Beating down the dead subject. . . voice.

[shanetastic]

I know like practice makes perfect, but I swear I'm losing my mind, and my voice is going to suck forever lol.  Because of this, I had one question for everyone.

What was the best technique that helped you develop your voice?  I've been practicing for like ever it feels like and I just don't get it.  I just can't seem to like get something that even sounds semi decent.  It all just sounds wrong for some reason.

But anyways; if any of you had any specific technique or thing you did that really helped you get your voice let me know   I'm sure all of us would enjoy it!  I have those voice programs and stuff and read up on other people's techniques and stuff, but my voice just never seems to go in the right direction, hence why I'm now asking here.

Thanks!

[cindianna_jones]

You know how the Irish say everything like a question?  Study women and men and see which comes closest to that.

You know how flat a man sounds and resonates when he talks?  A female will be much more expressive.

You have to be comfortable with your voice.  It's nearly impossible to maintain any kind of a different pitch.  All of us slip back into something more comfortable after talking to someone for a while.  Learn to be expressive and fun. That you can learn and hold on to.

Cindi

[shanetastic]

I sort of understand that whole concept of resonance sort of.  It's just however I try to move my throat and push my voice it always sounds either fake or manly.  I can't seem to find a good inbetween that sounds good.  It aggravated me pretty badly today for once actually, I was about to give up lol.

[Terra]

Hmm... Well what is working for me is realizing it doesn't have to be a perfect female voice, just not be a guys voice. In my case, my voice is safely androgynous in pitch.

I recorded my voice and listened to it. It is a bit deep for a woman, but it doesn't sound anything much like a guy. Remember, there are other pieces people look at besides your voice pitch. Having the right inflections and mannerisms in your voice goes just as far as pitch. At least that is what I'm guessing people go off of in my voice. As you use it often it will probably raise itself over time. At least that is how i'm approaching my voice.

as for the right resonance, try holding your hand to your lips. With the other put it on your chest. Just keep trying until you feel your cheeks vibrate, and your chest vibrating little if at all. Once you get this, you have moved your voice to the right spot. Then...practice!

[Keira]

Resonnance has to do with the higher frequencies created as the direct sound from you vocal cords exits your mouth.

Reducing the size of the resonnant chamber, smiling, opening mouth, keeping tongue flat and up and forward, will produce a higher resonnant pitch. Even without changing anything else, your voice will sound brighter, higher pitched, even if your pitch doesn't change. Say HEED and play with those things and see how it modifies the sound. Best thing is to record it with a decent sound recorder. The answering machine is a very lousy recorder, it doesn't record higher harmonics well.

You also lift the voice box (shortening the vocal tract and creating higher harmonics), but that is a less flexible and rapid way (the box is heavier and the muscles harder to control than the tongue and mouth) of modifying resonnance. It modifies the sound of all vowels uniformly, which I don't like; though it can be used selectively.

Just shifting to a head voice by reducing chest vibration tends to create the typical "gay" flat nasal voice, especially if you go to close to falsetto. Better have a lower pitch with more higher harmonics from the mouth, sounds MUCH better. If you increase you pitch without increasing your resonnance, the energy of your voice will be more contrained and weak and strained (bad combination). Little bass AND little top end and a week middle. I hear this ALL THE TIME in TS. I call in the TS voice disease...