Susan's Place Transgender Resources

So yesterday was the first time I was went out into public multiple times in girl mode. I was so nervous because of my voice. When I tried to talk. I was trying to hard and it didn't sound right or as good as I normally can do when i'm alone. How do you get more comfortable with this?

Practice, practice, practice.

I don't know any other way than going out and talking with others.

Quote from: Sarah Louise on October 29, 2012, 10:41:01 AM
Practice, practice, practice.

I don't know any other way than going out and talking with others.

I agree. This is probably the only way to get comfortable with it.

Does your local hospital have a speech therapy class? Try them I found it really hard and have a bad voice will have another go it is difficult though

Quote from: alice10 on October 29, 2012, 10:38:18 AM
it didn't sound right or as good as I normally can do when i'm alone. How do you get more comfortable with this?

Practice, practice, practice.

As long as you lack the male resonance and have a slightly higher pitch then you will get by. Just keep using your voice and keep practicing at home.

Practice simple short phrases that you can use. Examples might be

Excuse me?
Excuse me
How much is this?
Thank you
Whoops! Sorry!
Hi! How are you?
I'm Alice
Hello
Where can I find ....?
Where is ....?
Do you have any ...?
Do you want help with that?

etc... Listen to yourself. What phrases do you use again and again every day? Practice them. Quite a lot of conversations are very short

Thank you for the advice and encouragement!

for me I did not start RLE until my voice was down pat.

I refused to do RLE until the voice was feminine. I practiced my arse off

A really great way to get experience and grow confident with your voice whilst you're at home is to do it via the phone. Call up stores and ask them about a product, or call any company and enquire about whatever it is they sell. See if you can get away with not giving them your name before they gender you. If you get asked your name straight away give them a gender neutral one like Alex or Jaidyn. See how often you get ma'amd. If you're not getting sir'd then you're doing alright. If you do get sir'd then it's no biggie because it's totally anonymous. I first tried a voice by calling a clothes shop and asking if they had a product in a particular size. When the assistant called me Miss it made my day  ;D

That's a really good idea. I am going to try it. Thank you!

AS other have said.  Practice.  Even recording your voice.  When you find it id right, notice where your voice resonates at.  Head? Throat? Chest?

Then try to always have your voice hit the same spot.

The hardest part about the voice for me is having someone else hear it in person. Im so scared to do it. Even over the phone I am scared. I really wish I would get over this. I think once I do it one to someone. I think it will be so much easier.

If you look like a confident girl, you can be easy about your voice
On phone when I don't say at beginning I'm girl  ;D then I'm read as boy but in reality They see a girl so don't care if voice is somewhere in andro stage

And I'm scared to phone, I was since I was small, I begin to use it little when I was like 12, before noone can get me to phone  ::)

To be honest. I am getting really tired of working on my voice. Its so emotionally draining. I wish it would just be there already.

Best to start by working on short phrases you will use when out in public. If you are going to a drive through, practice your order before you get there. Then you won't be as nervous. I don't even have to think about my voice now, 100% of the time I am ma'am on the phone etc. It is easier to practice when you are full time. I didn't have to do this but trying to switch back and forth would probably make it VERY hard. I learned a female voice and not sure I could even pull my guy voice out now? I NEVER do and don't want to :)

Quote from: Stephe on November 02, 2012, 12:00:13 AM
Best to start by working on short phrases you will use when out in public. If you are going to a drive through, practice your order before you get there. Then you won't be as nervous. I don't even have to think about my voice now, 100% of the time I am ma'am on the phone etc. It is easier to practice when you are full time. I didn't have to do this but trying to switch back and forth would probably make it VERY hard. I learned a female voice and not sure I could even pull my guy voice out now? I NEVER do and don't want to :)

Quoted for truth. Except that I can still reach my male voice, but it really hurts.  (https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fsmileys.on-my-web.com%2Frepository%2FAnimals%2Fferret-9.gif&hash=42bd2ee88d4ddc91007b3b25799f543e9ee358f1)

When I wake up in the morning. Its hard for me to talk above 200 hertz normally. I have to really try to push it. My male voice is 110-140. When I try and talk with my female voice it is around 175. After I practice my voice all day I can talk at 220 and over with no problems. Does my voice just need trained more? or do I need to warm it up?

Quote from: alice10 on November 02, 2012, 09:59:08 AM
Does my voice just need trained more? or do I need to warm it up?

Both. Everyones voice is lower when they are tired. So, when you wake up your vocal cords are more relaxed giving you a deeper sound. Once they get warmed up a bit it will be fine (as you have noticed). Also, the more you train yourself, the less it will fall when  you are tired.

Quote from: alice10 on November 02, 2012, 09:59:08 AM
When I wake up in the morning. Its hard for me to talk above 200 hertz normally. I have to really try to push it. My male voice is 110-140. When I try and talk with my female voice it is around 175. After I practice my voice all day I can talk at 220 and over with no problems. Does my voice just need trained more? or do I need to warm it up?

Every morning in the shower, where there is a lot of humidity, I do voice slides to warm up my voice. It's just what happens. Another thing that helps, depending on where you live of course and the time of year, is to use a humidifier. Esp in the winter when the air is dry and becomes even drier from home heating. And yes as you practice this becomes easier. It's like any other type of physical training, you body adapts.