Voice issues

[Roll]

I used the pitchlab app and started off with humming on 220hz. Trying to keep it there the whole time. When I got that under the belt I started with simple sentinces just trying to keep it at 220hz. You sound like a robot at that stage. Then when I get a feel where my voice should be I started recording myself and try to sound female. I basically started talking about my day and my story how I transitioned and such things while recording myself. But at this stage I try to talk half a day in my female voice until I feel it is tired and then take a break.

Wow, you weren't joking about the robot thing, I just burst out laughing when I got there. I seem like I can maintain speaking at 220 fairly well (I've always been good with voices/accents so I'm hopeful its translating to this), but I don't know how to move past the semi-falsetto sound to it. Is it just a matter of training the muscles at this point for having a more resonant voice later?

(Odd, several snippets of my post were missing and I had to edit words back in. Not sure what I did. )

[IzzyC]

Is it just a matter of training the muscles at this point for having a more resonant voice later?

Resonating (Iirc) is a huge part of it yeah, at least that's what my teacher told me. Your voice also will change and adjust over time too.

It took about 3.5 months of heavy practice, but I finally gained the ability register in female ranges without sounding like the cartoon character. I'm really not sure when it happened or how I did it though, but I can't even speak like I used to without making the conscious effort to drop my voice down into my chest.

My natural state has shifted to a mix point, I subconsciously resonate female-ish now from the head/nose/etc., and it confuses people over phone and internet. I'm not at the point where the other major part, pitch, is subconscious and perfect. I'm about halfway there; but if I try I get ma'am'ed.

Now my normal speaking voice sounds some sort of weird butchy girl/super gay.

Doing the various exercises to smooth out the mix and stop the breaks was huge in being able to rest in that mix between falsetto and normal.

[esphoria]

I used the pitchlab app and started off with humming on 220hz. Trying to keep it there the whole time. When I got that under the belt I started with simple sentinces just trying to keep it at 220hz. You sound like a robot at that stage. Then when I get a feel where my voice should be I started recording myself and try to sound female. I basically started talking about my day and my story how I transitioned and such things while recording myself. But at this stage I try to talk half a day in my female voice until I feel it is tired and then take a break.

What I did, and this is because I learned this from a minor in music and they made me take aural skills, Is to practice above the pitch you want your voice to be centered on.  what this does is allows you to speak easier at your given pitch average.

I call it an average because opposed to males who don't change pitch as much, a feminine voice tends to have a wider range among other things.

Just keep up the practice and it will come.

[Sarah_P]

I've only been doing voice lessons for 3-1/2 months or so, but I'm able to hit a fairly feminine speaking voice. I seem to do better with it out in public than at home. I do the voice lessons every morning. I use the Deep Stealth lessons - but I've worked in some other techniques I learned from youtube that have helped.
The one thing that truly gets me into my female voice is singing. Pick out some favorite lady singers you like and sing along as best you can. I don't know if I sing well or not, but I love to do it anyway.
Sadly I only get to use my female voice on weekends. I've tried to pick it back up in the evenings after work, but can't always do it without some extra warm-up.

[Allie24]

Singing is a great way to practice getting your voice up! I do it all the time. I'm an awful singer but it's so much fun and it helps so much.

[Nevoxia]

I've only been trying to train my voice for a few weeks now, operating from guides I found online. In particular this one I found on ->-bleeped-<- called MTF voice training regimen. One of the first things that recommends is trying to use your muscles to pull your larynx up and back, but this does not seem to work for me. Even after I feel like I trained the muscles, my voice comes out sounding like Kermit the Frog. I think the voice training for me is probably going to be the hardest part of my transition because I was never even good at singing. Nor do I have any musical background . In karaoke the only thing I could do reasonably well, ironically, was the Bee Gees. When playing around with my nephew, I can do a pretty convincing Elmo voice. But all my attempts to sound like a girl are not even close.

All of you who have done so well, you are so impressive. I think I'm going to need professional help! Self-help guides are super attractive because they are free, and I am unemployed, but I think this one requires real talent!

[Roll]

I know exactly what ->-bleeped-<- post you mean. The entire shelving the trachea by pulling up and back eludes me, and makes me burp actually. Still, I want to keep trying because I feel as though it will be just another piece in the puzzle.

What I've been doing when I find the time (which hasn't been as much as i'd like) is doing some basic vocal exercises based on one youtube video involving a humming warmup then doing vocal slides. It noticeably strengthens the voice. I combine it with practicing maintaining and returning to specific pitches via tuner apps, so I try to learn control and consistency at the same time I'm just strengthening muscles. I don't know if this will do anything long term, but it definitely has helped me become more in touch with how my voice works and improved my understanding of other techniques as well.

My biggest personal problem continues to be projecting any voice I do. I can hit the right sound and pitch at times, but I know that I could never yell or raise my voice doing it.

[Dave143]

This problem is not exclusive at all to transgenders, most males tend to talk in a lower register than their natural voice. Before starting to sing and take lessons, i always spoke in a deep bassy voice, but found out that my natural register is actually quite high and i try now (as a male) to use more of my natural voice. I find that i still tend to use a lower voice  when i'm not in a confortable social situation. So i guess it's just a question of practice and that it will come naturally once you're totally confortable with using your new female voice in social situations.