Jump to content
  • Welcome to the TransPulse Forums!

    We offer a safe, inclusive community for transgender and gender non-conforming folks, as well as their loved ones, to find support and information.  Join today!

Eliminating voice raspiness?


Kristen1114

Recommended Posts

I've not been able to find anything on this really.

One of the things that keeps my voice from passing is the raspiness.

Since I don't think there is a way to not be raspy who are some raspy voiced girls

besides Stevie Nicks?

I'm not sure how to translate it to speaking though.

  Singing seems to be the best way of gaining control of pitch. :D

http://www.singsnap.com/karaoke/watchandlisten/play/b66274ed1

I'm not a great singer but this is where I am now. XD

 

Link to comment

I was actually going to recommend singing! When I'm not putting force into my voice, it sounds very effeminate and I love to sing. Maybe your voice will still be a bit off, but that wouldn't make you any less beautiful! Historically, I've always been more attracted to women with a deep voice versus a higher voice anyway; it's a rare gem of a trait. :D

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

There are lots of raspy sounding women.  I worked with a woman who was much younger than I, who had a voice of a frog (the best I can explain) and when you saw her she was a petite woman and a non-smoker, so that's just how she sounded.  An older actress, Bea Arthur has a very distinct voice too.  

 

Sure a raspy voice is different but not unheard of in real life.  Stevie Nicks voice is certainly unique.  It's a bit raspy but at times is not particularly low in range.  Don't pigeon hole yourself to one sound.  You are unique!

 

Jani

 

 

Link to comment
1 hour ago, Alessa said:

I was actually going to recommend singing! When I'm not putting force into my voice, it sounds very effeminate and I love to sing. Maybe your voice will still be a bit off, but that wouldn't make you any less beautiful! Historically, I've always been more attracted to women with a deep voice versus a higher voice anyway; it's a rare gem of a trait. :D

 

Singing is fun~ :D

I can sing pretty high pitch to. 

 

Link to comment
1 hour ago, Jani423 said:

There are lots of raspy sounding women.  I worked with a woman who was much younger than I, who had a voice of a frog (the best I can explain) and when you saw her she was a petite woman and a non-smoker, so that's just how she sounded.  An older actress, Bea Arthur has a very distinct voice too.  

 

Sure a raspy voice is different but not unheard of in real life.  Stevie Nicks voice is certainly unique.  It's a bit raspy but at times is not particularly low in range.  Don't pigeon hole yourself to one sound.  You are unique!

 

Jani

 

 

 

I love Bea Arthur! :D

 

I've only been ma'am'd on the phone once so far, maybe I'll get there soon. XD

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

It seems the phone is the one last frontier for gaining acceptance as the person on the other end doesn't get any visual cues and the sound quality often varies.  

 

Jani

 

Link to comment
  • 5 months later...
On 5/11/2018 at 3:27 PM, Mallion said:

Thanks everyone. Honestly I reaallly am looking forward to the future and when changes can start happening. Just hope I don't get too down before then lol. Thanks again = ). I know the wait is worth it. 

When I was younger my voice was much higher. I am a singer/musician by trade but these days I don't have the range. I can still sing fairly high, but I lost the high-end in my speaking voice.

 

When people hear my name on the phone they address me as ma'am. Except of course my insurance and some Doc's! I am waiting for my court hearing to legally have my name and gender changed on my DL and Birth Cert. California is ahead of the curve on that one! Thank God!

 

Link to comment

If you're able to, you may want to consider seeing a speech-language pathologist! (Full disclosure, I'm an SLP in training so I think about this stuff constantly). If your voice has not always been raspy, but is now, that could be the result of nodules on your vocal cords. If you've always had a raspy voice but would like to learn to use your voice differently, an SLP can help you learn how to do so without putting extra strain on your vocal cords. 

Link to comment

Oh, I just thought of something else that could be fun to play around with-- people usually think that pitch is the most important thing with voice, but resonance is just as, if not more, important in gender perception. You could try downloading a pitch reader app (my favorite is Sing Sharp on Android), then try to say "ahhh" at a comfortable pitch and loudness, watching the app to make sure you're staying at a steady pitch. Don't try to raise your pitch, just keep it steady at that comfortable zone. Then try to move your resonance up and down (so you feel the vibrations in your chest, then try to move them up to your neck then up to your face) WITHOUT changing your pitch. A "chest voice" with low resonance, even at a high pitch, is typically perceived as more masculine while a "head voice" with high resonance, even at a low pitch, is perceived as more feminine. 

 

I'm in voice therapy now to work on my resonance now because while T has given me a low pitch (around 115 Hz, well within the range I want), my habitual voice has a high resonance which leads people to perceive my voice as very feminine. If I use my "chest voice" then strangers perceive a recording of my voice as unambiguously masculine. So the opposite can work for anybody wanting a more feminine-sounding voice. 

 

Sorry for the novella on voice, I really love to dork out about this stuff! But as everybody above said, whatever voice you're happy with is a good voice. You're not required to change the way you sound, and there are lots of cis women with raspy voices. 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

@ChickenLittle I was just playing with this resonance trick in the minivan this morning on the way to work! I seem to have some frequency ranges near the intended female range that I will need to use that fall off or go raspy if I do not resonate, I also found that when I fail this vocal range in "ahhh" I can more easily achieve it in "Ooooo" or "Ohhh"... I have a voice therapy appointment this month, so hopefully I am going in with some useful practice under my belt.

Hugs,

Jae

Link to comment
  • Admin
On 11/22/2017 at 8:11 PM, Jani said:

It seems the phone is the one last frontier for gaining acceptance as the person on the other end doesn't get any visual cues and the sound quality often varies.  

 

The phone has a couple of peculiarities that I have mentioned in posts before.  If it is a cold caller who only has the family name and is looking for the "Homeowner" I get taken for male because of the caller's sexist view that only MEN are homeowners, in spite of the fact that I have held title in my female name since 3 months after it was legally changed with the Super Court here, and I refinanced the house to pay for my GCS. (Tells me how recent their victim list is.)  If the call is for some other sales "opportunities" and I tell them they are talking to Vicky, the get the pronouns fine.

 

I know that our voices can shoot dysphoria out to the orbit of Pluto but in time as we are accepted and welcomed as ourselves the importance of "true voice" wears off and its stress reduced.  My voice resonates at the back of my mouth today and with my now female speech vocabulary and patterns, I am a lower voice tenor, which is pleasant and acceptably female.  Other than knowing I am a T2 habitually I do not try to listen to my pitch or worry about it at all.  If you sing, that is a wonderful way of getting used to your voice. If you like to sing, get in touch with any of the Gay Mens or Lesbians chorus organizations and try out.  The ones I met two years ago this July were happy to include us since Trans Choruses are a little scarce just now.

 

I brag about my musical family, the Trans Chorus of Los Angeles who really show that Trans voices can be beautiful and well received.  We had a graduation party last Sunday for one FTM singer who re-auditioned for Baritone and moved over a few chairs from high Tenor (T1).  Having fun with your voice is the best way to get it to sound right. 

Link to comment
  • Forum Moderator

I’ve been answering my sales line at work with my preferred female voice, and it does confuse people from time to time but they always typically address me as male, or  then again they pretty much know that my particular line of work would normally have a male sitting at the desk so maybe that has something to do with it, the perceived notion that a man needs to know the information I would provide. But I honestly don’t think I’m trying to fool anyone at this point other than just working with what I’ve got and hoping to learn to improve it.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Who's Online   6 Members, 0 Anonymous, 186 Guests (See full list)

    • MaybeRob
    • SamC
    • MaeBe
    • Ashley0616
    • MaryEllen
    • Adrianna Danielle
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      80.7k
    • Total Posts
      768.4k
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      12,025
    • Most Online
      8,356

    JamesyGreen
    Newest Member
    JamesyGreen
    Joined
  • Today's Birthdays

    1. Alscully
      Alscully
      (35 years old)
    2. floruisse
      floruisse
      (40 years old)
    3. Jasmine25
      Jasmine25
      (22 years old)
    4. Trev0rK
      Trev0rK
      (26 years old)
  • Posts

    • KymmieL
      Hey, everyone. my life is going down the tubes. at least I think. So, today. A customer called about his car, I told him that the oil change was done. The parts to fix the check engine light are ordered. He can come and get it. For the weekend if he wants. Customer says I didn't want an oil change. it was check the engine light and check for an oil leak. Checking the work order says oil change. The boss wrote the vehicle up. checking with the customer on services wanted.   Being that I wrote down the appointment in the book. and clearly states oil leak. She is complaining because she can't read my small ish writing. It seems she read oil and assumed it as an oil change. It seems like she is blaming me.  She wound up going home because she was too upset. She is stressing about an eye problem she has, she has to get eye surgery it seems she has a tear in her eye.    I feel that I am short for this job. because of the BS they are blaming me on. Plus I am still upset about the trust issue. If either one of the bosses start their Shite tomorrow. I am walking out.    
    • Davie
    • Abigail Genevieve
      "I love you so much,"  Lois said.  They met in the driveway. "I could not live without you." "Neither could I." "What are we going to do?" "Find another counselor?" "No. I think we need to solve this ourselves." "Do you think we can?" "I don't know.  But what I know is that I don't want to go through that again.  I think we have to hope we can find a solution." "Otherwise, despair." "Yeah.   Truce?" "Okay,  truce." And they hugged.   "When we know what we want we can figure out how to get there."   That began six years of angry battles, with Odie insisted he could dress as he pleased and Lois insisting it did not please her at all.  He told her she was not going to control him and she replied that she still had rights as a wife to a husband. Neither was willing to give in, neither was willing to quit, and their heated arguments ended in hugs and more.   They went to a Crossdressers' Club, where they hoped to meet other couples with the same problems, the same conflicts, and the same answers, if anyone had any.  It took them four tries before they settled on a group that they were both willing to participate in.  This was four couples their own age, each with a cross dressing husband and a wife who was dealing with it.  They met monthly.  It was led by a 'mediator' who wanted people to express how they felt about the situation.  Odie and Lois, as newcomers, got the floor, and the meeting was finally dismissed at 1:30 in the morning - it was supposed to be over at 10 - and everyone knew how they felt about the situation.   There was silence in the car on the way home.   "We aren't the only ones dealing with this." Odie finally said.   "Who would have thought that?  You are right."   "Somebody out there has a solution." "I hope you are right."   "I hope in hope, not in despair."   "That's my Odie."    
    • Abigail Genevieve
      The counseling session was heated, if you could call it a counseling session.  Sometimes Lois felt he was on Odie's side, and sometimes on hers.  When he was on her side, Odie got defensive. She found herself being defensive when it seemed they were ganging up on each other.   "This is not working," Lois said angrily, and walked out.  "Never again. I want my husband back. Dr. Smith you are complicit in this."   "What?" said Odie.   The counselor looked at him.  "You will have to learn some listening skills."   "That is it? Listening skills?  You just destroyed my marriage, and you told me I need to learn listening skills?"   Dr. Smith said calmly,"I think you both need to cool off."   Odie looked at him and walked out, saying "And you call yourself a counselor."   "Wait a minute."   "No."
    • Ashley0616
      Just a comfortable gray sweater dress and some sneakers. Nothing special today. 
    • VickySGV
      I do still carry a Swiss Army knife along with my car keys.  
    • Timi
      Jeans and a white sweater. And cute white sneakers. Delivering balloons to a bunch of restaurants supporting our LGBT Community Center fundraiser today!
    • April Marie
      Congratulations to you!!!This is so wonderful!!
    • missyjo
      I've no desire to present androgynous..nothing wrong with it but I am a girl n wish to present as a girl. shrugs, if androgynous works fir others good. always happy someone finds a solution or happiness    today black jeans  black wedges..purple camisole under white n black polka dot blouse half open   soft smile to all 
    • MaeBe
      I have read some of it, mostly in areas specifically targeted at the LGBTQ+ peoples.   You also have to take into account what and who is behind the words, not just the words themselves. Together that creates context, right? Let's take some examples, under the Department of Health & Human Services section:   "Radical actors inside and outside government are promoting harmful identity politics that replaces biological sex with subjective notions of “gender identity” and bases a person’s worth on his or her race, sex, or other identities. This destructive dogma, under the guise of “equity,” threatens American’s fundamental liberties as well as the health and well-being of children and adults alike."   or   "Families comprised of a married mother, father, and their children are the foundation of a well-ordered nation and healthy society. Unfortunately, family policies and programs under President Biden’s HHS are fraught with agenda items focusing on “LGBTQ+ equity,” subsidizing single-motherhood, disincentivizing work, and penalizing marriage. These policies should be repealed and replaced by policies that support the formation of stable, married, nuclear families."   From a wording perspective, who doesn't want to protect the health and well-being of Americans or think that families aren't good for America? But let's take a look at the author, Roger Severino. He's well-quoted to be against LGBTQ+ anything, has standard christian nationalist views, supports conversion therapy, etc.   So when he uses words like "threatens the health and well-being of children and adults alike" it's not about actual health, it's about enforcing cis-gendered ideology because he (and the rest of the Heritage Foundation) believe LGBTQ+ people and communities are harmful. Or when he invokes the family through the lens of, let's just say dog whistles including the "penalization of marriage" (how and where?!), he idealizes families involving marriage of a "biological male to a biological female" and associates LGBTQ+ family equity as something unhealthy.   Who are the radical actors? Who is telling people to be trans, gay, or queer in general? No one. The idea that there can be any sort of equity between LGBTQ+ people and "normal" cis people is abhorrent to the author, so the loaded language of radical/destructive/guise/threaten are used. Families that he believes are "good" are stable/well-ordered/healthy, specifically married/nuclear ones.   Start looking into intersectionality of oppression of non-privileged groups and how that affects the concept of the family and you will understand that these platitudes are thinly veiled wrappers for christian nationalist ideology.   What's wrong with equity for queer families, to allow them full rights as parents, who are bringing up smart and able children? Or single mothers who are working three jobs to get food on plates?
    • Ashley0616
      Well yesterday didn't work like I wanted to. I met a guy and started talking and he was wanting to be in a relationship. I asked my kids on how they thought of me dating a man and they said gross and said no. I guess it's time to look for women. I think that is going to be harder. Oh well I guess.  
    • Ashley0616
      I don't have anything in my dress pocket
    • Carolyn Marie
      This topic reminds me of the lyrics to the Beatles song, "A Little Help From My Friends."   "What do you see when you turn out the lights?"   "I can't tell you but I know it's mine."   Carolyn Marie
    • Abigail Genevieve
      @Ivy have you read the actual document?   Has anyone else out there read it?
    • Abigail Genevieve
      I am reading the Project 2025 document https://www.project2025.org/policy/   This will take some time.  I read the forward and I want to read it again later.   I read some criticism of it outside here and I will be looking for it in the light of what has been posted here and there.  Some of the criticism is bosh.   @MaeBe have you read the actual document?
  • Upcoming Events

Contact TransPulse

TransPulse can be contacted in the following ways:

Email: Click Here.

To report an error on this page.

Legal

Your use of this site is subject to the following rules and policies, whether you have read them or not.

Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Community Rules

Hosting

Upstream hosting for TransPulse provided by QnEZ.

Sponsorship

Special consideration for TransPulse is kindly provided by The Breast Form Store.
×
×
  • Create New...