Sounding Like a Woman

Fortunately for us, there is no such thing as a 'normal female voice'. Our voices are almost as individual as our faces, and any individual voice is capable of great variation.

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Setting the tone

A further difference between male and female voices is their tone. In puberty female vocal chords lengthen and the lining of the pharynx becomes thicker and softer. This produces a mellow, soft tone. Male vocal chords increase in mass and length, and the pitch descends.

These tonal differences can be manipulated by using exercises to lengthen the vowels.

Working on neatening your pronunciation will also pay dividends. Research shows that women's pronunciation is 'correct' for a greater proportion of the time than is men's. However, this does not mean that you need to change your accent - merely to be more careful in the way you speak.

Stretch and relax. Breathe easily...

Sound the first letter of the phrases softly, feel your mouth forming the sounds, and stretch the vowels a little:

OO L-ah L-ah Ahoy ahoy - stretch to A--hoy ahoy that ship ahoy Cold, cold, it is so very cold Boom, boom, the gun went boom

Stretch and relax. Breathe easily... now try it again...

Once you are satisfied with your lengthened vowels, at least for the present, you can move on to your inflection.

Quality Inflection

When we speak we do not do so in a monotone. Rather, our pitch rises and falls naturally. This modulation of pitch is known as inflection, and it is this that gives our voices their expressive qualities.

Inflection is especially important in personal conversation - it shows whether or not we are listening attentively. Many of the diffferences between male and female voices - especially in inflection - arise from the kind of things we say. An employer does not coo softly at someone receiving a reprimand, nor does one bellow sweet nothings into the ear of a lover.

Generally speaking, women use inflection more than men. This reflects their nurturing role with children - although the quality is still visible in women who do not have (or want) children. The next exercise is designed to improve your inflection.

Stretch and relax. Breathe easily. Then try saying:

OH - (pitch drops) No - What (pitch drops) a (pitch drops) pi - (pitch drops) -ty

I can't (pitch drops) and I (pitch drops) won't (pitch drops) believe (pitch drops) it

Step (pitch rises) up

Step (pitch drops) down

Be (pitch drops) qui- (pitch drops) -et!

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