Vocal surgery, what are your thoughts

[Terra]

Ok, since coming to the midwest i've been unable to find the time or money to search for a voice therapist. However, I have found mutible surgeons who could perform a vocal surgery to feminize my voice. It would still be awile before I did this but I figured I could do my reasearch now.

So, anyone here had this surgery? Anything for or against it? What do you think of the results?

[seldom]

It is very very risky.  You would need a vocal therapist to retrain your voice too.  You basically start out from scratch.

[Lisbeth]

You could end up sounding like "The Godfather."

[Keira]

Surgery should be the last resort, if its impossible through voice training to get where you want to be. It can take some time for those that have deep monotone voices.

The voice is a finaly tuned instrument, and surgery is like putting holes into a stradivarius to change its sound; yeah, it will be different, but how different... Who knows!

[Nero]

From what I've heard, it's very risky. I've heard if something goes wrong, you could lose your voice completely. Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

[seldom]

This is one of those things where I would say: NO.

Most MtF surgeries carry risks, but this one carries such a large risk, and is not inherant to ones physical nature, and you can get to the same place with proper therapy or self training. 

This is not SRS,FFS or BA.  This one can put you at an extreme disadvantage.

Wait 5-10 years, and maybe by then it will be perfected.  They are testing a laser method in California right now (i think its a laser method?), which may be the way to change this in the future.  It is designed to change the voice for MtF types, and is supposed to be significantly safer than the current procedure.  In the next 3-5 years it may appear in some clinic as an outpatient proceedure, and trust me, when it comes around to being avaliable and no longer in the test phase, I will be the first girl to get it if I could.  This is coming from somebody with a higher vocal range. 

As it stands though, stay far away from the current proceedures. 

[cindianna_jones]

I had two casual friends down in southern CA 20 years ago who had it.  It seemed to have worked very well for them.  That was 20 years ago.  I haven't had contact with them since I moved from the area so I don't know how they are getting along.

Both of them had very feminine voices as a result.  They were both a bit raspy but I don't know if this was a result of the surgery or if their voices were naturally that way.  For neither did I hear their voice prior to their surgery.

I would speak the to surgeon concerning the risks and results. It would also be good to talk to patients who have had the surgery.  I know that the common feeling is to stay away from it, but you are doing the right thing to look into it.

Cindi

[ssindysmith]

I agree voice training is the way to go, before I transitioned I worked on sounding more feminine and one thing I discovered was that although women have softer voices then most men there are alot of women out there with deep voices, another thing I discovered is how body language and what you say is just about as important as the pitch. Men the hunters rarely speak, women the gatherers speak more "chit chat" if you will, something that helped me was hanging at the mall casually shopping for nothing but my agenda was to watch and emulate other women interacting and talking to other women, it really is good research, beside you might run into a great deal or two while your out .

[Lucy]

I have read these things about voice surgery and beleave it to b a bad idea but like u am very interested in finding out more. I beleave it raises pitch but not resanence

[seldom]

I have read these things about voice surgery and beleave it to b a bad idea but like u am very interested in finding out more. I beleave it raises pitch but not resanence

Generally speaking women have less resonance.  I have a pitch about 220 Hz, but I have a resonance range when I talk between 220 and 500 Hz.  My subtone pitch(which is dominant), 220 Hz is on the lower end of female but I have resonance overtones that go between 400-500Hz.  Resonance is much harder to drop then getting the right pitch, because even if you shift your voice to a differant part of the chords...it does not necessarily go away.   The pitch and speach patterns are the most important.  Getting rid of resonance takes hours of practice and a trained ear. 

[tinkerbell]

You could end up sounding like "The Godfather."

LOL....or worse.

tink

[Keira]

The godfather.... I hear him in my head
say to me in his gravely voice.

I'll make her an offer she can't refuse..
Live happy, as the girl she is in her soul, from now, until the end...
which if she does not cross me, will be in a far future.

[LostInTime]

I once talked to someone who was a specialist and she said to absolutely, positively stay away from any vocal cord surgery. She even had patients who had it done anyway and then had to hope that she could repair the damage.

Voice training is the way to go.

[BeverlyAnn]

I have a friend who had it done back in '98.  To be honest, she sounded like Minnie Mouse for almost a year until she learned how to use the higher pitch.

[Suzy]

I think I would rather carry around a tank of helium.  Less side effects, and better results.

Kristi

[Terra]

Ouch! 

Alright, after reading you responses and my own reasearch I have to agree. SInce right now my voice is my breadwinner I can't really afford to lose it.

So, what are some of the more cost effective ways to train one's voice? Most of my managment now know what i'm doing, and since I have plenty of opportunity to work on my voice, what are some of the better do-it-at-home voice trainer options?

[seldom]

Voice Recorder is probably your best bet.

There are some videos and you can use your computer too. 

[Keira]

I downloaded the program SPEACH ANALYSER version 2.7, part of of a whole kit of speach tools from some linguistic department.

It shows you F0 (which is the base pitch) and also the formant F1-F3 (which are based on the shape/size of your whole voicing apparatus, its the higher harmonics created by the sound from your vocal cords as it tries to exit your mouth.

It also has many other little gizmo's.

Its often the resonnance (formants F1 and up) that trips up TS's as raising the pitch is generally easier than changing the resonnant characteristic of your head and neck ;-). This can be done by modifying the position of the tongue, the opening of the mouth and the position of the pharinx during speach. All of this is possible through practice. Someone who's used to singing, especially a trained singer, will have an easier time getting this right.

[Lucy]

What a great idea, a voice program on t computer. ty

[Lydia]

Hi Keira,

Do you happen to have a link to the website you downloaded the speech analyser program from as I'd like to try it out.

Thanks Lydia