Basal pitch and frequency level variation in male and female children: a preliminary investigation

Measurements of basal pitch and frequency level were determined for fifteen normal speaking school-aged children on each of two consecutive days during three time periods each day. The results indicated that as a group, the male children's basal pitch and frequency levels did not change significantly within and across days. Variability in basal pitch levels for individual male children ranged from zero to two semitones from day to day and within time periods on one day. Female children, as a group, showed basal frequency variations across days. On the second day, the female group showed a statistically significant increase in basal frequency at noon followed by a frequency decrease in the afternoon. Basal pitch levels for individual female subjects varied as much as four semitones across days and as much as three semitones from time to time on a single day. Further re-evaluation of the techniques for determining basal pitch and frequency level means and variability in regard to optimum pitch selection for school-aged children appears warranted.