Basic Frequency of the Vocal Cords

Basic Frequency in Newborns

The fundamental frequency (F0) of a newborn baby's vocal cords is between 450-520 Hz. This means that when the baby cries, the vocal cords vibrate this many times per second.

Basic Frequency in Early Childhood and Pre-adolescence

In early childhood, this figure drops to around 300 Hz. In pre-adolescence, F0 drops to 250 Hz in both girls and boys.

Base Frequency during Puberty

During puberty, due to changes in the larynx under the influence of androgen hormones, the decrease in F0 is very pronounced in men. During puberty, the pitch drops by about an octave in boys. In girls, the decrease in fundamental frequency is less, but reaches adult levels during puberty. Voice change during puberty is usually completed in an average of 3-6 months, but can last up to 1 year. In girls, voice change is complete by age 15, while in boys it is complete by age 14-15. Although voice change starts earlier in girls, it takes almost the same amount of time to complete.

Basic Frequency of the Vocal Cords in Adults

In adult men, the vocal cords vibrate an average of 100-140 times during speech, while in women this range is around 200-240 Hz.

Age-related changes in fundamental frequency

After puberty, F0 remains relatively constant, but in women there is a marked decrease after the 5th decade due to post-menopausal changes, whereas in men a slight increase may start from the 7th decade.