Why is it that when both a man and woman sing the same exact note in the same octave, the man’s voice still sounds lower than the woman’s?

Question

Is it an auditory illusion (we only perceive it to sound lower), or something with the vocal chord structure?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Because voices are not a single frequency. They have harmonics and atonal variations. That’s what gives people their distinct “voice.” And why some voices sound “better” than others, even if they are both on key.

When singing a note, the loudest frequency would be the frequency designated by the note being sung, but there are other frequencies that are layered with it. Men tend to have lower pronounced harmonics than women, so when they sing, more low frequencies are blended in than when a woman sings.

Think of it kind of like some sparkly car paint. You can have the same red base paint, and add different colors and amounts of sparkles and thinners to achieve different effects, from big silver sparkles, to a slight purple sheen, to color changing prismatic effects.