Volume?

[soapdebray]

Hey! 

 

So I've been doing vocal training for some time now. I've gotten to a point where I'm somewhat satisfied with the resonance of my voice as well as the pitch, but there's just one problem...

 

I can't seem to speak up without my voice turning into air! It sucks. I figured I'd be able to get past it by trying to speak a little louder during my practice sessions (usually reading a couple pages of a book out loud into my microphone and playing it back) but it's been a few weeks and still I can't seem to get loud. 

 

Any suggestions? 

[VickySGV]

Do you have a recording device, either on your computer or stand alone?  If you do, I suggest doing your reading into the microphone (use your video / selfie camera) from 5,10 and 15 feet away and then play it back.  I am betting that it will be louder than you think.  I do audio and recording for a chorus whose members are all Trans and some people are surprised when I record them and they find out that they were putting out volume that I had to compensate for on my board.

 

Next tip, I am also involved with doing spoken word presentations to larger (100+) people audiences without a microphone so I know this works.  Your male voice came from lower in your throat and you pumped it loud from your chest in the area above your boobs.  You can still use the chest pump into the upper part of your throat which gives you more air to resonate.  Instead of reading spoken word stuff,  SING!!  I do not sing with the chorus often since I do their technical work, but I can blast out some of the pieces they do, and annoy my neighbors very easily.  It is OK to use you chest for the air.
 

Next item, I do not really try to hit a falsetto or "head tone" as they are known, but I do choose female vocabulary and tonal variation as opposed to male.  Example -- male says "hello" quick and monotonal no face expression.    Female -- (me) Hel_O_o (multi-tonal) or in person said with a smile and eye contact.,  I do not "pass" on a phone at first but I confuse the hell out of salespeople which is a lot of fun.

 

 

[Carolyn Marie]

Hi, hon.  I think Vicky has some great suggestions.  Talking loudly, or at least in a large room loudly enough to be heard, can be tricky.  I talk before groups of varying sizes, and sometimes I use a microphone if one is available.  I can talk loudly enough without one, but at times my voice gets strained that way, since I try to raise my pitch and tone,  There have been times when, after my voice gets fatigued, I find myself speaking closer to my male voice.  I don't like when that happens, but sometimes its just unavoidable.

 

But as Vicky says, your volume is often louder than you might think, and its rarely necessary to make a conscious effort to talk loudly.  Pitch and tone and inflection and word usage are just as important, if not more so.  You'll get there; just be patient and keep at it.

 

Carolyn Marie

[soapdebray]

I know this is a little late, but I've incorporated singing into my exercises and WOW the difference since posting this has been astronomically wild! I can project to new heights (literally?) I never thought possible.

 

Thanks, you two. 

[Gwen]

I love that you've discovered singing! Since I came out to myself, I started singing around the house. I have no idea where this came from - I am NOT  a singer - and I really enjoy hearing the sound my female voice in song. I also listen to lots of female singers and I think this has helped too.

 

Gwen