I paid $45/week for professional treatment and it took about four months. Rates for voice therapists could vary quite a bit; I don't know how typical this is.

Heather H.

Our govermental system has promised me voice therapy. Now I have been waiting for their call for the last 3 months. I´m fed up. I must do something myself. Luckily I found a good therapist, who has had excellent results with transwomen. It will cost me something, but the voice is SO IMPORTANT. I can pass with my voice if I must order a drink or buy a skirt. But I´m afraid I cannot manage so well in longer conversations. And that is a must in my job. We have often meetings and I like to be active there...

Laura

Yesterday I got an example HOW important the voice is. I was standing at the bus stop with other people. A drunk guy passed by and asked me "Madam, what is the time?". "Six thirty" I said, he went on...but then turned around and came back to me: "Hey, you are no madam...you are a MAN". And he got so interested in me that he forgot where he was heading and wanted just chat with me. And to know where I was going to. He was very friendly...wished me all the best in life. But, anyway, the fact was...my voice didn´t pass this time. Drunken people and children are the ones who see through you anyway...

Laura

I really need my therapy NOW. Another thing is that people hear differently, for some of them your voice is okay...for a few maybe not. But that is the same with visual passing. You may pass 99%, but there still is the 1%. Probably the most critical group is the ts community herself, trained to look at certain details.

Laura

I actually never had a DEEP voice. I guess my ex-SO had deeper voice than me. Well, she was more a man than me in many ways. So, I don´t have to rise my pitch, but it is more the overall sound. Trying alone at home I sometimes get the sound...but then it slips away again. I just need training...

Laura

Oh my goodness

One of my admirers had found out my office phone number and called me here yesterday. I was not here at the moment. This means I MUST TRAIN MY VOICE RIGHT NOW. I sent him a message where I said: "Don´t call me here at the office until I tell you to do so". He said yes, doesn´t want to loose me, I guess .

Laura

And this brings out another matter...more belonging to ethics. This guy doesn´t know that I´m a TS. From my pics he has figured out that I´m just a normal chick. At what timepoint would it be appropriate to tell him? Because if I would go steady with someone, I have the feeling I must tell him. Even if he would never find it out himself.
Or what do you think? When I´m complete after my SRS...must I still tell my boyfriends about my past? This thread belongs more to the "coming out" cathegory, I guess.

Laura

Coming bact to the voice...

I have the feeling having got pretty close to it. My present everyday-voice is actually far from male, it is something in between. But now I seem to be able to add there female sound in stages. Maybe it goes step by step. You don´t wake up one morning with a perfect female voice, but work it out yourself during months of time. Anyway, I feel confident already .

Hugs to all of you

Laura

Voice therapy is very important, and it is worth the cost to see a professional. It helped me a great deal. My male voice was especially deep and monotonous, but I was able to fix all of that.

Actually, changing the pitch was not the most difficult part. Using inflections (learning how not to speak in a monotone) made a huge difference. Also, learning how to change resonances helped greatly. Even if the pitch is correct, if there is a lot of resonance in the chest, it sounds more male. It is better to try to shift resonances to the head. I don't know for certain the best way to accomplish this; it just happened under the guidance of the therapist. It took me about four months of weekly meetings to complete this process, and the therapist said that I had progressed faster than anyone else she had worked with. It takes time.

Although my voice is now very good, I still get read because of that at times, although it is now rare. Developing a feminine voice has certainly helped my confidence. With some time, effort, and professional help, you will develop a good voice. Good luck.

Heather H.

Damn...

A girl from my bank called me by phone in order just to ask something about my account service contract. "I expected a female when somebody is called Laura" she started. "I said, don´t worry, I´m female all right...in spite of my voice". Must I explain further?". "No, she said, it is all right. We just have to be sure we talk to the right person." Oh damn...that took me down. Just as my cosmetologist had told me yesterday that my voice has improved a lot.

Laura

Thanks Sandra

My female friend Riitta said right away I did nothing wrong...the girl at the other end instead was impolite. You are not supposed to say loud your doubts about a person´s gender in the phone. I answered Laura T. and that should have been enough to her, said Riitta. And I know Riitta would have said something very nasty in my place .

Laura

My voice therapy will be paid by our dear tax payers, including of course myself .

Laura