Hi. I'm trying to raise my speaking voice into a female pitch, however when I do this I find that I think differently. It's like I become airheaded and talk like the stereotypical popular but stupid teenage girl. Not with the sound of my voice but the way I think and things I say. I wish that I could think the same as I do in my male voice but just speak with a voice that reverberates in a female range. Is this possible? Does anyone here know what I'm talking about?

It's only my 4th day of practicing, so I don't know if I can expect this to change or not as I adapt to the voice.

 I know what you're talking about. Perhaps subconsciously, you feel you are trying to imitate that demographic, and are therefore mimicking their vocal mannerisms and thought patterns. I'm sure it's just because you're trying really hard to get this voice down though... I think that, once you have established the voice and can use it easily, your 'normal' vocal and behavioural patterns will re-emerge.


It's happened to a few members of the support group I went to... the change in speaking and other mannerisms. Sometimes transition itself turns people into airheads. Being depressed often means being emotionless, which means that all that's left is logic a lot of the time; perhaps the renewal of emotions often caused by HRT and other aspects of transition overcomes logic as, perhaps, design was meant to have it in the first place. Or the emotions are overpowered because a person isn't used to them.


In any case, that's probably irrelevant... I certainly do like to get off-track.


As to your voice, I'm sure you're aware that pitch isn't the only consideration you have to keep in mind. When people emulate only the pitch, they may still sound male - just really high-pitched. Not to say you shouldn't know all about pitch - I believe the goal is something like 185 Hz, with the average among younger females being closer to 210 or 220 Hz. It's quite the goal to work towards.


Godspeed with your voice. I wouldn't wish the fate of being a 'stereotypical popular but stupid teenage girl' on anyone; it's really quite a dreadful prospect.

Thank you. Yes I do think it messes with my logic. Possibly because I'm thinking so much about how I sound that I have no brain space left to think about the subject at hand, so it comes off as a dumb person who speaks without thinking. Ugh! I really, really hope it resolves. 

One more question. Does there ever come a point when you can speak in a female voice without putting conscious effort into it? That would be cool.

 Well, yeah, for the most part. I mean, some mornings I have to put some extra effort in, but not because I sound male per se - just because I don't sound like my usual sweet self. When I talk to people who are not my family, my voice corrects itself, whatever the situation, with only subconscious effort and some fantastic results, if I may be so daring.

It takes time. 'Bout four to six months for me, at least... but even during the time where it was conscious, it really wasn't so bad. Once you have a stable, working model for your voice, it comes pretty easily even at the conscious stage.

One thing I see a lot of is MtFs struggling a little too hard to talk so high - and unfortunately, that sort of thing often just sounds like... a guy trying to sound like a girl, or a guy trying to talk in a high pitch. At best, it comes across as sorta gay-sounding. Getting the voice down can be pretty tough, to be sure, but it's a matter of technique more than it is a matter of forcing your voice.

Record yourself, watch Youtube videos on the subject, and what I found REALLY helped was to sing along to Within Temptation. I mean, that band may not be your thing, but the lead singer has an astounding high range, so while singing along meant sounding like a tortured something-or-other, it did help exercise my throat muscles and open up the upper range a bit.

I am probably not much of a singer, to be sure, and singing at those ranges would still be a complete challenge to me - but they make wonderful exercises on those tough mornings, and being the emo girl I am, the music is fun to listen to.

Here's one link ...
And here's another (my personal favourite for voice exercising):

Good luck and have fun.

Awesome. I'll do that. Never would have thought of that.

That's good to know that it does eventually become easy. 4-6 months is alright for me since I won't be going full-time until then anyway. Still have to finish one semester at school as male.

Anyway. Thanks again, very helpful.

 No problemo. Happy to be helpful.