Conquering the Female High-Pitched Voice

I wanted the thoughts expressed below to be politically neutral, but upon review of scores of female leaders in both parties – and please try this at home - it's beyond a doubt, the ladies of the GOP represent concrete evidence that the high pitched female voice is alive and well, painful. While Sarah Palin bashing is so yesterday, she does remain the poster child for this lamentation that Simon Cowell of American Idol fame calls "female pitchy." While the Republicans also have many low warblers such as CA gubernatorial contender and former EBay CEO, Meg Whitman and Condi Rice, they also have pundits such as Anne Coulter, who shrieks at an amazingly high decibel level. As for the DEMS, Hillary stays low and controlled in the face of continual stress, as does Nancy Pelosi, no matter who is vilifying her. But wait, research shows Hillary was also a high-pitcher until she enlisted the services of voice coach, Michael Sheehan, who has also helped husband Bill, and President Obama, the quintessential master of dulcet tones. (Actually, that would be the late Richard Burton.) And, for the life of me, I cannot understand how and why SO MANY professional female newscasters still pitch at the top of the scale, especially if they get worked up during interviews. Thesine qua nonof this sound abuse is when TWO women are in heated debate, which many of the cable news networks promote these days.

Apparently, men speak in lower tones because they have ten times more of the steroid hormone, testosterone, than females. It's also why they have bigger muscles and when they lose some of it, they get "low T," lose their hair and/or need a little blue pill before a romp in the hay.

But, regardless of sex, both men and women don't like the sound of high-pitched voices. So, what's a woman to do, especially if her career includes public speaking? For the most part, women are not fans of chest hair; so additional testosterone won't cut the mustard.

First off, a woman needs to listen to herself. Record your voice. A high-pitched voice is assumed to be a voice filled with stress, anxiety and low self-confidence. While this may not be the actual case, it is the perception and should be corrected. I own a film and video production company, Zan Media, , and I hire "voice over" and "on camera" talent on a regular basis. While most actors are blessed with both good looks and attractive voices, they will also seek out professional coaches to improve their tonal quality. Important techniques include breathing exercises to relax the body and the vocal chords, and repetition exercises using the lowest pitch possible. These exercises can be found online and just about everyone will experience improvement with some at-home practice.

Political candidates offer another difficult situation, especially for first-timers. Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, they are asked to talk at numerous civic and community events, not to mention town hall meetings and prepared speeches. My friend made her way up the political ranks from working many years for elected officials, to becoming one. A year before she ran for her first political office, she joined Toastmasters. Clubs that necessitate public speaking are great training ground, and since everyone is in the same boat, there's plenty of empathy to go around.

Certainly I am the lucky one, spouting off my complaints and cures herein. Since I am writing this, not saying this, you can't hear me. If you could, you'd notice all the long, deep breaths I've been taking!

Copyright, June 2010

Christine Scioli

All Rights Reserved