How do you train your voice ?

[Julia-Madrid]

Good luck Allyda! 

Getting sir'd on the phone is a pain; getting Ma'am'd via email is ok; getting Madame'd by a waiter in ironic mode is the worst

J

[Allyda]

Good luck Allyda! 

Getting sir'd on the phone is a pain; getting Ma'am'd via email is ok; getting Madame'd by a waiter in ironic mode is the worst

J

Thanks Julia. I really appreciate the support. There was a delay in getting my Driver's license gender changed that involved my having to drive back to my Endo's office to get another revised letter with more information on it, which I did yesterday, and of course today I was successful at the DMV and got my gender changed on my license, YaY!, so I haven't had the chance to sit down and make the phone calls to ENT specialists in the Tampa/St. Pete area. And since I'm busy with the grocery store tomorrow, and then with my pain management Doctor on Friday, I'm just going to get a fresh start with finding an ENT specialist Monday. I'm going to enjoy this weekend and celebrate having a driver's license that no longer embarrasses me, lol!

I'll keep y'all informed of my progress.

Best Wishes

Ally

[Julia-Madrid]

Mmmmm, I'm about to start the documentation merry-go-round soon as well.... Good luck with the ENT!

xxx
J

[Allyda]

Mmmmm, I'm about to start the documentation merry-go-round soon as well.... Good luck with the ENT!

xxx
J

Thanks, I think I'm gonna need it. The good thing is I used to live in Tampa so I know the city well. The bad thing is, it's a two hour drive. I should be able to find an ENT specialist there to suit my needs.

Good luck with your documentation. I don't know where you live, but here in the US the driver's license is the hardest, once it is changed getting the rest changed is a little easier.

I'll let y'all know how next week goes with the ENT.

Ally

[Jill F]

I reward myself with chocolate every time I get ma'am-ed on the phone.  I figure if you give your dog a biscuit...

[Megan Joanne]

 ...then I should get a reward too dammit. I did good! Gimme a chocolate!

[Julia-Madrid]

Sigh --- if that chocolate would go to my hips I'd be happy....

[Emi]

Eeeer... I didn't came for a while on here ! 

I hope things are going in a good way for you, Allyda !

I did work too with videos and musics and I figured that it was not hard for me to get to a female-sounding voice (even if it sounds a bit false because I'm sick for some days) because I already had a great range of voice and with training I could easily get a better voice. I still cant use it as my full-time voice and I wait the next few months to start transition (because yes, it's just a matter of time now for me ! )
The awkward part for me is that I still dont pass as female yet (I hope a new wardrobe and makeup will help !.. ^^' ) and I wait to have longer hair but my close friends already consider me as Emi, so it's already great for me ^^
But when speaking with strangers it's hard to be myself. I would look and sound weird, looking like a feminine guy with a girl voice. Additionally, I have been chosen to represent France to a Model United Nations session in Berlin ; that is a pretty damned great new !! But I wasnt chosen as Emi but as the other "me" and I'll have to speak with strangers from all around Europe with the stress and the gender problems combined... yeepee 

PS : Is there enough chocolate for me ?

[Jill F]

Chocolates for all!

(Hershey's) Kisses,
Jill

[Julia-Madrid]

Additionally, I have been chosen to represent France to a Model United Nations session in Berlin ; that is a pretty damned great new !! But I wasnt chosen as Emi but as the other "me" and I'll have to speak with strangers from all around Europe with the stress and the gender problems combined... yeepee 

It's great to be chosen for these Berlin sessions.  But do you really need to go in disguise as a boy?  Maybe it's a good opportunity to go as Emi, and "to speak with strangers from all around Europe"...!! 

And you WERE chosen as Emi - she is you.  They chose you! 

Un beso
Julia

[Emi]

It's great to be chosen for these Berlin sessions.  But do you really need to go in disguise as a boy?  Maybe it's a good opportunity to go as Emi, and "to speak with strangers from all around Europe"...!! 

And you WERE chosen as Emi - she is you.  They chose you! 

Un beso
Julia

Yeah they chose me but... it was written "Ludovic" everywhere...
It would be like going to this session with a false name (even if IMO, the false name is Ludovic...)

Meh... Let's see what will happen in the next weeks and months. I'll be on holidays in two weeks and with my good friends and my sister I'll may start going out as the real me. That made, I think the rest will be easier. And if it isn't, I still have a little hope somewhere. 

Bises 
~ Emi

[Julia-Madrid]

Yeah they chose me but... it was written "Ludovic" everywhere...
It would be like going to this session with a false name (even if IMO, the false name is Ludovic...)

Emi, I don't know how progressive your school is,  or how much they know about you, but I'm willing to take a bet that the organisation behind your Berlin sessions would happly change your name should you really want to go as Emi.  And even if they don't change your name, you could still go as Emi, but called Ludovic.  It would take more courage, but we transgirls have a LOT of it! 

It's strange- I spent many months carefully planning how I would come out to my work colleagues, and since I informed a few key people and got their support, my transition has really come alive.  I'm no longer scared so say to colleagues "I'm trans, and in August they boy will become a girl."  People really respect the courage of that decision.

[Emi]

It would take more courage, but we transgirls have a LOT of it!

Let's see if I'll have our mighty courage 

Have been to see a voice therapist and she said that the main difference is girls use a head voice and boys a chest voice. She went though a list of things with me and then she asked if I was using my " real voice " Which I said " yes ? " Now, not really knowing where to pitch it ? Then said say " It's very girlie  ! But in a nice way " She said I was already doing all the things on her list.  Oh ! I said. lol.

Just speak with your natural voice I think then see how to change it in a good way if it needs to change ! 

[anjaq]

He he, Anjaq, I have a fairly gentle voice to start with, which helps.  What also helps are long weekends permanently in girl mode.   Work days in boy mode are a bit of a pain, but thankfully I have less than 2 months left of those!  Can't wait to get rid of the dual personality!!! 

Well, that did not help me - I am in "girl mode" for 16 years now but my voice still sucks.

Sigh --- if that chocolate would go to my hips I'd be happy....

Be careful what you wish for

[Emi]

I think having a gentle voice to start with helps a lot too 

[Julia-Madrid]

He he he, my voice is so gentle as to sometimes be inaudible  

It's weird - at what point does the voice become "good enough" or are we always wishing it would be something different??

Bon weekend, girls...!!

[Megan Joanne]

^ My voice is good enough, yet not enough that I still constantly feel I have to keep a constant check on it.

I sound my best when I'm talking to my doggie, I guess its like when people talk to children, I sound cuter. I guess maybe because I am happiest around her.

By myself I tend to get lazy when talking to myself and while I know I don't sound like a guy anymore, my voice doesn't have the cuteness to it either.

When at work and a customer asks me something I try to be cheerful when answering them, it not only helps me be in a slightly better mood (had a hard time with this though yesterday) but I sound very girly and know I get looked at as such too.

When talking to my mom I tend to go back and forth, its like I have a hard time keeping the old me out of my voice, probably because she won't judge me for it, but still it bothers me.

I recorded my conversation with some phone calls I made yesterday to some doctors' offices, played a few parts back to see how I sounded, eh, I was nervous (always am when I have to get on the phone), and well, closing my eyes and listening, I could've gone either way, sounding either male or female. But then maybe not, as many times in the past when someone had called for mom but I answered, they thought I was her. I guess its because it doesn't sound pretty that it still bothers me.

[Allyda]

^ My voice is good enough, yet not enough that I still constantly feel I have to keep a constant check on it.

I sound my best when I'm talking to my doggie, I guess its like when people talk to children, I sound cuter. I guess maybe because I am happiest around her.

By myself I tend to get lazy when talking to myself and while I know I don't sound like a guy anymore, my voice doesn't have the cuteness to it either.

When at work and a customer asks me something I try to be cheerful when answering them, it not only helps me be in a slightly better mood (had a hard time with this though yesterday) but I sound very girly and know I get looked at as such too.

When talking to my mom I tend to go back and forth, its like I have a hard time keeping the old me out of my voice, probably because she won't judge me for it, but still it bothers me.

I recorded my conversation with some phone calls I made yesterday to some doctors' offices, played a few parts back to see how I sounded, eh, I was nervous (always am when I have to get on the phone), and well, closing my eyes and listening, I could've gone either way, sounding either male or female. But then maybe not, as many times in the past when someone had called for mom but I answered, they thought I was her. I guess its because it doesn't sound pretty that it still bothers me.

I loved how your voice sounded in your video Megan! Very cute. I loved your doggie too -how she makes her toys squeak and squeak. Adorable!

Ally

[TaoRaven]

I've been working on mine for just shy of a year now. A few months ago I found it, and got it sounding right....but then I discovered that the real trick was using it all the time, every day. If I get dry, or dusty, it affects the sound and resonance, and I need to drink something every few minutes. And of course, keeping the voice going through the little involuntary sounds...IE sneezing, clearing my throat, etc.

I use my voice A LOT at work, and since going full time (ready or not...lol) I've noticed a dramatic improvement in the quality and consistency. But I have been repeatedly reminded that FINDING the voice is only the beginning....as difficult and frustrating as it is. Learning to USE it and keep it steady and consistent all day, every day is the real challenge. I get there for a few hours at a time, and it is easier all the time. I don't have to "warm it up" anymore, and involuntary sounds are coming along. It's only when my throat gets dry that it all falls apart...I need to learn how to handle that situation when there is no drink available and I HAVE to talk.

[Megan Joanne]

I loved how your voice sounded in your video Megan! Very cute. I loved your doggie too -how she makes her toys squeak and squeak. Adorable!

Ally

Ah, thank you! 

I've been working on mine for just shy of a year now. A few months ago I found it, and got it sounding right....but then I discovered that the real trick was using it all the time, every day. If I get dry, or dusty, it affects the sound and resonance, and I need to drink something every few minutes. And of course, keeping the voice going through the little involuntary sounds...IE sneezing, clearing my throat, etc.

I use my voice A LOT at work, and since going full time (ready or not...lol) I've noticed a dramatic improvement in the quality and consistency. But I have been repeatedly reminded that FINDING the voice is only the beginning....as difficult and frustrating as it is. Learning to USE it and keep it steady and consistent all day, every day is the real challenge. I get there for a few hours at a time, and it is easier all the time. I don't have to "warm it up" anymore, and involuntary sounds are coming along. It's only when my throat gets dry that it all falls apart...I need to learn how to handle that situation when there is no drink available and I HAVE to talk.

Yep, that's the real kicker there, getting it is not too bad, keeping it going, rather tough. Talk too much, throat gets dry, voice starts getting strained sounding, then have to try to get it back again, after wetting throat, trying to clear throat, or just giving it a few minutes to recuperate. Or, I just talk to my dog, I always sound cute with her.