I don't know if this is the best way to do it, but when I started my pitch range was terrible so I decided to talk all the time in highest pitch voice I could comfortably do and it really wasn't that much higher. I've been doing it for about a week and I can now go a lot higher than I used to. I've also noticed that while doing this my resonance moved up even though I wasn't trying to, I'm thinking maybe I did it subconsciously or something. My voice still sounds masc though, but it is a lot closer to a femme voice than it used to be.
I think what has worked best for me was getting to know some of the things to do that makes the voice more feminine, and then spend a lot of time doing the things while recording myself so I can immediately hear if I did it right and what happens if I combine them.
It kinda sucks that it requires actually listening to the voice tho 🥲
I'm basically in the same boat, so take my input with a grain of salt. That said, from what I've read, it's important to avoid, or at least be careful with, guides that focus on muscle training. There are exercises out there that can apparently be harmful and cause injury. When I get started in earnest, I'm planning to begin with TransVoiceLessons on YouTube. The girl in those videos frequently makes the point that nothing in voice training should be painful or cause strain, which sounds sensible and encouraging to me. Of course, there will be muscle memory training - it's muscle strength training that can be problematic.
That might be off topic to your actual question, but I wanted to throw it out there just in case.
Yeah, I started with TransVoiceLessons too. Her beginner's video on weight vs pitch helped a lot.
I've done voice training for the last 6 years on and off. Consistency is really hard to manage. I find myself very often falling back into... masculine voice? I don't really know what to refer to it as lol. I work over the phone, and people really give you a hard time if your voice sounds off or weird to them. My struggle is finding a consistent configuration of vocal muscles that reliably produces an acceptable outcome. I'm personally going to be pursuing surgical options in the near future.
If you can see an actual trained vocal therapist, they can help a lot. They can give you on the fly specific feedback and may be covered by your insurance. They can also tailor advice specifically to you and guide you in making changes. I had my best results in vocal therapy. As in the case with my job, keep in mind how you use your voice. Like the different circumstances in which you regularly use it, the different tones you regularly use it in, and try and develop a habit of manually adjusting your muscles. You'll unconsciously relax them when you're not speaking. Helps to have some kind of reminder to adjust them again. Like before I answer the phone at work, I take a moment to adjust my vocal weight and practice my opening just so I can adjust a bit before speaking with someone.
Practice and experimentation are key. You have to get familiar with manipulating the different muscles of the throat, mouth, and larynx. Give yourself time and don't be discouraged if things aren't perfect the first time.
I've started recently too, something I took to heart was one of Vee's videos on goals and timescales, she said for basically the first month your goal should just be to play around with your voice, go high, go low, sing in a higher pitch than usual, just have fun with it. I've been doing that and I've noticed it's easier for me to maintain that higher pitch now
At the start, doing exercises to stretch your vocal chords and generally just practice is the most important thing. You can worry about fine detail later- a big part is training your muscle fibers to do what you want, and like any muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. In this case strength won't lead to power, but rather, control.
Pitch is the last thing to work on. Resonance is the most important aspect (if your goal is to pass). Intonation is very important as well, and there are certain ways of speaking that are associated with cis female voices, like upward inflection at the end of a sentence.
It takes time- with a good clinician in a well supported program, someone who is out and using their new voice, it may take as little as 6 months. Doing it alone via the internet, it will likely take longer (especially if you're not out - practice is key!) so don't get discouraged. Just practice, practice, practice!
The shower and the car (if you have one) are generally safe places to practice, and since we travel and bath everyday (ideally), it can be a good way to work in consistent practice.
Good luck! You got this!
Gosh yes, I'm having lots of problems with resonance, I can't stop sounding hollow :(
I still can't really tell if I'm doing something wrong or if I just need more practice! I guess I'll just practice until the new year and then maybe look for a clinician!
Thank you very much, this was super helpful <3
Transfem
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Some helpful links:
- The Gender Dysphoria Bible // In depth explanation of the different types of gender dysphoria.
- Trans Voice Help // A community here on blahaj.zone for voice training.
- LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory // A directory of LGBTQ+ accepting Healthcare providers.
- Trans Resistance Network // A US-based mutual aid organization to help trans people facing state violence and legal discrimination.
- TLDEF's Trans Health Project // Advice about insurance claims for gender affirming healthcare and procedures.
- TransLifeLine's ID change Library // A comprehensive guide to changing your name on any US legal document.
- Gender Spectrum // Resources for youth, parents and family, educators, mental health professionals and faith leaders.
Support Hotlines:
- The Trevor Project // Web chat, phone call, and text message LGBTQ+ support hotline.
- TransLifeLine // A US/Canada LGBTQ+ phone support hotline service. The US line has Spanish support.
- LGBT Youthline.ca // A Canadian LGBT hotline support service with phone call and web chat support. (4pm - 9:30pm EST)
- 988lifeline // A US only Crisis hotline with phone call, text and web chat support. Dedicated staff for LGBTQIA+ youth 24/7 on phone service, 3pm to 2am EST for text and web chat.