First Sharing of a Voice Recording

[Guest LauraJen]

OK so I started properly working on my voice about a week ago and have been consistently making recordings of me reading things on the Internet (mainly about rainbows, probably because the Yeson clinic seem to use something about rainbows as a test passage and I came across their videos when starting out, among others. I figured it was as good a place to start as any).

I made one earlier today that I was quite pleased with, where I spoke the first list of Harvard sentences, sentences used to test voice-over IP and telephone systems. I thought I would include the link just to cite my source: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/%7Ehgs/audio/harvard.html

I uploaded a recording where I spoke the List 1 sentences in my female voice, including my male voice for comparison. The sentences in my female voice in its current state starts at 42 seconds:

https://soundcloud.com/laurajen5381/voice-25-jul-14/s-JV7vd

Now, I appreciate the fact that there is a long way to go here. This is only after a week's work, and it was never meant to be perfect. There is a marked improvement however between the first recordings I made and this one.

Any feedback on this would be appreciated. Negative comments are welcome, as long as they are constructive, as knowing where I am going wrong and what I need to work on is key.

[Guest Jamie61]

Hi LauraJen,

Thank you for sharing both the list of sentences and your beautiful voice recording. I have also recently started working on my voice and I have struggled for words to say. I closed my eyes and listened to the later half a few times. I most definitely picture a woman's voice! I think that is amazing after only one week! Keep us posted and I will get to work and try to post a recording of my best voice! Do you feel your female voice getting stronger each day? ( I've noticed I'm much kinder in my male voice, since I started practicing my female voice and started using different word choices.)

Hugs!

Jamie

[Guest LauraJen]

Thank you Jamie, really appreciate it! I do notice it getting stronger each day. Every time you do something, you get a little bit better. I have a trans support group meeting next week so will try this out there.

Good luck with your voice practice, too!

[Charlize]

I think you are doing very well. I must admit as a Yank i enjoy the accent as well. I wonder f there is an in-between the two or if that will simply happen with time.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest LauraJen]

Thanks Charlize, it is definitely encouraging. It's nice to see things moving in the right direction at last.

I won't bother including my male voice in any future recordings I share, I just put it in this one for the sake of comparison. There will come a point soon where I won't be interested in my old voice and will only use it when I have to.

[Guest chibi_usa]

I hear a bit of... Not a nasal... But similar to a nasal sound. However, your getting there! Keep it up!

[Guest LauraJen]

I hear a bit of... Not a nasal... But similar to a nasal sound. However, your getting there! Keep it up!

Thanks. Actually I agree. It's the thing I am trying to get rid of at the moment.

[Guest Tallie]

I hear a bit of... Not a nasal... But similar to a nasal sound. However, your getting there! Keep it up!

Thanks. Actually I agree. It's the thing I am trying to get rid of at the moment.

I agree that there is a slight strained quality to it, but you have more then achieved a solid high pitch and could even come down a bit and be fine. Something that may also help once you are more comfortable is to work on varying your pitch as you speak (sing-song quality). Keep up the great work

[Guest LauraJen]

Thanks Tallie. I think I would agree that my pitch is right, I have a piano in front of me when I do it and I can sing the note I need to be at no problem. In all honesty though, I am not expecting it to ever be great. Realistically I think i am just going to have to settle for something about passable rather than fantastically feminine.