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This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz. Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
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Whether you’re trying to become a radio announcer or improve your sense of authority over your new puppy, talking with a deeper voice can be very useful. Quite a bit of information on this topic exists, and luckily, we’ve done extensive research to find that controlling your breathing is the #1 way to do it. You can also speak deeply by projecting your voice and trying out particular techniques in the moment, such as swallowing before you speak.
Steps
Speak in front of a mirror. Stand up straight and tall. Hold your chin up. Then, say your name and listen to how it sounds. Alternately, you can read a passage from a newspaper or a book. Consider the volume, tone, breathiness and especially the pitch of your voice.[1]- The pitch of your voice is determined by how much your vocal cords vibrate.
- If your voice sounds high or has a high pitch, it means your vocal cords are vibrating at a high frequency.
- If your voice sounds low or deep, it means your vocal cords are vibrating at a lower frequency.
Relax your throat. When you try to speak lower than normal, your voice is less likely to crack. Aim to relax your throat as much as possible, so that you do not tighten your vocal cords.[2]- Moisten your voice box and keep it sounding clear by working up a little extra saliva occasionally and swallowing.
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Perform reading exercises. Choose a passage from one of your favorite books or articles. Practice reading the passage slowly and with a low voice. If you find yourself reading too quickly, you may notice your voice will lose its timbre. Keep your chin up, breathe through your belly and read the passage.[3]
Do voice exercises with a mobile application. There are a variety of mobile applications available for smart phones or tablets, which you can use to train your vocal cords on your own time. These applications allow you to train towards specific goals and to monitor your performance. For instance, you could try one of the following applications:- Vocular allows you to measure how deep your voice sounds. It tells you how deep you are speaking and even lets you compare your voice to celebrities with similar sounding voices.[4]
- Eva is designed for transgender users who are currently transitioning and want to change the sound of their voice, such as pitch, tone or breathiness.[5]
- There are also many other free apps on the App Store, simply searching Voice will give you good results.
Try humming. Hum deeply from your throat, with your lips parted and your chin pointed down toward your chest, to warm up your voice. Humming is an excellent warm up for musicians and singers, as well as anyone who wants to improve their speaking voice.[6]- Raise your chin slowly while humming and then begin speaking directly from that humming voice, so that it sounds deeper.
Speak through your mouth. Instead of speaking through your nose, you should speak through your mouth. Although you can have a deep voice that is nasal, it sounds better to have a deep voice that does not have a nasal quality.[7]- Avoid using an overly airy, soft, smooth, too hollow-resonance or echo-like sound that you can feel in your chest (called a chest voice).
Practice projecting your speaking voice. Learn to talk so that you hear your voice out in front of yourself. Don't hold your stomach in while learning this technique. Breathe from your diaphragm. You should feel your breath moving from your belly upwards through your chest and then out of your mouth.
Practice gradual changes to your voice. Avoid making harsh efforts to change your voice, so as to prevent any straining of the vocal cords. At the start, only work your voice out for short periods of time, and do so only a couple of semitones below your normal pitch. Over time, carefully lower your practice pitch, and allow yourself extra time.- Have fun and experiment with friends and family to see how they react (they're more likely to be forgiving). Try funny voices and odd tones to learn better control. And keep aiming to ensure that your voice sounds as you prefer it.
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Keep your chin up. Good posture will help you maintain a deep and authoritative voice. Instead of letting your head fall down or to the side while you speak, you should try to keep your head up straight and your chin up.[8]- Your posture is important for achieving a good speaking voice.
Swallow before speaking. One trick to attain a deeper voice is to do a swallowing motion just before you speak. You don’t need to actually swallow anything. Imagine you are swallowing something and then say the words. Your voice should be slightly lower than usual.[9]
Speak slowly. Try speaking slower than usual. Lower your voice at the beginning of a sentence and then just speak slowly. If you find you want to speak too quickly, it could raise the pitch of your voice.[10]
Avoid speaking with a growly or raspy voice. This practice can damage your vocal cords. It could also be a symptom of a medical condition such as strep throat. [11]
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Breathe naturally. Take a moment to notice the quality of your breath. Notice if you are breathing in through your mouth or through your nose. For now, don’t try to change your breath. Just notice how it feels and breathe naturally.
Experiment with your breath. Try breathing in through your nose and down into the lower depths of your belly. Then, while you are exhaling, say “hello.” Listen to the pitch and depth of your voice. To compare, try the same exercise but breathe into your chest or your throat. It should sound very high pitched when you breathe into your throat, medium pitched when you breathe into your chest, and deep when you breathe into your lower diaphragm.[13]
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Expert Q&A
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- QuestionDoes talking less make your voice deeper?
Patrick MuñozPatrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
Voice & Speech CoachNo. Talking less gives you an opportunity to breathe more deeply and then use that breath to support your voice. And, it gives you a chance to focus on using a fuller voice. But just talking less by itself doesn’t make your voice deeper. - QuestionHow do I deepen my microphone voice?Patrick MuñozPatrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
Voice & Speech CoachSpeak more intimately, use more of your chest voice, and think about using a more sultry tone. - QuestionHow can I make my voice deeper in 5 days?Patrick MuñozPatrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.
Voice & Speech CoachSpend ten minutes every day developing your voice: yawn, stretch, tap on your chest, open your mouth, relax your jaw, let out big warm sighs, practice tongue twisters, recite affirmations, and read poetry aloud. It’s like going to the gym, but this is the vocal gym and you have to work your voice out to develop more resonance and depth.
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Tips
- Many singers and performers rely on ginger tea before a big performance. Although there is no scientific evidence to back up the practice, many performers claim it helps them relax and can warm up the vocal cords.[15]Thanks
- Record your voice. Buy or borrow an audio recorder. Make a short recording of yourself as you read a passage from a newspaper or a book.Thanks
- If can afford it, you might like to try a few speech or voice lessons. If so, talk to a speech or singing-voice teacher to see what one may suggest and the costs involved.Thanks
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Warnings
- Drinking cold water will cause tightening of the vocal cords.Thanks
- Do not strain your voice by forcing sounds that are uncomfortable, such as rasping (grinding) your vocal cords.Thanks
- Avoid speaking in hard, rough tones, or harshly clearing your throat. That can injure your voice, over time.Thanks
- If you have a high voice such as tenor, do not strain or harshly try to change your natural voice.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/people-planet-profits/202106/how-improve-your-communication-skills
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/your-wise-brain/202307/speak-in-soft-tones
- ↑ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/four-ways-to-improve-your-reading-skills/
- ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/lower-your-voice-pitch-to-persuade/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/attraction-evolved/201906/deep-impact-asserting-authority-low-pitched-voice
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/minding-the-body/201111/hum-happy-tune-wellness
- ↑ https://www.scienceofpeople.com/speak-with-confidence/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-effects-of-poor-posture/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-effects-of-poor-posture/
- ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201911/do-you-talk-too-fast-how-to-slow-down
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22783-aphonia-loss-of-voice
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/how-to-quit-smoking.htm
- ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief.htm
- ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9445-diaphragmatic-breathing
- ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits
About This Article
Voice & Speech Coach
This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz. Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. This article has been viewed 2,877,387 times.
Co-authors: 80
Updated: March 25, 2024
Views: 2,877,387
Categories: Featured Articles | Speaking Skills
Article SummaryX
To talk with a deeper voice, relax your throat and try to speak through your mouth instead of your nose. It also helps if you speak slowly and breathe from your diaphragm. Also, get in the habit of swallowing before you speak, which will make you talk in a deeper voice. Once you're able to speak with a deeper voice, practice reading out loud so it starts to come more naturally to you. Standing in front of a mirror and practicing talking in a deep voice can also help you get more used to it. If you want to learn more, like warm-up exercises to make your voice lower, keep reading the article!
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