Put a cork in your mouth
Merit
Try speaking with a cork held between your teeth (a cork from a wine bottle
is the right size)
The idea is: men form words in their throats...women form words just outside
their mouths.
Might sound crazy, and it looks silly...try it! (might take a little getting
used to)
You'll be surprised! It's like hearing your *natural* female voice. Even
better, if you can stand to do this Frequently, you can change your voice,
so that, after a while, you don't need the cork anymore!
Note: the tone of a persons voice is relative to body size (generally). A
large woman will have a deeper feminine voice,...so don't expect to "squeak"
if you're Big.
Merit
lv...@bellsouth.net
Merit wrote:
> This little exercise came from a speech therapist:
> Try speaking with a cork held between your teeth (a cork from a wine bottle
> is the right size)
> The idea is: men form words in their throats...women form words just outside
> their mouths.
Hmmm... I was a voice and theatre major for awhile and did a lot of cork work.
It is a great exercise and one that I do recommend but have to disagree there.
The truth is that unless a person is speaking wrong, noone should speak in their
throat. Getting out of your throat will definitely help and placing your voice
up near your forehead too. The key though is working on your upper range til it
comes natural. Now this does not mean you need the high range of a genetic
femalke but ust as high as you can *comfortably* go. Getting a softening and
breathiness in your speech pattern as well as the ups and downs of a female
speech pattern will do the rest. Takes lots of time and PRACTICE but it does
work. :)
> Might sound crazy, and it looks silly...try it! (might take a little getting
> used to)
> You'll be surprised! It's like hearing your *natural* female voice. Even
> better, if you can stand to do this Frequently, you can change your voice,
> so that, after a while, you don't need the cork anymore!
> Note: the tone of a persons voice is relative to body size (generally). A
> large woman will have a deeper feminine voice,...so don't expect to "squeak"
> if you're Big.
Not quite true. Tone has little too do with body size as much as vocal cords.
(And the word is timbre actually: The coloring and overall harmonics of the
voice.) Any voice can be trained to invrease or decrease it's pitch if the
person is willing to do the work (and sometimes it can take a lot of work). The
cork exercise will help with placement though. Good idea Merit. :)
Laine
Stephe
>
> Now this does not mean you need the high range of a genetic
> femalke but ust as high as you can *comfortably* go. Getting a softening and
> breathiness in your speech pattern as well as the ups and downs of a female
> speech pattern will do the rest. Takes lots of time and PRACTICE but it does
> work. :)
>
I've found that just adding some "breathiness" works pretty good most of
the time.. I have a pretty high pitched voice anyway and, well, have a
wav of my "fem vioce" at my site so see what ya think. Might not "pass"
100% but does keep em guessing! The problem I have is when my voice
starts getting pretty fem sounding, it also gets so weak people can't
hear me.. oh well.. Have to use something in the midlle (what new huh?)
Will have to play with the cork thing though.. If I could get a *real*
fem voice, maybe I wouldn't need as much makeup :-)
--
Stephe
My transgender web page.
http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Heights/8187/
Merit
I've been "naughty"again, (Post First, Think Later),
but your corrections to my miss information were easy to take,
and the Elaborations most welcome.
Do you have any other suggestions on this topic that might be appropriate
for
"do-it-yourselfers"?
Thanks!
Merit
(Since Mistress Donna refuses to be drawn-in to my games,
...uh, any time...you'd like to..."correct" me again...
(she keeps the hairbrush is on the night-table.)
lv...@bellsouth.net
Merit wrote:
> Laine,
> I've been "naughty"again, (Post First, Think Later),
> but your corrections to my miss information were easy to take,
> and the Elaborations most welcome.
> Do you have any other suggestions on this topic that might be appropriate
> for
> "do-it-yourselfers"?
Well I can tell you what I did and you can ask me to elaborate on anything
that you think might be helpful. As background it has been about 6 months
since I was called sir over the phone and I answer a hotel switchboard at my
job.A lot of people both mtf and ftm that I have talked to feel ridiculous
trying to use a voice of their target gender. This is only natural as often
attempts in the beginning of transition are rather comical sounding. The key
to developing the voice for any thing though whether it be singing or
transition is reams and reams of practice. First thing is simply to start
working on your upper range. For a short time (30 minutes or so) about 3
times a day simply speak with a much higher pitch. This should be right
before you break into falsetto and you will undoubtedly crack a lot at first.
While working on that (and this should be done in moderation at first as it
is very tiring and you do not want to over stress the throat and vocal cords)
you can also practice softening your voice. This is just adding a general
breathiness to your speech. You should also watch your speech patterns.
There are phrases (depending on your location, age and class) that are not
used by women that will draw attention to your speech). As your voice
strengthens you can do the higher pitch for longer periods as well and
eventually all the time.
As you start to get the hang of it you should get feedback from people you
don't know. The easiest way to do this is over the phone. Calling the
operator or stores or other businesses will give you a feel on how you are
sounding. You should also be recording your own voice so as to know what
exactly you sound like and how this is changing. This is all a manner of
practice, practice and more practice. It took me about 8 months of constant
work to get to this point and I am still working and improving (and this is
with running a switchboard all workday!).
The last thing and what I am working on now is strength and support. Many
people complain that their voices *pass* just fine but they are very soft.
This is a big problem with me as well. Even though your voice may be able to
produce these higher pitches now it is still not able to support it at a
decent volume without more practice. This is where breathing exercises come
in. If you try to speak louder in your upper range you will go hoarse.
There are lots of things to do to learn how to breathe right and it is
something I will put out in a few days if you are interested but it is too
long to add to this post right now. Suffice it to say that once you learn
how to breathe right you have to strengthen those muscles that do this so
that you can support a breathy, soft sound with an adequate volume for
extended periods of time. Again, practice...
Hope this helps. This is the way I did this. It is not the perfect way but
I thought I would share. If you have any more questions please let me know
and I will be glad to do what I can to assist.
> (Since Mistress Donna refuses to be drawn-in to my games,
> ...uh, any time...you'd like to..."correct" me again...
> (she keeps the hairbrush is on the night-table.)
ummm... Since I'm the one on the receiving end usually, I don't know how
comfortable I would be giving. ;-) I am sure my gf would volunteer though,
or I can just verbally humiliate you. :)
Laine
~~I understand you may disagree with me. Just come up to me later and
apologize for it and I may forgive you.~~ (Random sunday morning
televangelist)
T. C. McKean
voice certainly needs work although I do do a fair job of it and is
improving. Thanks!
Tina
Merit wrote in message <732786$ul2$1...@camel25.mindspring.com>...
>This little exercise came from a speech therapist:
>Try speaking with a cork held between your teeth (a cork from a wine bottle
>is the right size)
>The idea is: men form words in their throats...women form words just
outside
>their mouths.
>Might sound crazy, and it looks silly...try it! (might take a little
getting
>used to)
>You'll be surprised! It's like hearing your *natural* female voice. Even
>better, if you can stand to do this Frequently, you can change your voice,
>so that, after a while, you don't need the cork anymore!
>Note: the tone of a persons voice is relative to body size (generally). A
>large woman will have a deeper feminine voice,...so don't expect to
"squeak"
>if you're Big.
>
>Merit
>
>
>
honor seed
>
> This little exercise came from a speech therapist:
> Try speaking with a cork held between your teeth (a cork from a wine bottle
What I have is an article from the National Enquirer- pre 1990
**********************Print-here******************************
Title -You can change your life by changing your voice - - just like
the stars
You can change your life by changing your voice - just like the stars
do.
"Most people have a star quality voice - but they never use it,"says
Dr. Morton Cooper, voice Coach to the stars.
(it goes on to list stars that he coached -- Lucille Ball, Henry
Fonda, Cheryl Ladd, Rob Lowe and Richard Crenna?)
Cooper's technique calls for saying umm-hmmm with your lips closed, as
if you were agreeing with someone.
"With your lips closed, say umm-hummm one more time. and if you wish
to improve the sound you make every time you speak, say ummhummm yet
again."
SPONTANEOUS
If you've said umm-hummm in aspontaneous and sincere manner with your
lips closed, you have already taken the first important step in
finding your right voice, Cooper said.
"Try it again nopw". he said. "Say umm-humm, using rising inflection
with your lips closed. Remember, its vital that this umm-hmmm be
spontaneous and sincere. Now say it one more time to be sure you're
doing it properly, and if necessary, make a correction until you feel
a tingling sensation in your mouth and nose."
If you do feel that tingling, the sound you are producing should be
your natural voice -- your natural pitch, enhanced by tone focus,
Cooper explained.
"If your pitch is too low when you talk, you will feel too much
vibration in the lower throat and very littlein the mask area -- the
part of your face from the bridge and sides of your nose down to and
including your lips," he said.
"If you are doing exactly as instructed, you will feel a slight
tingling or vibration around your nose and lips.
"You can use this simplw method all of the time, " Cooper added. "All
you have to do is say "umm-hummm."
Written by Eve Savage
Rewritten by Honor Seed
Merit Heart
Two favors to ask:
-would you kindly repost your first "Re:Put a
cork in Your Mouth",
and,
you wrote:
<snip>
"This is where breathing exercises come
in. If you try to speak louder in your upper
range you will go hoarse.
There are lots of things to do to learn how to
breathe right and it is
something I will put out in a few days if you are
interested but it is too
long to add to this post right now...."
yes, please.
It would be difficult in my circumstances, (alone
most of the day) to practice Talking in the
higher range. I find it easier to Sing, or
tra-la to Mozart...in a higher range, for the 30
minutes, 3 times-a-day you recommend.
It's fun to do and the musical voice is "spilling
over" into my daily speaking voice.
thanks!
Merit
fofol
I'm asthmatic (not heavily, but enough to need some ventoline every day), how
to train my breathing first ? Singing loudly, for instance, is not really easy
for me and tires my voice rather quickly.
Thanks in advance, Fofol
___________________________
WOW !
I feel good !
James Brown
lv...@bellsouth.net
fofol wrote:
> Something came to my mind that I forgot to ask when these advice were posted :
> I'm asthmatic (not heavily, but enough to need some ventoline every day), how
> to train my breathing first ? Singing loudly, for instance, is not really easy
> for me and tires my voice rather quickly.
>
> Thanks in advance, Fofol
I will answer this and the request from Merit for my breathing stuff in a few days
as I am in the middle of finals right now.
Laine