What to do if my voice doesn't change even with exercises

[tapeleg42]

Pretty much what the title says.  I am very early in my transitioning, and one thing I'm worried about is achieving a proper female voice.  My therapist recommended I ask other trans women what they did in the event that they can't achieve a proper female voice, even with vocal exercises.

[VickySGV]

Learn how women speak is the way I do it best.  Women's language usage is richer than men speak usually.  A good example is in describing colors:  a man will say "it was blue" but a woman will say "sky blue" "baby blue" "navy" or several other shades of the color.  Also men will speak in monotone "hello" for a man is a single note a woman will use three notes as she is saying the word.  In general conversation women use more adjectives to describe something than men do. (OK some of my Gay Male friends use a lot more description that other men as well.)  Feeling statements are more common in female speech, and topics are more varied toward interpersonal relations.  Sports may be the one exception there because some women get pretty rowdy over them at times, especially at major sport events time.  Women on the whole are fine with even a deeper voice if you listen and join them and get rid of the male tendency to dominate the conversation. Be sure to talk to, and NOT down to the other conversant.  Respond to things with appropriate facial expression and hand gestures as well and all is just dandy.  Don't worry about your telephone voice, especially if it is sales people who go into the conversation with some preconceived notions of who they will talk to, I am often happy to relapse into male voice fully sometimes there since a NO carries more weight that way.

I am a low Tenor (T2) naturally but can raise my pitch comfortably by speaking from the back of my throat as opposed to my upper chest which you will learn in your exercise routine.  I rehearse with a chorus of about 40 Trans and Enby people and reaching for the higher notes just in the warm ups is a help. (During performances I am their audio engineer so I am not generally on stage with them)  I would suggest songs written for Alto and Tenor voices if you want to try that route.  I do have a simple pitch analyzer that helps tell me how far off I am, which is usually plenty, but it is fun.  The singing is a voice help even if it is Shower Opera.

[Carolyn Marie]

Hon, you don't mention if you've tried the any self-help videos on Youtube or any of the CD products that are out there.  I only used one, a CD from someone named Sylvia, I think, but I haven't been able to find it just now on Amazon.  It was pretty helpful.  But the real secret is just practice, lots and lots of practice.  That and careful listening to women speaking.  It's more than tone, it's word usage, as Vicky noted, pitch variation (most women don't talk in a monotone as many men do), cadence and volume.  It won't come quickly, but you'll get there if you just keep practicing.

 

Carolyn Marie 

[LaurenA]

I use a multi-track recording app for my practice so I can play back precious tracks to see if I've improved.