Do you change your voice?

[annekathleen]

For those brave sisters who venture out into the real world have have made contact with the public, do you disguise your voice and try to talk like a female? Or do some of us still continue to talk in our male voice?

[MissHelen]

A little, but it's subtle - going into a panto dame falsetto would be about as bad as speaking like Oscar the Grouch in terms of giving the game away.

The actual pitch ranges of male and female voices aren't as far apart as you'd think, what's different is the resonances; the social nature of speech is different too (nature vs. nurture), and differences in posture which affect the voice.
It would be too long and boring to go into all the physical theory and techniques here, it's a big topic and definitely tricky to get right. But if you want to practice, try getting hold of some play scripts and read out the female characters as naturally as possible.

[Paula Jaye]

I try and speak in a gentler manner, less from the chest and more from the throat. I also try and enunciate more clearly which makes me talk with a posh sounding English accent. I found that in the US having such an accent helped in getting by as folk were concnetrating on the "cute" accent and missed whether it sounded male or female. Same thig happening her in NZ. As Helen said pitch is not really an issue and attempt to raise the pitch and you sound camp like John Inman in "Are You Being Served". There are lots of websites out there giving advice and examples of what can be done. If no one has done so by the time I get back on line I will search some out.

As in all things practice is a help especially if you can play back. One tip is to sing along with female singers on CD or radio: especially folk or MOR/AOR or any other genre where melody rather than beat is the main element. This really does help get into the groove of sounding feminine

[Jodi]

Yes. When out, I soften my voice, use more gestures, enunciate clearly, and smile. It works for me.

Jodi

[MissHelen]

I also try and enunciate more clearly which makes me talk with a posh sounding English accent. I found that in the US having such an accent helped in getting by as folk were concnetrating on the "cute" accent and missed whether it sounded male or female.

It's funny you should say that, because when I started experimenting I found it easiest to play with southern-US and Australian accents (I practiced quite a bit by reading Blanche Dubois' speeches in Streetcar), because those have a particularly pronounced twang (opening out the nasal port to bring out the upper frequencies). I have an English accent anyway (what with me being from England and all) and find it has a lower natural resonance and inherent avoidance of nasal qualities.

[GypsyKaren]

Hi AnneKathleen

I try to soften it very little, but I don't try to disguise it because it doesn't work. I"ve never really had any problems and such, it works for me.

Karen

[jo_ann]

I've been told if you want to try out your femme voice, you should order take-out using it. anyone catering to your needs (I.E. they need your business) will likely be nice (especially over the phone, and especially since most take-out places are too busy for confrontation), so that's a good way to practice.

[Penny]

For those brave sisters who venture out into the real world have have made contact with the public, do you disguise your voice and try to talk like a female? Or do some of us still continue to talk in our male voice?
Actually I have two voices, male and female. I have been crossdressing so
long, that the voice is automatic for the most part. When I am feminine, the voice just comes. When I first became interested in voice, a read an article on how to change your voice. I adoped the principles, practiced and for me
it's not a disguise; it seems as natural as my male voice. I speak with it even in simple conversations with my wife around the house. It's not false
setto, it's just my female voice. It's deffinitely more me than my breast forms.
I've even had to switch to male voice when individuals could'nt believe I
was a CD:)

[AngelAshley]

I try... but it doesn't always work. Most of the time, I just stay as quiet as possible, which is hard... specially when you're a cheerleader!!

I'm supposed to be having speech thearapy soon, but as susal the NHS are being incredibly slow about it...

[Felicia]

Some years ago I purchase a vcr tape titled "Meliane speakes". It fully explains what and how to speak as fem as possible. Very informative. HUG Felicia

[Jenny Warren]

I've been told if you want to try out your femme voice, you should order take-out using it. anyone catering to your needs (I.E. they need your business) will likely be nice (especially over the phone, and especially since most take-out places are too busy for confrontation), so that's a good way to practice.

Great idea.

End result! I've got a lovely voice but I weigh 432lbs :sad:

Jenny

[Jennaie]

Just a beginner at this but I try and I am getting better. Need lots of practice though.

[Wenda]

there have been older threads on voice. The change of accent is good advice (think Tootsie, Mrs Doubtfire). Wendas voice is slightly British. Her alter-ego, Polly Darton, has a definite southern US accent. I practice by singing. As the others have mentioned, we all have several voices, and speak in our normal voice just from habit. Wenda speaks more at the top of the throat than in the larnyx. She also pronounces words more precisely, with more lip movement, which also makes her sound more British than North American.
I was at a training session a while ago, with mostly younger co-workers, on customer service. The topic of voice came up. When I said we all had lots of other voices, some seemed a bit sceptical. I cleared my throat, and Wenda spoke to the group. The young guy next to me moved to the next chair, jokingly. It was just a little confirmation that my voice can be convincing.
Pick some songs, pick the area in your throat, and sing when you drive, luv,

[Anna Teri]

I have done some training exercises to reach higher pitches. It comes natural to me now.

[Ellie]

I haven't made it out and about yet but I practice a femme voice in the car by singing along sometimes. Then again I have always been a voice mimic.

My SO is somewhat freaked out by me trying out a femme voice while at home. It seams to be one of the few aspects that really bug her.

Speaking of reading plays for practice, there are also lots of movie scripts at www.script-o-rama.com (http://www.script-o-rama.com)

[Katrina]

I have a pair of fem black leather gloves that I bought a few months ago that I wear whenever its cold out. Everytime I put them on around my GF, I clench my fist and say, "Luuuke, I'm your Father" in a low, James Earl Jones-ish voice. Does that count?

Sometimes when I'm in the car by myself, I will practice my fem voice. I have started to really listen to some of the women at work to see what makes their voices feminine. When I went out and actually had to interact with a clerk, I did my best fem voice attempt. I spoke softly and raised it a tiny bit. I also put a little more inflection in the words.

[Denise01]

I find that when I am out femme, if I look good, wether wearig slacks or a skirt, that the voice is not that much of an issue,.
I do soften my voice when i am femme. So far I have never had a problem, and have been accepted as a lady where ever I go.
Had a particularily good experience last night while shopping, if the girls in the store did realize I was TG, they sure did not show it

Denise

[connie rotten]

I don't need to I sound more like a woman than a man naturally.

[jo_ann]

I just thought of something.. anyone sorta slurr their words talking as a man (or just speak too low), and find that their female speaking voice is actually clearer? I should try it on my wife and see what she thinks. she hates when she can't understand me, she might actually encourage me to speak female.

[BeckyCath]

I've had speach and language therapy as part of my treatment (if you don't ask, you don't get where the NHS is concerned), and over 6 sessions I learnt that there were so muh more to feminine speach than raised pitch...

Much of it is to do how you say words, enunciation is only a part of it, there's intonation (as in words or sentances that raise or lower in pitch) Try saying Down and raise the ptich at the end of the word...

There's also contact, which is where the tongue hits the teeth whils saying certain words, and most women don't contact the teeth as hard as men, so learning how to back off on words that have hard contact was interesting...
alos learning how to add "breath" to words was fun... rather than saying air, add a silentish haitch to the begining does help...

I didn't honestly think i'd made much progress, until on the final session when she recorded my voice twice, once as him, and once as her, and the difference was noticable.

She did say that once i go full time, my voice will improve vastly, but i have all the neccesary tools to help me sort out a voice that suits me.

I have been finding i have been confusing people on the phone, it's great being able to answer the phone at work (knowing who's calling thanks to caller display) and fooling them...

Rebecca

[Clare]

Yes. When out, I soften my voice, use more gestures, enunciate clearly, and smile. It works for me.

JodiDitto. I agree with Jodie.

People have said to me that I have a 'soft' voice for a man, but I still feel it's definately a man's voice regardless!