Voice tips?

[Kalista Drake]

I'm desperately trying to find my fem voice! I mean, I can pass with my voice now about 80% of the time in public, but that's only when I don't say much.
I really can't project/speak loudly with my fem voice that I have now.

What is the secret to a good voice?
Any tips will be greatly appreciated!

[Donna Joanne]

You can try this..I too am working on finding my voice as well....
http://www.tsroadmap.com/physical/voice/index.html
Hope it works for you.
Donna

[Kalista Drake]

Thanks sweetie! Have you tried the video (Finding Your Female Voice)?

[Ann Louise]

I think that the tsroadmap site is put up by Andrea James, the Finding Your Female Voice coach. She has some other good sites up there for us, too.

[Rianna Humble]

I think that what a lot of people overlook is that a truly feminine voice is not just a matter of raising your pitch. There is that, of course, but there is also the way that you modulate your voice whilst speaking - men tend to stay mainly on the same pitch for most of a sentence, whereas women don't (and it's not just about emphasis).

Another thing is the way that you express ideas - men tend to be very minimalist in the number of words and the amount of description. For example where my brother might talk about the blue teeshirt that I bought him, I might mention that I got him a royal blue fitted teeshirt with white piping around the sleeves - same item.

All of this goes with the pitch to provide the listener with a clear understanding that the speaker is a woman.

[StephanieC]

My voice teacher said the voice needs to project from the front of the mouth, not from the chest. Pitch can be a funny thing...too high or too low are give-aways. It's more the projection and modulation.

What I have found is that guys tend to garble their words, so they use volume to compensate. If you enunciate and project from the top/front of your mouth, you should lose the male tonality which (I think) tends to resonate more from the chest. For me, my mid range is supposed to be about a middle C (180) and I try not to go below 140 (frequency). However, momentary deeps are perfectly normal and will not sound unusual. (For me, because I sing, I can practice better if I relate the pitch to musical notes and keep my voice out of my chest.)

Good luck

-stephani

[Kalista Drake]

Thanks ladies! Btw, is it normal to lose your voice occasionally? sometimes, when I'm speaking fem, I will whisper unintentionally with no modulation. It comes out as a lost word (a whispered word). Does this happen to anyone else?
It feels like it did when going through puberty in the wrong direction (when I was lots younger).

Where do I get one of those frequency gizmos so I can see what my pitch is?

[Kalista Drake]

Getting ma'amed is always fun!!

[Badtranny]

I talk at about 80 - 110 hz which is below that of a typical male and I still get ma'amed.

I'm sorry but ...no way.

I've had several people tell me my voice gives me away and my natural voice is anything but deep.

John, based on all your reports, you clearly pass better than my Full-Time friends and I, so please give us some tips and pics.

[Rianna Humble]

80Hz is the second bass voice - an Octave below male bass voice. 110Hz is the middle of the male voice range so roughly baritone.

At an octave below the normal male voice you would normally only get a ma'am if you keep your mouth firmly shut - I should know because that was my starting point and before coaching I could not get as high as a bass. When my voice was that low, I got plenty of "mate", "chum" and "sir" even after they had started by called me "luv" before I opened my mouth.

[Stephanie-L]

One thing you can try that has worked for me is to check with your local university/s, if they have a speech/voice therapy program they may be able to help you. I work with a new student or set of students each semester, all supervised by a professor who has experience in helping trans folks with voice. They also work with me on things like mannerisms, my look, pitch, inflection, phrasing, word usage, resonance, and a host of other things. Thus far the students have all been young women who have been very accepting. There is nothing like working one on one with a live person, at least for me.....................Stephanie

[StephanieC]

One thing you can try that has worked for me is to check with your local university/s, if they have a speech/voice therapy program they may be able to help you. I work with a new student or set of students each semester, all supervised by a professor who has experience in helping trans folks with voice. They also work with me on things like mannerisms, my look, pitch, inflection, phrasing, word usage, resonance, and a host of other things. Thus far the students have all been young women who have been very accepting. There is nothing like working one on one with a live person, at least for me.....................Stephanie

I agree. I participated in two of these. One even included a "field trip".

Kalista, I know there are a number of these for smart phones. But since I have "less than a smart phone", I have used VMPK and praat....both free and available for the PC. I think iphone has an app where you can speak and it registers the frequency.

But again, pitch is not the only thing. You don't want to go falsetto or sound like minnie mouse. I've been told if I artificially push my voice, I will tire and will be unable to maintain it. Coffee and alcohol also impact voice. I deliberately have tried to concentrate on a higher speaking/singing range so people become accustomed to that voice from me.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

I did work with LaSalle University in Philadelphia...they taught me better breathing and gave me a computer program to help me slightly increase my pitch..

None of the cd's, internet or dvd's really helped me...I needed realtime feedback to give me a good benchmark...when I hear my voice I cringe, but it never outs me anymore.

and john we are not talking about driving around in a car...that's weak after what you've been saying
nobody believes you because what you are saying is not believable..we are talking about voice tips for a good female voice, not fantasizing about how a deep bass voice sounds in a car

all of us are maamed lots of times..thats not what we are talking about...we are talking about when the voice creates a problem..

[Beth-Lock]

Two quick tips: Don't talk so damn loud, (or swear either). If all else fails, either whisper or half-whisper.

[Kalista Drake]

One thing you can try that has worked for me is to check with your local university/s, if they have a speech/voice therapy program they may be able to help you. I work with a new student or set of students each semester, all supervised by a professor who has experience in helping trans folks with voice. They also work with me on things like mannerisms, my look, pitch, inflection, phrasing, word usage, resonance, and a host of other things...

Thanks Stephanie And thanks to ALL you wonderful ladies for the great advice!!

O
Kal

[Nicole Erin]

Problem with so many voice programs is that they take too long to get to the point. By the time you get to the good stuff you miss it.

So it is like this -
1) REALLY concentrate on how the voice muscles feel when you do things like yawn, gargle, talk in baritone, talk in falsetto, Take a deep breath, clear your throat etc... The lower 1/2 of the throat muscles are important here.

2) Now time to practice - You MUST get over the silly feeling you will have. Yes you will be making strange noises and feeling like a dumb ass. Get over it and practice.

3) Contract various parts of the throat and talk. Record it. Play it back. When you find the contraction that sounds the most femme, you are mostly there.

4) What worked for me is slightly contracting the lower 1/2 of the throat/voice muscles.

5) Even once you have found the femme voice, you may not like the sound of it. No one likes their own voice. I hate my female voice but I never get called "sir" on the phone and even some TS have told me it is "spot on". Not sure I agree but it works. Even the bill collectors from the middle East who have my old male name on file say, "Ma'am, are you his wife?" I just say it is true that we have been intimate...

6) Keep practicing and recording. Still try different things like more AND less contracting to see where the best "spot" is.

Once you have the voice down pat, you can easily switch back and forth. You do not "lose" the male voice. You will get some soreness at first so take it easy. Once it is down pat though, you can jibber jabber all day with it.

[Hope]

I think that what a lot of people overlook is that a truly feminine voice is not just a matter of raising your pitch. There is that, of course, but there is also the way that you modulate your voice whilst speaking - men tend to stay mainly on the same pitch for most of a sentence, whereas women don't (and it's not just about emphasis).

Another thing is the way that you express ideas - men tend to be very minimalist in the number of words and the amount of description. For example where my brother might talk about the blue teeshirt that I bought him, I might mention that I got him a royal blue fitted teeshirt with white piping around the sleeves - same item.

All of this goes with the pitch to provide the listener with a clear understanding that the speaker is a woman.

80Hz is the second bass voice - an Octave below male bass voice. 110Hz is the middle of the male voice range so roughly baritone.

At an octave below the normal male voice you would normally only get a ma'am if you keep your mouth firmly shut - I should know because that was my starting point and before coaching I could not get as high as a bass. When my voice was that low, I got plenty of "mate", "chum" and "sir" even after they had started by called me "luv" before I opened my mouth.

Quote one is why quote 2 is not true.

There are LOTS of cis women who for one reason or another (usually 40 years of smoking a pack a day) have deep voices, but sound like women.

If you wish to have a passable voice, pitch is nice, but inflection is critical.

[Kaitlyn Michele]

Those gnarly voiced ladies pitch is not lower

Sound is a physical thing...lower pitch is a matter of having a bigger chamber producing the sound...its not about having a bunch of phlegm in your throat.....
our head size, our lung width, the depth of our body cavity all have subtle impact on our root pitch and harmonics..
Also, resonance is hugely important and their higher resonance will tend to give them that gravelly stereotype female voice...

in any case, our root pitch is just the base....there is rich harmonic content that is also important...there is a boatload of higher frequency content. that higher frequency content adds character and timbre to your voice...
the modulation around your root pitch and the "velocity" of change in that modulation will have a huge impact on how your voice is perceived...a very clean non modulated pitch tone will create a very simple bell or whistle tone...
its that messy modulation in smokers damaged throats that is interpreted as lower pitch when in fact it is depth in the harmonics...its timbre...its like playing a flute with a lot of crap in it...the sound will not be pure, and its impossible for the pitch to be lower

as humans we are finely tuned to this...we can hear "nerves" as the speaker shakes and modulates the voice and pitch warbles and harmonics go wild...

as humans we interact with others instinctually... we notice very different people naturally...and the wrong voice coming out of the wrong body will get noticed in that way...it still may be ok, it still may pass...but it will get noticed...

that's why you can learn to do your best to control your breathing and vocal cords to produce a slightly higher natural pitch, but you can't really get a good voice until you go outside and get your voice reflected back at you ...

[Kalista Drake]

"Voice reflected back at you"?? What do you mean?

[Kaitlyn Michele]

it means when you say something people react to what you say..

they react naturally, or unnaturally.. and by speaking and interacting directly and closely over and over you will have a good idea of where you voice fits.

it takes a lot of practice because generally speaking people are nice, that's why you have to do it lots and lots of times.

Unless you are delusional which is not uncommon apparently...

Some gals don't really care that much, and they are happy to interact as themselves and don't worry too much what people think, that's obviously ok too..

[Kalista Drake]

Oh, Feedback. Sure. I get some good responses usually. Very rarely do I ever get clocked. when I do it's because of my voice, and not my appearance. I would very much, like to get a better voice! Then I wouldn't get clocked at all!
well... maybe still 1% of the time!

O
Kal

[Rianna Humble]

Quote one is why quote 2 is not true.

What part of my personal experience are you suggesting did not happen?

[Emily83]

My wife has tried to imitate me when I'm tired. I have what my mother likes to refer to as a 'cigar & whisky' voice (thanks ma *rolls eyes*). Maybe you have someone you could imitate? My wife has even recorded some of my endless rambling to practice on the go. Good luck. I'm sure you'll find your voice.

[Kalista Drake]

Thanks Emily83!

Are you Trans? or married to someone who is Trans? Sorry to pry but I'm a bit confused by your post...
OO
Kal