How to Talk with a Deeper Voice (With Expert-Backed Tips)

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The most effective tricks for a deeper, more attractive voice
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Whether you’re trying to become a radio announcer or improve your sense of authority over your new puppy, speaking 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 it for you! Controlling your breathing, projecting your voice, and trying out particular techniques in the moment, such as swallowing before you speak, can all help. Keep reading to learn more about making your voice deeper, with expert insights from voice and speech coach Patrick Muñoz.

How to Make Your Voice Deeper

Relax your throat and allow your breath to come from a deep place in your chest. Hum to warm up your vocal cords. Practice projecting your voice at higher volumes, faster and slower speeds, and at different pitches. Try doing tongue twisters and reading exercises to loosen the tongue. Breathe from your diaphragm.

Section 1 of 3:

Exercising Your Vocal Cords

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  1. Stand up straight and tall. Hold your chin up. Then, say your name and listen to how it sounds. Alternatively, 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.

    Meet the wikiHow Experts

    Patrick Muñoz is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach based in Los Angeles. He focuses on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting, and speech therapy.

  2. 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. [2]
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  3. There are a variety of mobile applications available for smartphones 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. [3]
    • 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. [4]
    • There are also many other free apps on the App Store, simply searching “voice” will give you good results.
  4. 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. [5]
    • Raise your chin slowly while humming and then begin speaking directly from that humming voice, so that it sounds deeper.
  5. 5
    Try doing tongue twisters. Muñoz recommends doing some tongue twister exercises to really get your tongue to work up a sweat, so to speak. He says, “Tongue twisters, like repeating ‘red leather, yellow leather,’ help you to notice the points of articulation.” He also shares that switching up the speed of the tongue twisters can, and “going a little faster” can help you pinpoint high pitches and low pitches. The point is for you to “really use your tongue muscles” while “breathing deeply, and relaxing your jaw.” [6]
    • According to Muñoz, these exercises allow your to “try different resonators throughout your body— your chest, your face, your head. Those are all exercises you can do on a daily basis.” [7]
  6. Learning to project is a skill many actors and orators have to hone. First, warm up your voice with vocal exercises, like stretches and yawns, and then do breathing exercises to focus your breath in your diaphragm. The trick is for you to hear your voice out in front of yourself. Don't hold your stomach in while learning this technique. Breathe from your diaphragm, not your chest. You should feel your breath moving from your belly upwards through your chest and then out of your mouth. [8]
  7. 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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Section 2 of 3:

Techniques to Try in the Moment

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  1. 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. [9]
    • Your posture is important for achieving a good speaking voice.
  2. 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. [10]
  3. 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. [11]
  4. 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. Muñoz says, “Really focus on having your breath come from a lower, fuller place.” He recommends doing exercises to relax your throat, like “yawning” and “opening your mouth really wide from top to bottom.” [12]
    • Muñoz adds, “​​A simple method I use is called BRO, meaning ‘Breathe, Relax.’ Oftentimes, a higher voice happens because we're constricting. So, once you breathe deeply, relaxing your throat, body, and voice, open up your mouth and notice how suddenly your voice is much more rounded and resonant, and by extension, deep.” [13]
    • Moisten your voice box and keep it sounding clear by working up a little extra saliva occasionally and swallowing. [14]
  5. 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. [15]
    • Avoid using an overly airy, soft, smooth, too hollow-resonant or echo-like sound that you can feel in your chest (called a chest voice).
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Section 3 of 3:

Controlling Your Breath

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  1. 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. Muñoz notes how important breathing is when trying to deepen your voice: “By breathing, opening up the mouth and relaxing, you're going to have a deeper voice.” [16]
  2. 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. [17]
  3. If you’ve never tried breathing from your diaphragm before, lay down. Place one hand on your chest, and the other, under your ribcage. Inhale through your nose, concentrating that breath into your abdomen as you tighten your ab muscles. Breathe deep into your lower diaphragm. As you exhale, say something you want to say. Your voice will sound deeper if you breathe into your lower belly. [18]
    • Open your mouth quite naturally, in order to speak normally. Do not purse, cup or shape your lips or cheeks.
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Join the Discussion...

What makes your voice deeper?
Patrick Muñoz
Voice & Speech Coach
There are exercises you can use to make your voice deeper:
Take deep breaths and make a hissing sound as you exhale. After you take a big breath in, grit your teeth and slowly release the air in your lungs to make a hissing sound. This will really open up your chest and make your voice lower before you speak.

Open your mouth as wide as you can and try to yawn. This movement will force your larynx downwards in your throat and make your voice lower in tone. Repeat this 4 or 5 times before you talk, but don't force the yawn too hard because this could hurt your vocal cords.

Resonate from your chest. To do this, you'll want to take a big breath and then hum for as long as you can while holding it in. Humming will warm up and stretch your vocal cords, which lowers the voice.
Read Discussion

Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I make my voice deeper in 5 days?
    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
    Spend 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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  • Question
    How do I deepen my microphone 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
    Speak more intimately, use more of your chest voice, and think about using a more sultry tone.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    Does talking less make your voice deeper?
    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
    No. 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.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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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. [19]
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      • If you 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.
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      • 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.
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      Warnings

      • Drinking cold water will cause tightening of the vocal cords.
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      • Avoid speaking in hard, rough tones or harshly clearing your throat. That can injure your voice over time.
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      • Do not strain your voice by forcing uncomfortable sounds, such as rasping (grinding) your vocal cords.
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      • If you have a high voice, such as a tenor, do not strain or harshly try to change your natural voice.
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      • 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.
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      • Avoid smoking . Although smoking can give you a raspy or breathy voice, it will do long-term damage to your health, including your vocal cords and lungs. [20]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/people-planet-profits/202106/how-improve-your-communication-skills
      2. ↑ https://www.cornerstone.edu/blog-post/four-ways-to-improve-your-reading-skills/
      3. ↑ https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/lower-your-voice-pitch-to-persuade/
      4. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/attraction-evolved/201906/deep-impact-asserting-authority-low-pitched-voice
      5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/minding-the-body/201111/hum-happy-tune-wellness
      6. ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview
      7. ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://www.theatrefolk.com/blog/projecting-your-voice-without-yelling
      9. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-effects-of-poor-posture/
      1. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-effects-of-poor-posture/
      2. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/communication-success/201911/do-you-talk-too-fast-how-to-slow-down
      3. ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview
      5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/your-wise-brain/202307/speak-in-soft-tones
      6. ↑ https://www.scienceofpeople.com/speak-with-confidence/
      7. ↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/relaxation-techniques-for-stress-relief.htm
      9. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9445-diaphragmatic-breathing
      10. ↑ https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ginger-benefits
      11. ↑ https://www.helpguide.org/articles/addictions/how-to-quit-smoking.htm

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      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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