The pitch of male and female voices differs significantly. On average, female vocal folds vibrate about 200–250 times per second, while male vocal folds vibrate about 100–150 times per second. Whether the voice sounds deep or high-pitched is determined by the length and thickness of the vocal folds. This process does not involve only the vocal fold muscles themselves, but also other muscles located within the larynx.
The perception of a voice as male or female does not depend solely on pitch. Intonation patterns and resonance also differ between men and women. Vocal pitch, pitch range, intonation, and resonance all interact together to create the “gender” of the voice.