How to Develop a Manly Voice

Co-authored by Patrick Muñoz

Last Updated: December 23, 2022 References

Developing a manly voice is something many people aspire to. Manly voices tend to be stronger and deeper, and this type of voice can inspire confidence in the people around you. Also, if you are trans and trying to get a deeper voice, you have a few other options you may want to consider, such as testosterone therapy and even surgery to deepen your voice.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Creating a Stronger Voice

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Stand up straight. When you slouch, your limiting how much you can expand your lungs. If you can breathe in more air, your voice will be stronger, and it's less likely that your voice will crack.^{[1]
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Breathe from your diaphragm.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Patrick Muñoz
Voice & Speech Coach
Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.} If you're like many people, you breathe from your chest without much support from your diaphragm. However, breathing from your diaphragm gives your voice more support, making it stronger.^{[3]
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- When breathing, make sure you expand your stomach as you breathe in.
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3
Practice diaphragm breathing in the arts. Joining a community choir is a great way to help develop diaphragm breathing, but it's not the only way. You can also try out for community theater or take an acting class, as learning to project also teaches you this type of breathing.^{[4]
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Try breathing exercises. Another way you can develop your breathing is to practice theater breathing exercises on your own.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Patrick Muñoz
Voice & Speech Coach
Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.} One you can try is making an "fffffffff" sound. However, as you make the noise, don't change the position of your chest or stomach. When you do need to breathe, imagine it in your stomach and try to breathe from there.^{[6]
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- You can also switch up the sounds, using "ssssss," "hummmmm," or "vvvvvvv."
- You can also try reading the nursery rhyme "The House that Jack Built." This story is broken up into main thoughts. Try to draw enough breath for each thought, so you don't need to stop in the middle of it to breathe. Speak slowly and deliberately, keeping each thought at the same speed.
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Use your breathing to project calm. If you try to increase the strength of your voice without breathing properly, you'll just end up shouting. That can cause your voice to crack and will push people away. However, when your breathing is properly supported, you'll project calmness and confidence without shouting.^{[7]
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Speak with confidence. Justified or not, manliness is associated with confidence. If you speak with confidence, you are more likely to convince others of your power. Try not to hesitate or trip over words. If you need to, think about what you're going to say before you say it.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Making Your Voice Deeper

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Think about dropping your pitch. As you speak, think about speaking in a lower tone. Just being conscious of your pitch can help you drop your voice to a lower range. It also may help to speak slow and steady, so you don't rush and make your pitch go higher.^{[8]
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Work on chest resonance. More manly voices tend to have more chest resonance. You can use exercises to help place your voice more in your chest, rather than just in your mouth or nose.^{[9]
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- Try the deep breathing technique where you breathe from your diaphragm. But as you do, lean your head back so your throat is basically a straight line. Try breathing in this position for a few seconds, then add in sounds like vowels or consonants.
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Visit a voice coach. A voice coach can work with you to develop the strength and depth of your voice. They can help you access some of the lower ranges to create a more manly sounding voice.^{[10]
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See a doctor. If your voice is unnaturally high, you could have a health problem or an imbalance of hormones. Visit your doctor to see if maybe they have a solution that will fix the health problem and possibly deepen your voice.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Using Tricks to Transition from a Female to Male Voice

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Ask about testosterone. If you're transitioning, you may already be on testosterone. If you aren't and you're wanting to make your voice more manly, you may want to ask your doctor about taking it. Testosterone can increase the thickness of your larynx, which in turn can deepen your voice.
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Switch your intonation.^{[11]
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Expert Source

Patrick Muñoz
Voice & Speech Coach
Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.} Certain patterns of speech are ingrained along gender lines. For instance, women are more likely to lift up in pitch at the end of a sentence (essentially making it more of a question), as well as apologize more often. While you'll be able to figure out some of these on your own just by listening to the women and men around you, a voice coach can help you assess the ways you can change your voice.^{[12]
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- You can also try recording yourself and playing it back. You'll be able to hear your patterns of speech better.
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Use an app. In today's world, you know there's an app for everything, including some that analyze your voice's pitch and help you work on lowering it. One app is called Eva, and it's specifically designed for transgender people who are transitioning.
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Discuss surgery. Some people who are transitioning will have a surgery performed on their larynx. With this surgery, the surgeon will place silicone implants in your vocal cords, which thickens them, deepening your voice.
- Other types of surgery loosen the tension in your vocal cords, which deepens your voice.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Is it really possible to change your voice?

Patrick Muñoz
Voice & Speech Coach
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.

Patrick Muñoz

Voice & Speech Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Yeah, absolutely. It's not even about changing your voice as much as it is growing your voice. So many people speak right from the throat, and so their voices aren't really fully embodied. They're speaking from only a part of how they really sound. If you start to breathe and do exercises, you can open up your voice and find out the ranges of your voice. Try to find your higher and lower pitches and let those combine to grow your voice.