Gender affirming voice training
- Kathleen
- Oct 2
- 2 min read
What can we do to help someone change their voice to align more closely with the way they want to present to others?
We all use our voice to signal aspects of our identity to others. Gender is an important part of this, but what can we do to help those transitioning to align their vocal presentation with their identity?
As each individual voice is unique, and we all express ourselves using our vocal apparatus in an individual way, generalisations are the best we can do in terms of describing masculine/feminine/gender neutral features in voice. Generally speaking:
Feminine-perceived voices
Have a higher average pitch, sitting around G3-A3 on a piano keyboard
Use more variation in pitch for expression
Use brighter vowels and consonants
Tap into a higher resonance – sometimes referred to as using more ‘head voice’
Can be breathier in some cases
Masculine-perceived voices
Have a lower average pitch, sitting around A2-C3 on a piano keyboard
Use less variation in pitch for expression and instead use variety in volume for expression
Use darker vowels and consonants
Tap into a lower resonance – sometimes referred to as using more ‘chest voice’
Some people aim for a more gender-neutral vocal presentation and will utilise aspects of all the points above to a greater or lesser extent in developing a way of using their voice which is comfortable and appropriate for them.
Not everyone seeks change
Not all trans people will want to modify their voice, and indeed some have expressed reservations about voice modification. Some fear that overly focusing on the way that they’re perceived will make them self-conscious about speaking publicly. Others feel that prescriptively adhering to binary stereotypes through target pitch ranges and expression choices is not an appropriate goal for them. Instead, a more appropriate goal could be to focus on confidence and authenticity in their voice use. “Trans people do not necessarily want to emulate cis people, and their speech and vocal goals may vary substantially across different social contexts[1].”
Voice training
For those who do want to change their voice though, what does vocal feminisation/masculinisation training involve? In this work we move through vocal exercises to bring out more feminine/masculine qualities in the voice. These include:
breathing exercises to build healthy support for voice work
pitch gliding exercises to build strength in higher/lower ranges of the voice
resonance, vowel and consonant exercises to bring our brighter/darker sounds in the speaking voice
practice in speaking sentences, reading longer paragraphs, and holding conversations to practice more feminine/masculine intonation and expression
Some people also choose to work on physical communication and word choice as part of their vocal transition.
There are lots of websites and online tutorials offering advice on vocal change, however the voice is a delicate instrument which doesn’t respond well to quick fixes or heavy-duty exercises without adequate preparation. Voice training should be done safely with the oversight of a trained voice practitioner who can guide and safeguard your voice as you make changes. If you’d like to work with me and find out more about voice modification, find out more and get in touch HERE.
