Announcing the Voice Project

[Jenna Lynne]

Not sure this is the right forum for this announcement, but I don't see where else to put it. I'm sure the moderators will move it if they see the need.

Last week we were talking about developing your feminine voice, and someone commented that it would be nice if we could upload mp3s of our voices so we could hear how one another sound, offer tips and comments, and gauge our progress.

So now that's happening. I've put together a page called the Voice Project on my blog (http://jennawillow.wordpress.com/voice-project/). That page has an explanation of how I think maybe the project can work, and also a bit of audio that I recorded this morning.

I'm very open to suggestions. Also, I'd love it if a few people would contribute short recordings of their voices. (If nobody does that in a few weeks, I'll take the page down.) You don't have to be a mistress of elocution to get started. Part of the fun, I hope, will be listening to recordings by the same gals after a few weeks or months, so we can admire how much they've improved.

YouTube videos of you speaking are also allowed ... with the proviso that this is about your voice, it's not about showing off your new outfit. I will post links to appropriate audio and video on the Voice Project page, and of course I reserve the right to censor anything inappropriate. I want Voice Project to be about self-improvement, not about airing some weird monologue.

Sound like fun? Give it a try! (Tips on what software to use are on the Voice Project page.)

[Lexine]

This is a terrific idea and I'd love to contribute to this! I'll try to record a mp3 of my voice tonight and try to contribute something to this!

[Maxine_b]

I'm In!

[Kaz]

I'm in too, but it may be a few days before I do as I am going to be away for a couple of days!

Nice idea!

[S. Lisa Smith]

I'm in, but it will take me a while to get a recording together and posted.

[Lexine]

I just emailed the link to my audio file to Jenna! I'm going to refrain from posting a link to the file here because it'd be nice to have a centralized section where the comments and suggestions would exist.

[cindym5_04]

I hate my recorded male voice...I'm sure I'd hate my recorded femme voice even more. I might try to record it one day...

[KarenS]

I have nearly zero confidence of portraying a female voice. But I'll try in a day or two when I'm alone.

[KristinSkye]

Fantastic idea Jenna! I actually recorded my work in progress voice a few weeks back and sent it to a few close friends, (and they did the same), to spare ourselves some embarrassment. But if more and more forum members contribute to this project I wouldn't feel so awkward sharing with everybody. The last time I recorded my voice was after a fun shopping trip. I would post it but I kinda started rambling because I really didn't know what to talk about lol. I'll try to make a new recording and hopefully get some constructive criticism on it

Anyways, Jenna and Lexi - I listened to both of your recordings and you both sound great. Just from listening to both of your recordings I've already realized I need to work on my feminine reflections.

[Starla]

I agree -- both Jenna and Lexi sound great!

A quick two cents from someone who used to be f/t and had to pull off a convincing female voice. Pitch is NOT as important as timbre, inflection, and modulation. Lots of women have deeper than average voices, yet sound not only feminine, but sometimes downright sexy! Think of your vocal range when singing -- your normal male speaking voice probably falls somewhere around the midpoint of this range. Sometimes, you only need raise it by a major third or so -- still within your comfort zone, and not forced -- and then work to make this pitch your "default" level. Then listen, listen, listen to a variety of female speakers, and pay attention to the nuances -- the way certain consonant and vowel sounds are enunciated, the overall pattern of their speech, the way it rises and falls and flows. Grab audio samples of women whose voices you like, and are close to your "modified" voice in pitch, then play those over and over, practicing the way certain words, sounds, and phrases flow, and try to emulate them. Eventually, you will settle on what works for you, and it will all become second nature.

(Of course, I've been back in male mode for quite a few years, and an extended bout of bronchitis a few years ago wrecked my voice anyway, turning it from a high tenor/contralto to a raspy baritone. Think "Rochester" on the old Jack Benny Show -- maybe not quite that bad, but in the neighborhood. My problem today is not emulating one gender or another, but making myself understood at all. Probably why I now greatly prefer text communication to vocal....)

[Jenna Lynne]

I have nearly zero confidence of portraying a female voice. But I'll try in a day or two when I'm alone.

Glad you're willing to give it a try! Uploading a recording is not a requirement -- part of the point of this project is just to suggest to people that they might want to try recording in the privacy of their own home. (Suggestion: If you have family members who use the computer, be sure to delete the recordings!) Even if you never share the results, it's a new dimension of personal expression to explore.

Also, I think it's a bit of a confidence-building exercise. For me, anyway.

[Lexine]

Thanks for all the nice comments from people about my voice!

I can't wait to hear from other people though, and their contributions!

[noeleena]

Hi Jenna,

Iv had a look this mp3 thinge no idear what that is & as to how this all works is way over my head. its not a matter of not wonting to as iv spoken to 100s of people & do every day . the best i can do is use the Phones i did use tape recorders & can do things like that . the computer detail another matter as well cant even get the speakers working with the computer.
So after all that all i could do is we have disks from my interviews for T V N Z our two main T V stations that were done in 07. other than that im struggleing pity tho.

...noeleena...

[Jenna Lynne]

Iv had a look this mp3 thinge no idear what that is & as to how this all works is way over my head. its not a matter of not wonting to as iv spoken to 100s of people & do every day . the best i can do is use the Phones i did use tape recorders & can do things like that . the computer detail another matter as well cant even get the speakers working with the computer.

You do need working speakers and a working mic. My Mac laptop has that stuff all built-in, so I don't even need to think about it. My PC also has built-in speakers, not sure about the mic since I never use its built-in sound system, only external hardware that's better quality.

If you'd like to get the speakers and mic thing working, you might try talking to someone at an electronics store near you. I sometimes forget that the technology can be a little intimidating, because I've been using it so long! Or contact the manufacturer of your computer. If you have the hardware but can't get it working, try reading the manual. Most manuals are very badly written, but you should be able to puzzle it out.

Once you have the hardware hooked up, you can download Audacity (it's free). After installing it, you just launch it, click on the red Record button, and talk into the mic. That part is easy.

To export your recording as an mp3, you go to the File menu, choose Export..., and choose mp3 as the file type. At that point, Audacity may tell you it needs a codec. If so, it will give you a link to the website where you can download the codec. After installing it, try exporting your audio again.

If anyone has problems and would like help, please email me! (There's a link on my blog page.) You will need to describe your problem in quite specific terms, but my experience has been that in the process of writing down EXACTLY what's going on, I often figure out something else to try, and then I get it working.

[ReneeT]

I sure would be interested in knowing if any ofyou hav found an effective voice femininization program!

[shawnsheila]

Wow this sounds interesting! I'll have to give it a try once Christmas break is over for my kids

[Cari]

Kelly De Winter was playing with Live chat in Second Life; I remember talking with her in there.
There is also a TG shelter in there that had a group meeting to work on voice.
Its actual live conversation at the meeting and text chat the rest of the time.

Just google second Life to start but be forewarned It is a huge time waster.

[Cari]

I had much better luck with a decent gamers headset.

For voice morphing software try a company called screaming bee.

I think its called Voice box pro.

[Cari]

Jenna I sent you an Mp3 with voice morphing by the computer.

I took the same file and ran it thru several morphs; it shows what is possible.
The intro is me slightly morphed.

The software is fun ; and some have found it usefull for developing a fem voice.
It will definately show you what things like raising pitch or adding some vibrato can do. But you end up with a high pitched male voice; much of it is word choice and inflection.

Its called Morphbox by a company named Screaming Bee.

[Lexine]

I sure would be interested in knowing if any ofyou hav found an effective voice femininization program!

I didn't undergo any voice feminization programs simply because peer feedback, IMO, is a lot better in terms of making sure that you pass with your voice. Most of the time, you'll go through a self-help program and realize that you really need feedback from someone and wind up hiring a voice therapist. This can get REALLY expensive, and I know that our fellow TG sisters aren't that well off.

With that said, I viewed KandiFLA's vids on voice (http://www.youtube.com/candifla) and Charlotte's video on voice feminization (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciWIzpW_X20). Both of these videos cover pretty much what the paid programs are going to tell you, without the exercises. The exercises may help, but again, feedback is important.

If you want to try a program I actually bought one a while back and I can try and email them to you if you'd like. Otherwise, send Jenna a mp3 and we'll provide constructive criticism on what and how you can improve.

Fantastic idea Jenna! I actually recorded my work in progress voice a few weeks back and sent it to a few close friends, (and they did the same), to spare ourselves some embarrassment. But if more and more forum members contribute to this project I wouldn't feel so awkward sharing with everybody.

Girl, just do it for yourself. Man up!

...

Oh wait! ^_^;;;;;;

[Jenna Lynne]

I had much better luck with a decent gamers headset.

For voice morphing software try a company called screaming bee.

I think its called Voice box pro.

I think you're probably referring to Morph Vox Pro, from Screaming Bee. Looks like it's a $39.95 Windows program that works as a plug-in for online games and instant messaging software, including Skype. I'm sure this could be useful for some purposes, but if you're shopping at the mall and need to say something to the sales clerk, software isn't going to help. (You don't get to Photoshop your real appearance either, darn it all!)

I have some software that does high-quality formant-based pitch shifting for vocal transformation, but it's expensive. It's designed for recording engineers and dance remix producers, who often need to move a vocal to some other key. If there's a freeware vocal shifter out there, maybe someone will tell us what it is and how it works.

[Cari]

Absolutely right about not helping with a cleark.
The only thing the software does is show how important phrasing is and gives you an idea where yours falls on the "graphic".

I found it interesting how just shifting pitch didnt really feminize the voice it just made it higher.
You can use the most feminine sounding alias and still sound male.

[Annaliese2010]

Oooh fun!

[Schatten Lupus]

Cool. I even just started working with the Finding Your Female Voice program last night. I used the CD while on my paper route last night, and while it said that the CD is to be used after viewing the video, does anyone know if it is crucial to watch it?

[Engendered]

This is a really good idea. What I like about it, is that your idea has been put into practice, and isn't just a "wouldn't it be great if we had..." idea. I'm at home with family for the next week or so, but I would like to contribute when I get back.
The voice is one of the most difficult things (which we have control over) to master. A lot of us don't have much choice about how we present physically, but all of us have the capability to sound great. (at least I hope this is true).