voice

Comment by Erin Detty on June 9, 2012 at 10:22pm

Zoe Abigail Tipswords, a member here has a few tips that has helped me out, I'm still working on my voice I need to work harder but it's getting better. She has a short video she did, she shared this with us on Pe look on the main page and see if it's still there or not, I should have before I started responding to you about this, anyway try it and see. I hope this helps    

Comment by Stacey Stevens on June 10, 2012 at 2:35am

I probably shouldn't comment since my voice is none too great yet. But I have high hopes I'm getting there. So for what it is worth, here is my "secret".  Put some music on you iPod and sing along whenever you have a chance. I do it while exercising daily, so hopefully I'm helping both my voice and looks at the same time. Choose a female vocalist and work to match her pitch and tone.  Or even a male singer and try to sing along a bit higher. And try to keep it high enough so you don't hear any deep resonance in your voice.

Many voice how-to's (like Melanie Speaks at voicecorps.com or the CandiFLA videos on YouTube) want you to reduce the resonance in your voice without sounding squeaky high with falsetto.  But that's hard to do and no one can quite explain how to work your vocal muscles to get there. Though maybe Melanie comes closest when she says to talk from the back of your throat.

My guess is that by exercising your vocal cords at a higher pitch, you strengthen and extend them in a way that makes it easier to go back to a lower normal female range while maintaining the non-resonance of falsetto. My guess is it's still a kind of falsetto, but with stronger vocal cords that can maintain it at a lower "normal female" pitch.

Exercising your vocal cords by singing along to female pop songs is the easiest and least embarrassing way I've found. For one thing, because you're listening to the vocalist, it's a lot easier to home in on the right pitch and resonance.  Once you think you're close, take out one earphone and listen to yourself to check.

My current problem is getting it right in normal speech when I'm not singing along. Judging the right pitch without a reference is still difficult for me. But hopefully with a little more practice and I'll get there.

Anyway, hang in there and keep practicing. I believe it's definitely doable for just about anyone, no matter how deep and resonant your former voice may be.

Comment by Caroline Grace on June 10, 2012 at 7:30am

Since I should have "PhD in voice feminization" from all the work I have done as a client at George Washington University Speech and Hearing Clinic, I'd suggest the following in order of importance:

1) Resonance, resonance, resonance!!!!!!! (Move the sound from your chest to vibrating in your mouth.The more resonance, the more feminine your voice will sound)

2) Pitch (Sneak up on increasing your pitch There are exercises that help you do this so you don't damage your voice.. Men average around 120 Hz, gender neutral is 145 - 150 Hz, and women 220 Hz. I started at 60 to 80 and my typical range when speaking is 220 - 150 and my average is about 185.  This variation in pitch is desired for women and so my result are desired.)

3) Intonation (Varied for women, monotone for men).

4) Using pitch to emphasize, not volume (unless you are guy an then do the opposite).

5) Women belly breath, men use their chest. Lie on the floor and breath. Notice that it is your belly moving, not your chest heaving. That is what women with the best voices do.

Hire a professional to help you with your voice. Seriously. If you are totally tone deaf like I was it will take you a long time. If you aren't, it will go far faster. If you have been a "professional singer" it will take no time since you already know terms like resonance, pitch, intonation, pacing, etc. Please note that I am suggesting that while singing is great, a spoken voice is far different from a person singing. Imagine if a person was singing to you every time they spoke to you, how would you react? Train your voice to sound like you want it to sound as your body will develop muscle memory.  If you want instructions from a professional but can't afford personal attention, Kathe Perez's CDs or downloads provide you with some exercises and some examples of what you can do. I bought them, and I use one CD, in particular, fairly frequently.

However this is a one sided conversation and you will not get feedback as to what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong. You need that feedback from a professional.

Besides the vocal cord exercises there are ways you should know to relax your neck muscles, the muscles for your vocal cords, and even your tongue. There are massages for all of these and you do your tongue from under your chin, so your fingers stay dry...

Some videos you might want to check out. Google Caroline Temmermand and check out the videos. I have one on YouTube quickly explaining voice therapy. There is another shot by the GWU's students. There is a link to it from their newspaper's front page (Hatchett)You'll probably like the voice in my video but it isn't very good. I will have to update it soon. Robyn Anne M (State Department) has post here "Voice: the Acid Test" that links to her voice Transgender in Stateand how she has changed it over the years. She is totally amazing! The funny thing is, when I met her she was into falsetto range. Some minor feedback, showing her a few examples, and she instantly improved. She connected with a professional and her voice went to superb in less than 6 months.  But don't take my word for it - judge her for yourself... Find her blog here or follow the link and you'll get the examples... So she is one of those who went a meteor's pace and I am going at a pace that that competes with grass growing. Regardless of our pace, we both know the components of feminine voice.

This is so important, that I started on voice therapy almost a year before I started on HRT. You want family, friends, and coworkers not ducking under the table when you speak, better get busy on your voice. Especially if you ever want them hanging around you again...

Comment by Stacey Stevens on June 10, 2012 at 8:18am

By the way, I managed to get the Melanie voice how-to site domain name wrong in my comment. It should be:

http://heartcorps.com/journeys/voice.htm

Melanie's downloads cost a bit. For the free CandiFLA voice lessons, just go to YouTube.com and search for "CandiFLA".

Comment by Caroline Grace on June 10, 2012 at 9:13am

Links to some of the videos I mentioned. The first is the one that I mentioned isn't too good but it gives a beginner a good idea about some of the things that help create a more feminized voice.

http://youtu.be/iV8VP4lJb-0

This next one is a copy of the old me and my old voice. Btw -Do you believe this was me in 2009?;

http://youtu.be/-HxsoMfO6UE

Check out this video from a voice therapy session at GW. Give it a moment or two to load. It is a slow loading video and it looks like you have an error on the page loading. BTW, this was me in 2010...

http://projects.gwhatchet.com/2010/transgender/

Comment by Teresa H Halley on June 10, 2012 at 10:47pm

I suggest two things: 1. Get a voice coach like Kathy Perez or Lynn Skinner, they but do Skype lessons. Yes it does work. Kind of like try to teach yourself to dance or a foreign language, doesn't work too well. Yes it costs a few bucks but is as important as FFS/BA etc. 2. Be very patient with yourself. I does not take 60 days, more like 2 or more years. Yes you have to practice EVERY day. Going FT helps to improve vocal stamina. As for me I just finished lesson #17 with Lynn. Finally starting to get consistent "ma'am" at Drive-thrus & most of the time on phone.  Yes it takes years not weeks. AS said here stay hydrated, Rest if you feel fatigue. Don't over do it.

Comment by Joanna Joy (JJ) on June 11, 2012 at 12:38pm

The only way I can tell how I sound is to record myself and play it back ,  I think when I get it right I sound pretty good, tho in my head I still sound like me, only choking (ok not choking)  I'm my own worst critic

Comment by Galina Edwards on June 14, 2012 at 12:18am

Yes Danica I am in the same camp as you.  I am using the Kathe P course, the recommended tone box, and a tape recorder and I am not seeing any change.  If asked, I just tell people I had minor throat cancer and they accept my voice.

Comment by Daphne Anne Blake on June 14, 2012 at 1:00am

sometimes I feel the same way, sister. and then some days, when I'm particularly feeling very feminine, it just comes out! it take lots of practice. I can at least see that from my vantage point. I still sound very male. but I can sound feminine. but it is a "reach" to do so and I cannot maintain it long. and i faulter easily.

my advice is not to give up, it's probly the hardest part of presenting feminine.

I have the advantage of haveing two sisters. both of which i am very familiar with their voices. and when i sound fem, i sound just like them in one way or another. thats how i know i'm on track. i try to sound like my sisters.

Comment by Catina Merlin on June 17, 2012 at 2:41am

Practice Practice Practice

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