voice

[jackie k]

Thinking about the first time out in public thing. I consider myself not passable. But my wife says I'm pretty. Don't know if she's just being supportive, or I'm too hard on myself. Either way you can choose your outing. Dimly lit like a movie etc. But still at some point your going to have to talk to someone. Even if I could pass myself of as the woman I'd like to be, there's nothing I can do about my very obvious male voice. I'm afraid of the consiquences. I may just chicken out. How do you girls handle it?

[Jenniferathome]

I try to speak with as little force as possible and try to raise my base register. I have no chance of fooling anyone. The best I can hope for is confusing someone at first.

Regarding your appearance, I doubt your wife is just blowing smoke up your skirt BUT, let her know you are planning to go out and need complete honest feedback.

[AllieSF]

Well, since you think that you will be read anyway, the voice becomes less of an issue. I don't normally have a deep male voice, though mine is definitely male. I just do it. Go, look them in the eyes and tell them, "Two tickets to see Lincoln at 7:30, please." Since you are buying those two tickets, ask your wife to get the popcorn while you check out those great posters for the coming attractions. One trick I use when I remember to try to talk in a higher voice is to also talk slower and softer. It actually does help. Good luck and enjoy, it really is nice out there and can be a lot of great fun too.

[Jenara]

I have a very deep voice so I doubt there's ever going to be a time I pass. That's a major reason why I doubt I would ever try to go out en femme.

[Lynn Marie]

We just pull on our big girl panties, paint our faces, style our wigs, step into our heels and go on out the door. The worst that can happen? You're neighbors will wonder where the tall girl with big hands came from. Or they'll know it was you and think you're a crossdresser. Or they'll just figure you're gay which is sort of an upgrade from crossdresser. Go somewhere as safe as possible for your first time like a LGBT club in the next town over. Better yet, find some other CD's and go out together. It's great fun.

[Ambrosia]

I have a deep, bass male voice. This weekend I went out for my first time. I was at 1st Event at Peabody, MA. There they had workshops on "the voice". It can be feminized if you are wiling to work on it. Practice, practice, practice. My Samantha voice was really nice and I am happy with the progress.

[AmyGaleRT]

I have what I call "Amy-voice" that I tend to use while I'm dressed. I try to shift my pitch up (though not high enough to sound falsetto), enunciate clearly, shift my pronunciation to more the front of my mouth than the back of it, use variations in pitch for emphasis, and be more mindful of my word choices. I'm not entirely sure how good it is, but, in the drive-through visit from last week, the second time the girl at the window "ma'am"ed me was after she'd heard me speak, so I guess I didn't invalidate her initial impression. I don't know if I'd benefit from a more formal method of developing a femme voice, but one of these days I may want to try it.

- Amy

[Kelley]

There are a lot of women with somewhat deep voices. Raising your voice a pitch or two helps as Amy says just don't get to a falsetto. I think you must mentally prepare yourself before you go out as none of us pass 100%. Just know that something may give you away but most people are kind enough to keep it to themselves. On the rear occasion that someone comments just move on

[Beverley Sims]

I usually speak in a lower voice and develop a one octave higher pitch.
It does take a little practice, try singing in a feminine voice close to you own
Bonnie Tyler has such a voice.

[AmyGaleRT]

It does take a little practice, try singing in a feminine voice close to you own
Bonnie Tyler has such a voice.

I do sometimes try to sing along in Amy-voice to songs on the radio, for that reason. (Well, that, and the hope that one day I will join Anne in karaoke, so being able to sing femme will help a lot. :))

It may also help that I have some experience working with music and audio, so I know about things like pitch and dynamics.

- Amy

[Kate Simmons]

I'm wondering what you feel that the "consequences" would be for speaking in an obvious male voice.:)

[AllieSF]

If you almost pass, then it may be a look of surprise, which I have had a few times. Otherwise, it may fit or clarify what the mind knows and the eyes almost see. I wouldn't worry about it. Juts be nice, polite and go about your business as they will too. It really does not matter if you are confident, smile a lot and look them in the eyes. believe me, they will blink first!

[Nikki A.]

Don't think I pass otherwise but as far as voice goes, Itry to soften it up a bit and talk a little softer and slower and enunciate a litte more. There are plenty of women out there who have a lower register and gravelly voice so I hope that it is enough.

[Maria S]

I speak gently and a little slower making sure I pronounciate well. Also I think about the words I use. A "lady" would not use certain words that men use including swearing which I must confess I do in male mode without even thinking about it. I blame Gordon Ramsay!! A lot of feminine ggs have voices that you would be unable to tell whether they were male or female if you could not see them. Too much thought about how you are talking aides give away.

Maria

[Luna Nyx]

This is the one thing I need to work on. I try to get my voice softer but I might just be speaking quieter.

[Michelle (Oz)]

I haven't seriously tried to acquire a passable female voice but do talk softer, etc. Better suggestions in previous posts. Something I must work on though.

I like to interact with people including strangers when I'm out dressed male or female. If I can make someone happier or more engaged then thats a success. Such interaction/engagement is also enjoyable for me.

It has been liberating for me to be confident to speak as in obvious male voice when out dressed. The CDers world can be quite lonely. My experience is that society respects honesty and does not like being fooled - I am still often called "M'am" though even after speaking. Don't think for a moment though that I don't try to pass/blend as best I can. I do - but I don't want to be confined to loneliness by a fear of being discovered.

Jackie, it has taken me quite some time to get to this point and I well remember the fear and excitement of the first outing. With a supportive wife (oh how I envy you), she can be the delegated speaker and you can just enjoy the moment.