throat muscles move when you are speaking normally. Use the mirror with all of your vocal activities and observe the changes in muscle movement.

    • 2

      Increase your pitch range by singing. Sit at a piano and find middle C. Sing the numbers 1 to 8 on middle C, and then move up one note and repeat. Continue this exercise until you start to feel vocal strain. Singing loosens the voice box, extends your pitch range and increases your vocal control.

    • 3

      Listen to a recording of a female vocalist and sing along with her. Try to find a female vocalist who has a low voice to avoid straining your voice.

    • 4

      Emphasize pitch over volume. Men tend to speak more loudly when trying to emphasize a point, while women change their pitch. Concentrate on varying your pitch rather than your volume when speaking.

    • 5

      Hold your mouth in a different position. Women tend to have a slight smile and small pout when their mouths are at rest. Changing the way you hold your lips will help you appear and speak in a more feminine fashion.

    • 6

      Hold your tongue higher and flatter. This position will give your voice a softer, breathier quality that is closer to a woman's voice.

    • 7

      Listen to yourself. Find a book passage or play monologue that you enjoy and read it into a recording device. Listen to the passage and identify ways to make your voice more feminine. Continue practicing the passage and listening to your progress.

    • 8

      Consider surgical and hormone therapy. If your voice is not progressing as you would like, consider other options.

Stage Acting

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