Speech Therapy: A Guide to Getting Started on Your Own

[AudreyTN]

Thanks to Teresea's valuable information on Speech Therapy through the V.A. from this thread

http://www.crossdressers.com/forums/showthread.php?179135-Voice-Training

I was able to get a consult with the Audiology Dept at the V.A. here and begin speech therapy.

They have given me some information, and said I should definitely share it for others, so I'm going to post up what I learned in my first session, and as this progresses along, I will continue to provide useful information for the benefit of others.


First is the Speech Fact Sheet (it's in PDF Format) and it has some very important things even I didn't know. The audiologist gave me a 10 sheet printout of valuable information that I'm sharing.

http://goo.gl/8BVrg

Finally, here is a program, it is free to download, free to use. It works on both MAC and PC. You will need a microphone attached to your computer. On the MAC's I don't suggest the built-in microphone as the quality is not good.

Go to wal-mart and get one of the headset type microphones. or shop around on ebay. the better quality microphone, the better results.

The program is called PRAAT.

It analyzes the high, low, median and averages of the pitch of your voice. This allows you to compare your progress weekly, monthly, yearly. Even better IT'S FREE for anyone.

http://www.fon.hum.uva.nl/praat/

Here's where you can get the user manual for PRAAT
http://savethevowels.org/praat/UsingPraatforLinguisticResearch.pdf

and some free workshop files for PRAAT
http://savethevowels.org/praat/LSAWorkshopFiles.zip


Some other tips (you will find these in the PDF Fact Sheet in the zip file)

Males have low pitch voices (usually) and Females have high pitch voices.

caffeinated beverages, sugary drinks, coffee, and excessive juices dry out your mouth and throat. Dry mouths and throat, cause your vocal chords to vibrate more, which means more throaty sounds, raspiness, and lower pitch. This is counter productive to the goal of raising the pitch of your voice.

So, in order for speech therapy to be effective

- eliminate or drastically reduce soda, caffeinated beverages, high sugar/syrupy drinks, coffee, and fruit juices.

- increase water intake. the more water you drink, the more hydrated your are, the more lubricated your vocal chords are.

- STOP SMOKING. smoking drys out your mouth and throat and vocal chords. which means more vibrations on the vocal chords and getting the opposite effect of that which you seek.

- POSTURE - slouching while sitting or standing and trying to talking is limiting your voice effectiveness. Stand up or situp straight, take a deep breath, at the top of the breath (when you've inhaled all the air you can hold in your lung) begin speaking. When you begin speaking project your words from your lungs, not your mouth. and be sure to move your mouth and articulate the words as you say them (Males usually don't move their mouths much when they talk, which is why women always accuse them of mumbling), whilst Females will move their mouths with the words and ARTICULATE the words.


- Trills - kind of difficult to explain, but basically if you take your finger and run it from one end of the piano to the other, you can hear a gradual increase in the pitch. With your TONGUE, mimic this. Do that for about 10 minutes. Don't strain yourself to go to the highest possible pitch, you can get nodules on your vocal chords if you strain too hard or cause damage. Just go to a casual higher pitch, but not excessive. Then when you've done that for 10 minutes, do the same with your lips this time. Purse them together and go up and down the scale, again don't go TOO high. Make sure to take at least a 30-60 minute break after each exercise, because you don't want to overdo it. You can do as many as you want each day, just make sure to rest for 30-60 minutes in between exercises so you don't injure your vocal chords.

- Practice saying words - This is where you want to be monitoring your progress with PRAAT. Sitting in a chair upright (no slouching), good posture, well hydrated with water, say normal phrases like "Good Morning", "hello", "how are you?" "Hi, My name is..." while recording with PRAAT. Make sure you make a folder for your files, then make 2 sub-folders. One masculine/regular and one for feminine.

Getting started with PRAAT

Record your normal unaltered voice first. For 10 - 15 seconds say "Ahhhhhhhh" like you're getting a throat culture done. Label them and Save that file to your male/regular folder. (e.g. male-tongue trills, male lip trills, male-ahhhh, male-dohrayme, etc.)

Now do tongue and lip trills in your regular voice for 10 - 15 seconds.

Now do "Doh Ray Me FA So La Tea Doh" in your regular voice.

Now repeat the same but this time raising the pitch (again, don't raise it super high or you can hurt yourself, just go moderately above your average pitch). make sure to record each one and label them and put them in your feminine folder.

(e.g. female-tongue trills, female lip trills, female-ahhhh, female-dohrayme, etc.)


as I get more I'll update this thread. My appt's are every two weeks, so mod's please don't lock this thread if there's a delay in posts, I still have school and homework, so I might get a little busy sometimes and not be able to reply right then and there.

Hope this will help some people get started on a simple and easy thing they can do on their own, the only key is not to force the pitch of your voice too high. the goal is to "gradually" increase the pitch over time so that it becomes a natural habit, not a forced one. this takes lot's of time and practice, but the results can be well worth it if you're vigilante in your exercises.

[VeronicaMoonlit]

I don't think the Andrea James FYFV Audio CD (or it's individual tracks) is freely distributable.

Veronica

[AudreyTN]

ah, well then i'll remove that part.

[AudreyTN]

removed. just the PDF from the V.A. is all that's in there.

[StephanieC]

Wow, lots of technical information! Thanks!

[Jorja]

I don't think the Andrea James FYFV Audio CD (or it's individual tracks) is freely distributable.

Veronica

Of course it is, for a price.

[johanna.kitten]

Oh, cheers for sharing all this - just what I've been looking for. Would you mind if I link in from my website?

Hugs
/Givanna

[johanna.kitten]

Oh, cheers for sharing all this - just what I've been looking for. Would you mind if I link in from my website?

Hugs
/Giovanna

[AudreyTN]

Oh, cheers for sharing all this - just what I've been looking for. Would you mind if I link in from my website?

Hugs
/Giovanna


sure, not a problem. copy and paste and post it up on your website. :)

[Michelle 2]

Thank you Audrey for this information it is beneficial for many of us.

Michelle

[Sophora]

Thank you so much. My VA isn't set up at all for any gender issue stuff(and I mean at all). I asked for voice training and while there is someone there they can't feminization voice. This is more helpful than you can imagine.

[AudreyTN]

Thank you so much. My VA isn't set up at all for any gender issue stuff(and I mean at all). I asked for voice training and while there is someone there they can't feminization voice. This is more helpful than you can imagine.

if they can't provide you with these resources at their facility, then by law they have to outsource you to a local provider and pay for it through the Pay Fee's office. But they won't ever tell you that, because they don't want to spend the money. I suggest pushing the issue with your primary care physician to submit a consult to the pay fee's office for outsourcing. If they don't, do not threaten them, go to the Patient Advocate's Office, and tell them what's going on, and trust me, PAO will climb up in their stink hardcore. I had to do that with the lady at Pay Fee's here for my GID therapy. She dabbled and doodled for 3 months getting me an appointment with a GID Therapist, finally I called PAO, and within 30 minutes of calling PAO, Pay Fee's called back and I had an appointment date and time and a GID Therapist's name and phone number and address. Amazing how that works, ain't it? ;)

[Sophora]

if they can't provide you with these resources at their facility, then by law they have to outsource you to a local provider and pay for it through the Pay Fee's office. But they won't ever tell you that, because they don't want to spend the money. I suggest pushing the issue with your primary care physician to submit a consult to the pay fee's office for outsourcing. If they don't, do not threaten them, go to the Patient Advocate's Office, and tell them what's going on, and trust me, PAO will climb up in their stink hardcore. I had to do that with the lady at Pay Fee's here for my GID therapy. She dabbled and doodled for 3 months getting me an appointment with a GID Therapist, finally I called PAO, and within 30 minutes of calling PAO, Pay Fee's called back and I had an appointment date and time and a GID Therapist's name and phone number and address. Amazing how that works, ain't it? ;)

I can I can get it outsourced. My social worker(I think that what they call them) told as much over the phone. It is still helpful that you do this as I can start on the only area that I really need to work on.

[Stephanie-L]

The exercises you posted are very similar to the resonance exercises my therapists gave me. They do help a lot with your voice, even my male voice is better now. Thanks for posting this, it is all very useful. Of course nothing beats direct feedback from a trained professional, but these exercises are a great start.......Stephanie

[Jonianne]

For those who happen to be in the Tidewater, Virginia area, Old Dominion University has a free class with transgender voice therapy. They only take a few at a time and I was accepted for this semister, so I will let you know how it goes. It's great that our needs are starting to be taken mainstream.

[Cassi]

Thank you for this information. I hope your speech therapy goes well.

Ta :)

[Diane Elizabeth]

My VA gave me a consult outside as they would not/ could not deal with TG lessons. I went to a speech therapist with Park-Nicollet clinics. I learned a lot from her.

[josee]

Which campus is that at? Very interested!!

For those who happen to be in the Tidewater, Virginia area, Old Dominion University has a free class with transgender voice therapy. They only take a few at a time and I was accepted for this semister, so I will let you know how it goes. It's great that our needs are starting to be taken mainstream.

["Mary"]

.... ...When you begin speaking project your words from your lungs, not your mouth. and be sure to move your mouth and articulate the words as you say them (Males usually don't move their mouths much when they talk, which is why women always accuse them of mumbling), whilst Females will move their mouths with the words and ARTICULATE the words. ...
.

Thanks so much for sharing this Audrey. I'm surprised to read this part above. I swear I've heard that men speak from their chest and women seem to speak from their mouths. however, here you're saying to do both. Could you explain this part again? My voice is so terrible, making any change would probably be an improvement. Thanks again for sharing this

[AudreyTN]

Thanks so much for sharing this Audrey. I'm surprised to read this part above. I swear I've heard that men speak from their chest and women seem to speak from their mouths. however, here you're saying to do both. Could you explain this part again? My voice is so terrible, making any change would probably be an improvement. Thanks again for sharing this

men that speak very well will speak from their chest, you can tell if their lips are moving and they are articulating the words. not sure I know how else to explain it though.

[Myojine]

No means to be rude about this. But changing your voice from masculine to emfeminate is no where near as hard as people make it out to be, It REALLY isnt as hard as people make it out to be. Infact changing my voice was probably one of the easiest parts of my transition.
I've found that nowadays I can actually hit a whole set of ranges and speak comfortably in MANY different voices.

I was showing off to one of my female friends on how easy it is for me to swap between a totally male voice and a completely female voice.

[EnglishRose]

Good for you. However, I know many younger transitioners that have terrible trouble with it, (relatively speaking) myself included.

(Note: I know far fewer older transitioners - I am not making a point about age here.)

[johanna.kitten]

Myojine,

So, perhaps you could enlighten us on how it is done?! Personally I just started off learning e few days back and have s very long way to go it seems.

Hugs
/Giovanna

[ReneeT]

No means to be rude about this. But changing your voice from masculine to emfeminate is no where near as hard as people make it out to be, It REALLY isnt as hard as people make it out to be. Infact changing my voice was probably one of the easiest parts of my transition.
I've found that nowadays I can actually hit a whole set of ranges and speak comfortably in MANY different voices.

I was showing off to one of my female friends on how easy it is for me to swap between a totally male voice and a completely female voice.

Maybe you could post a YouTube video so we can marvel at your success! Contrary to the ease at which you have mastered vocal fluidity, I struggle, despite the fact I use my "me" voice most of the time

[CharleneT]

No means to be rude about this. But changing your voice from masculine to emfeminate is no where near as hard as people make it out to be, It REALLY isnt as hard as people make it out to be. Infact changing my voice was probably one of the easiest parts of my transition.
I've found that nowadays I can actually hit a whole set of ranges and speak comfortably in MANY different voices.

I was showing off to one of my female friends on how easy it is for me to swap between a totally male voice and a completely female voice.

Good for you, but this is rare. In fact I have never heard anyone say it was easy. I think the average person here is going to need some help.

The voice is both one of the hardest things, and also (unfortunately) one of the most important to master. As well, and this is critical: it is more about how you talk than what pitch your voice is at.

The links and info are good, I would add that as said above by Steph: go find yourself a professional if you are serious about this. It really helps. Now I'm lucky, I live in a university town - and one with a Speech Therapy program. So for me it was fairly easy to get good help - which I needed a lot. I cannot tell you how important this can be if you are transitioning. IF you live anywhere near a university that has a similar program, ask them about becoming a patient for the students. Sure, they are just learning the ropes, but behind that one way glass is a professor that knows what to do. He (more likely she) is going to be your salvation. Yes, I sound like I am waxing poetic here - but I am not. Why a Uni ? Because if you are a patient of the students, normally the rate you pay is quite a bit less than the prof charges. Maybe even free. Here there was a sliding scale. What was $150/hr was only $25/hr for me.

After all that, the next two most important things are: go listen to any group of women (without men present) talk. Listen very carefully, watch because it is as much about body motions as it is words. AND - practice pratice practice practice... preferable - only - with GG's.

[ReneeT]

No means to be rude about this. But changing your voice from masculine to emfeminate is no where near as hard as people make it out to be, It REALLY isnt as hard as people make it out to be. Infact changing my voice was probably one of the easiest parts of my transition.
I've found that nowadays I can actually hit a whole set of ranges and speak comfortably in MANY different voices.

I was showing off to one of my female friends on how easy it is for me to swap between a totally male voice and a completely female voice.

Myojine, i sense that you are quite young - here 's a little advice. Before you post, or say, something, ask yourself how this might sound to others BEFORE you execute. You might rephrase things. How does this sound to you: " i don't want to sound rude, but finding cash for grs/ffs/whatever isn't as hard as people say - I found 30 grand under my pillow last night!"

So what was thepurpose of our post? To say that feminizing your voice is easy? That you have been succesful? If you ask yourself what your message is, and then put words to that message, you will be a far better communicator, and less likely to be dismissed as being insolent and trite

And in all fairness, my advice is worth what I was paid to give it......

[JohnH]

No means to be rude about this. But changing your voice from masculine to emfeminate is no where near as hard as people make it out to be, It REALLY isnt as hard as people make it out to be. Infact changing my voice was probably one of the easiest parts of my transition.
I've found that nowadays I can actually hit a whole set of ranges and speak comfortably in MANY different voices.

I was showing off to one of my female friends on how easy it is for me to swap between a totally male voice and a completely female voice.

I would think the pitch of your root (male) voice might make a difference in getting a feminine voice. If you happen to be a lyric tenor it would be quite easy. However, if you are a basso profundo as I am it would be quite difficult to achieve a feminine voice. However, I have NO wish to achieve a feminine voice as far as the pitch is concerned - I might work on how phrasing, placing of the resonance, and talking with a lighter tone.

John

[Myojine]

@all challenging me/replying

I actually cant hear my own voice or hear myself speak. Im half deaf. I cant hear my own voice, but instead i can feel the vibrations in my throat and the back of my jaw, and in my ears. I cant actually heart myself unless i speak into a microphone and listen to it.
I only really know my voice has been feminized because of what people say back to me. When i talk to people on the phone, there is no question whatsoever, people hear a woman talking to them.
Infact I had troubles getting my bank to verify online purchases and transactions because I would call in with my male name on the account but they heard a female talking back on the phone.
So what they ended up doing is putting a fraud block on my account and made me show up at the bank IN PERSON with a photo I.D. to prove it was me accessing the account.
The bank noted on my account and to VISA that the account holder is a female.
But even after this, the same situation happened AGAIN and i was requested to appear in person at a local branch and the manager of the location actually filed a complaint to VISA on my behalf.

I didnt mean for that post to be so hostile so i apologize, its just that for me It was easy to change my voice. But i beleive It was easier for me because i was learning to be s vocalist for music. I wanted to sing heavy metal and psychedelic/trance music voice so i had been learning how to sing and change between bass and tenor and learning how to shift between falsetto and normal voice function.
After i wanted to change my voice i simply revariated where my "home" octave was and tried to normalize the vibrations i felt.
It took me about a matter of a month from the switch to where it was pretty feesable to maintain. After speaking in a higher octave for a long enough time my voice simply stayed there.
however i can switch between 3 different octaves at any time, but I think thats a singer's trait. being partially deaf though made it so i couldnt keep my voice balanced and maintain a tone. so i cant actually sing well enough to go onstage.

The Hardest thing in my opinion was getting the reverberation out of my chest. If you can feel your chest vibrating and resonating you're going to sound like a man.
Women speak with a voice thats sort of like dancing on top of their voice box kinda "up in their head" where as a male voice has power and comes from in the chest.
At least thats how i can describe it the best.

[AudreyTN]

No means to be rude about this. But changing your voice from masculine to emfeminate is no where near as hard as people make it out to be, It REALLY isnt as hard as people make it out to be. Infact changing my voice was probably one of the easiest parts of my transition.
I've found that nowadays I can actually hit a whole set of ranges and speak comfortably in MANY different voices.

I was showing off to one of my female friends on how easy it is for me to swap between a totally male voice and a completely female voice.

everyone's different though, some have deeper voices and it may be more difficult and take more work, some have very soft voices and mid-range pitch voices that are more feminine naturally, and it takes less work. so what is easy for one, maybe very very difficult and time consuming for another.

:)

[johanna.kitten]

Aw, after only a few days of exercising my voice and then listening to it I can only congrat myself if I'll ever get a femme voice even close to Lemmy's (of Motörhead) after a 3 months bender on Jack Daniel's and roughing it in a Siberian winter for 2 nights after a particularly bad gig. For those whom never met him (nice bloke, btw), I'll just link in this little vid.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iwC2QljLn4

Hope the NHS over here in the UK can provide training for me.

Hugs
/Giovanna

[Suzette Muguet de Mai]

The problem/s I find in using my voice is :
Finding "that" pitch first thing in the morning,
Accepting a pitch as I find on a recorded playback I think, Hmmm that is nice then I listen to the radio and I hear female voices that are higher pitched and so I get upset that my pitch is too low. I do like Megyn Price's voice and I can get a lot nearer to her voice yet she can do such a range inpitch when she speaks. I find talking with breathing over the words sounds more feminine as long as I pronounce each word softer and clearer and end the word. Then I get excited and I fall into a screaming heap.
I have been practicing my female voice a long time and OMG I am so not good, but I will get there...one day.
:Pullhair:

[JennyA]

A trick that I use is to read books out loud in my bedroom. I love getting movie or play scripts and trying to do different voices for the characters.

[Kirsty_D]

Thanks for the links Audrey. Something else I need to tackle. I feel very feminine inside but as soon I open my mouth I sound like a wee Highland teuchtar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teuchter) or worse still, like Andy Stewart singing Donald where's your trousers. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqtFnAZu1YI&feature=related)

[Stephenie S]

I think that trying to develop a "male" voice and "female" voice is problematic at best. Voice professionals can do this, of course, but I think for the average person, the goal should be to develop your voice. One voice is enough for most of us. Having two voices might be a goal for a crossdresser, but if your goal is transition, why not concentrate on just one voice?

S

[JohnH]

I think that trying to develop a "male" voice and "female" voice is problematic at best. Voice professionals can do this, of course, but I think for the average person, the goal should be to develop your voice. One voice is enough for most of us. Having two voices might be a goal for a crossdresser, but if your goal is transition, why not concentrate on just one voice?

S

What if you have a nice deep singing bass voice as I have? There might be some individuals who might want to acquire the ability to sound like a woman but might want to retain the ability to speak as a man, and to sing in the deep masculine register.

John