Can One Learn to Sing as a Female?

[SarahMarie42]

I've been confronting some gender issues lately, and one major obstacle that I have been forced to confront has to do entirely with my love of music and my pursuits in the field. If I WERE to become a woman, I would still want to be able to sing well, and obviously sing like a woman. I'm not posting this in the MtF transgender thread, as I am not entirely sure about crossing the threshold. I'm just wondering so I can make more informed decisions.

[juliannacd]

Google "Grae Phillips" . . . . a very interesting story.

[christinac]

Somewhere here just recently someone posted a thread on this very subject, but I'm not sure where it is at right off the top of my head. I was reading an article recently in (I think) TS Roadmap on feminizing speech and they discussed singing as a tool in devoloping a feminine voice.

[sissystephanie]

I have been a CD for a long time, and I still can't sing either as a male or as a female!! The truth is I am almost completely tone deaf and just can't sing decently at all!!

[SarahMarie42]

Google "Grae Phillips" . . . . a very interesting story.

Yeah, I initially thought of Grae Phillips and I've always been a fan of his/her's, but he/she has stated in interviews that he/she has always had a high, feminine singing voice, so he merely changed the appearance to match the voice.

I'm just wondering if one can make the voice more congruous with the appearance...rather than the other way around. This is actually my biggest obstacle, surprisingly.


Somewhere here just recently someone posted a thread on this very subject, but I'm not sure where it is at right off the top of my head. I was reading an article recently in (I think) TS Roadmap on feminizing speech and they discussed singing as a tool in devoloping a feminine voice.

It'd be nice to find that article, I'll try and look for it.

[JohnH]

With a normal male voice singing like a genetic woman would involve falsetto. Unfortunately I do not have a good falsetto range, so all of my singing is in the root range - in my case, basso profundo. However, I am able to speak in a way to sound like a woman by controlling the chest resonance.

So - after a possible transition I could look like Dolly Parton and sing like Johnny Cash!

Johanna

[SarahMarie42]

With a normal male voice singing like a genetic woman would involve falsetto. Unfortunately I do not have a good falsetto range, so all of my singing is in the root range - in my case, basso profundo. However, I am able to speak in a way to sound like a woman by controlling the chest resonance.

So - after a possible transition I could look like Dolly Parton and sing like Johnny Cash!

Johanna

roflll Well, I can sing a lot of lower range female songs in full voice, and on others I barely dip into the falsetto. I can sing some Mazzy Star songs, some Cranberries, and speaking of Johnny Cash, I can full-voice June Carter's part in "Jackson" :D

It helps to be a higher tenor, and with my falsetto I have about a 4.5 octave vocal range. Low-baritone-to-mid-to-high-alto.

Maybe we could both work on our voices and interact a bit? Swap recordings or something, idk.

[JohnH]

roflll Well, I can sing a lot of lower range female songs in full voice, and on others I barely dip into the falsetto. I can sing some Mazzy Star songs, some Cranberries, and speaking of Johnny Cash, I can full-voice June Carter's part in "Jackson" :D

It helps to be a higher tenor, and with my falsetto I have about a 4.5 octave vocal range. Low-baritone-to-mid-to-high-alto.

Maybe we could both work on our voices and interact a bit? Swap recordings or something, idk.

I'm curious what your range is. The range I sing is about Bb below the bass staff to F above the bass staff. So I have enough of an upper range to sound like a woman when I talk.

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

I can reach as higher note as any female if I a mouse pops out and then I can master the scales very quick too.

[Julogden]

I have a videotape by Melanie Ann Phillips on how to develop a feminine voice, and she claims that once you get it down, you can sing in a feminine voice too, but I would think that some people will have a higher range than others, all depends on where your male voice is.

There was a British reality TV show called Boys Will Be Girls where they passed three male musicians off as a girl band, and the singer was able to come up with a very female-sounding voice, and he didnt have much if any voice coaching from what I could tell, so with some work and coaching, I expect it can be done.

Here's the music video (below) the "girl group" called the Honeytraps made, and yes, that's a guy singing.

Carol


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoWuQ6o-jnA&feature=channel_video_title

[SarahMarie42]

Awesome! If I could sing in a female voice, I'd honestly be up for anything. :]

[S. Lisa Smith]

You can. Find a voice coach or singing teacher and see what works for you. I've been taking voice lessons and they have been successful in getting me to a low alto from a baratone speaking voice. I haven't tried to sing a song, but the exercises involve singing.

[christinac]

I can reach as higher note as any female if I a mouse pops out and then I can master the scales very quick too.

I bet a good old fashioned cockroach works too!



You can. Find a voice coach or singing teacher and see what works for you. I've been taking voice lessons and they have been successful in getting me to a low alto from a baratone speaking voice. I haven't tried to sing a song, but the exercises involve singing.

I was just reading an article in (I think) TS Roadmap where it was talking about the singer Cher and how her voice pitch or range is really almost baratone on the pitch scale.

[Jilmac]

I think singing as a female depends on your natural voice tone and range. If you are a natural baritone you may have to excersize your voice to attain at least a feminine alto. However if you are a natural tenor you may be able to maintain an alto voice without much difficulty. There are also many professional male singers who sing in a falsetto voice but talk in a natural baritone. It may take some training but I believe it can be done. Good luck in your singing endeavor.

[Anne Elizabeth]

Google thailands got talent there is a youtube of a male to female singing in both voices.

[Julogden]

Here are two more videos to check out, click her (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9HOA2RL8Gc&feature=channel_video_title)e and here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YccsNO1FV64&feature=channel_video_title), that's the one that Anne Elizabeth mentioned, I think.

Carol

[carhill2mn]

There are many popular female singers who sing in a low (alto, mostly) range. I as a tenor am able to sing most alto parts without going into a falsetto. It is actually easier for a bass to sing in a reasonable falsetto but, it does take practice and maybe some training as well.

[Debra Russell]

The one from thailand --- amazing !!!!!

[SarahMarie42]

This is all very inspiring. :] Thank you.

[RachelF]

Sarah,

Here it is another example. This is a chilean guy that imitates Shakira. You not necessarily have to have a soprano or very femenine voice to succeed as femenine singer.

As far as I know he is not CD, TS, nothing like that. It seems doing some Karaoke he found that he could sing similar to Shakira, he polished that and now is participating in a show in Chile. Here, he is singing in a Brasilian show:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUrFmMK6Se4

Here it is his original participation in the TV show in Chile:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx1sD6TxphE

Hope the best in your career.

[Julogden]

I've seen the videos of "Shakiro" before. While he sings in a female range, the timbre of his voice is masculine, big difference than some of the other singers. He isn't trying to sound female, but still a good illustration of singing in a female range.

The lady judge sounds more masculine than he does though. :)

Carol

[RachelF]

Carol, you got my point. There are succesful singers like Shakira that does not have an extraordinary voice, at the point her range is somehow inbetween male-female. But she built a career with that. Of course, marketing helps but that is something I guess singers have to deal with at some level depending on their targets.

So I hope Sarah could find a tone good for her to built her career, which as I said does not have to be a soprano tone.

LOL, if fact several people (most of them in Spanish) said the same thing: that the judge has a more masculine voice than Shakiro. Again, lot of mixed territory here.

[Rogina B]

I can't sing outside of the shower or truck..But what about the Beegees? What range was their songs done in?? Seems high to my ears..

[Julogden]

The Beegees sang in falsetto, which is different than singing in a female voice. Falsetto sounds masculine, to me anyway.

A couple male singers who could have pulled off a female voice with little trouble are Wayne Newton and Roy Orbison, especially Wayne, he had a very feminine-sounding voice when he was in his prime.

Carol

[5150 Girl]

Some say this Apachie Princess can sing pretty decant. I'll not go out for American Idol or anything, but Wynonna is not going to sent anyone run screaming from the Kerioki bar either.
My "evil twin" however, should have duct tape permenately sealed over his mouth!

[JohnH]

There are many popular female singers who sing in a low (alto, mostly) range. I as a tenor am able to sing most alto parts without going into a falsetto. It is actually easier for a bass to sing in a reasonable falsetto but, it does take practice and maybe some training as well.

I respectfully disagree. In my case, as a basso profundo I do not have a very good falsetto range at all, certainly less that most men

Johanna

[Areyan]

yes it is possible. dun just take my word for it - google a tv reality show called "boys will be girls"... it's all about a band of young men who were fully decked out as women and taught to sing in female vocals - and yes they did it properly. they also had to perform in full dress as an all-girl band in front of 5000 people. they passed with MOST of the crowd. very few people knew they were cross dressing men. it's a really great piece for a reality show and shows a very creative side to cross dressing. as a musician, i loved it. they performed a rendition of an old Flock Of Seagulls track, can't remember which one now. anyway, google it! you might find it online and pick up some tips.

[SarahMarie42]

I've so got to start working on this n.n. I love singing still, but I'm not quite as comfortable singing in a guy voice, even alone. Hopefully, I can get myself trained up soon :]

[ClevelandOHCD]

Is AutoTune out of the question? :D

I mean, there are those that say Cher is a man - and early AutoTune revitalized her career, lol...

[SarahMarie42]

Cher is NOT a man! I may dislike her solo material, but I love Sonny & Cher x]

My vocal range is almost identical to her's, so maybe they CAN make a case about her potentially being male? xD

(For the record, I don't think Bea Arthur was a man, either.)

[eluuzion]

hiya Sarah,


This may be of relevant interest
http://www.trans-academics.org/changing_femaletomale_ftm

It is specific to F to M, but still might be worth a look.

:love:

[Julogden]

yes it is possible. dun just take my word for it - google a tv reality show called "boys will be girls"... it's all about a band of young men who were fully decked out as women and taught to sing in female vocals - and yes they did it properly. they also had to perform in full dress as an all-girl band in front of 5000 people. they passed with MOST of the crowd. very few people knew they were cross dressing men. it's a really great piece for a reality show and shows a very creative side to cross dressing. as a musician, i loved it. they performed a rendition of an old Flock Of Seagulls track, can't remember which one now. anyway, google it! you might find it online and pick up some tips.
Areyan, check out message 10 in this thread, I posted their video, the band was called the Honeytraps and the song was Wishing. Actually, only one of them was able to sing convincingly, and he sounded great. It appeared to me that they lip-synced when they performed "live".

Carol