How long does it take to raise your natural voice?

[alice10]

So if you have female voice and you are happy with it. How long does it take for your male voice to move up to that spot or when does the female voice become automatic?

[natastic]

It's all about experimentation with your voice, and practice. No facet of medical transition will change your voice (short of vocal chord surgery).  It's the cold reality of living through a male puberty - testosterone's effects on the vocal chords don't "go away" with HRT.

The internet has a wide range of free and paid instructional and educational material around developing a female sounding voice.  Andrea James' "Finding Your Female Voice" is one of the most popular.

[Stephe]

I heard your voice in that other thread, it's sounding fine.

On when it "becomes" your natural voice without thinking about it? It took me about maybe 6 months of constant use to get where I never think about it, I just talk. I was living full time and NEVER use my guy voice which helps. I would think for people who have to switch back and forth, it would be easy to slip back into your guy voice.. One thing that would happen at first was: I would start off sounding female and in a longer conversation, especially if it was something serious or required a lot of thought I would slip into my old voice. I asked close friend to like "raise your hand and tell me -guy voice-" if I did this. IDK if it was because my female voice would tire out or multitasking of thinking about how I am speaking plus the subject required too much though was the cause, I'm not sure. Just be aware of that.

[alice10]

Yeah that's what I meant. I am just worried that while i'm at work and someone calls me or comes to my desk and I forget to use the right voice because I have to think about it.

I heard your voice in that other thread, it's sounding fine.

On when it "becomes" your natural voice without thinking about it? It took me about maybe 6 months of constant use to get where I never think about it, I just talk.

[Stephe]

Yeah that's what I meant. I am just worried that while i'm at work and someone calls me or comes to my desk and I forget to use the right voice because I have to think about it.

That probably won't happen, at least it didn't for me. You probably will think "OK here we go" before you answer the phone or when someone walks up to you.

What would happen to me, like I explained, is in a long conversation or like in a meeting/group giving a presentation I would "slide" away from my new voice. Just be wary of that.

[alice10]

Ok good. Yeah after I talk for a while my nose starts to get stuffy and it doesn't sound as good but I will just tell people I have a cold.

[Stephe]

Ok good. Yeah after I talk for a while my nose starts to get stuffy and it doesn't sound as good but I will just tell people I have a cold.

I think what happens is: to have a good female voice you have to raise your adams apple using muscles rarely used before. They tire quickly but over a period of time, they get stronger from use and it's no longer a problem. Plus you then naturally have your adams apple in this new position all the time so when you start speaking, it will sound right without putting much thought into it. The extra bonus is, once I trained my voice, my adams apple has all but disappeared so cross a trachea shave off the list..

[alice10]

That's awesome! I am hoping the same will happen with me to.