I'm actually AMAB bi-gender, but in terms of voice, I have the same task as full-time transwomen who want a female-sounding voice, which is learning how to speak in a way that reads 100% female. It's possible! I don't know if you've heard/seen videos of some of the transwomen who have really practiced and learned how to do this well, but some of their voices are as naturally female as biological females' voices. Some aren't, though, even some who have instructional videos. It's not just pitch: it's also pace, enunciation, vocabulary, timbre, intonation, gestures, and attitude! (Fortunately, we can just learn them one at a time and slowly put them together, like learning to play an instrument.) The most surprising thing I've come across is the way to use the larynx differently so that pitch is naturally higher and male overtones are completely stopped! The problem with this is that it starts out sounding nasal or cartoony (do Fozzie Bear or Marvin the Martian and you'll have an idea), but I'm gradually learning to make my voice richer and prettier by moving it forward in my mouth (I know, that doesn't make a lot of sense) and some other things. Eventually, I think it will sound natural. I've been doing recordings of myself about every week. The first three all sound very similar to me, like a male speaking in a high, soft, voice, but the fourth--from just after I started doing the work with my larynx--is completely different! I have hope! I don't think I'll ever be an especially beautiful woman, but with everything I've been doing to be able to present better visually plus a convincing voice, I think I might eventually (after my voice is ready and my hair grows a bit longer) be able to go out in the world and just be read as female, pretty much all the time. (I know, this is not the important thing, but it is really affirming to me!) Maybe not, but maybe. It's also reassuring to think that I could talk on the phone or with someone at a store or club and not have to break my gender groove to do it! Let me know if you'd like me to post any of the resources I've found about this, or if there's anything I can share that might help. Or, if you've already mastered this, I'd *LOVE* to hear your experiences and advice. ---------- Post added 6th Jan 2017 at 02:36 PM ---------- Oh, about being read as female all the time, I mean all the time that I present as female. A lot of the time I present (happily) as male.
Imo it's not as complicated as people make it out to be, just humm a bit to find the head resonance and then project your voice as if speaking through your front teeth instead of the throat. After that it's a lot of preference. I see transwoman try to go too high all the time and it sounds worse than sounding like a male.
You shouldn't... It's the same technique/advice professionals give and I use it myself. You should be able to feel the vibrations near the front of your face, resonance and enunciation is more important than pitch or how high you sound. You can tell if you're on the right track if your larynx goes up. Even without sound you can make the right 'shape' and move it up.
If you ladies are interested, there's also an app (Eva F), the lessons are about $6 each I think, it's not cheap, but just throwing it out there.
I know in Edmonton you can get a referral to a speech clinic for free, I imagine there are a lot of places with similar services. The biggest problems again I see with transwoman is they try too hard, speak in an unnatural tone or too high of a pitch, they don't practice, or they have the wrong expectations. Everyone has the ability to sound feminine, but not getting discouraged, practice, and recording/playing around with the voice is key. everyone's issue will be a bit different though and it will come naturally to some.
Again a big part of it is practicing, recording, and having fun. Eventually you can play with it, and then randomly in the morning show your friend halfway across the world your rusty Kermit the Frog impression. http://*******.com/i/s1pXX99gEq1c http://*******.com/i/s1ue38vaGPIv Real talk though I can do a better Kermit impression, just haven't had to use that part of my throat in a long time hahah. ---------- Post added 11th Jan 2017 at 03:45 PM ---------- Edit: I guess they don't allow the ******* links anymore, that's a shame, well if anyone wants to hear PM me then I guess, or just copy the end extension and self edit.
