I have received a number of questions about transvoices through my work at the London Transgender Clinic and I will be sharing my responses to all those questions on this blog. Many of the topics and answers, such as this one, can be applied to everyone.

Is there anything a MtF can do to prepare for voice coaching?

If you are embarking on voice therapy and asking your voice to perform extra-ordinarily, the best thing you can do to prepare is get yourself and your larynx in shape. Vocal hygiene is important to everyone, but to ‘vocal athletes’ (people who rely on their voices for their livelihood or those who engage in vocal athletics, such as singers), it is imperative. I consider transwomen and transmen to be akin to vocal athletes. These voices are asked to work in ways never before required and it can be physically challenging to meet the demand. So, what do we mean by ‘vocal hygiene’?

Vocal hygiene is the care of the vocal tract. It is adopting practices that allow the larynx to be in the best possible condition for performance. Here are the basics:

Hydrate. Aim to consume 1.5-2 litres of good, clean water every day. You can flavour it with fruit, but don’t make it too acidic. If you run your finger around the inner part of your lips, gums, cheeks, etc., you can feel how different these cells are as compared to your external skin. This mucosal lining of the mouth, throat and vocal cords needs lots of water to function as it should.
Reduce caffeine. Coffee and black tea are not the best water sources. The high caffeine content contributes to the diuretic effect of drinking them, so your body excretes higher levels of water. Of course, if you manage to drink the recommended amount of water each day, you counter-balance the drying effects of caffeine.
Reduce alcohol. It, too, is a diuretic, encouraging the removal of water from your bloodstream and dehydrating your body.
Try inhaling steam through your mouth and nose, either in a steam room or bath. You can pour out a kettle into a basin and with a tea towel over your head, lean over and inhale the steam as it rises from the bowl.
Stop smoking. There is nothing positive to say about smoking. The heat, chemicals and particles that are inhaled are irritants to the delicate tissues and mucosal lining of the nose, mouth, throat and vocal cords. The tar causes irreversible damage to the lungs, reducing their ability to function effectively. You increase the risk of acquiring a myriad of smoking-related conditions, such as cancer, and COPD.
Avoid other environmental irritants, such as pollution, air conditioning or very dry heated rooms.
Avoid behaviours that are detrimental to your vocal mechanism, such as shouting (at sporting events) or talking forcefully over background noise.

The actions outlined above are beneficial to everyone. Your body (skin, digestive tract, renal system, eyes, throat) will thank you. You will appreciate the results, because you will be healthier and more beautiful, inside and out.

I’ve been working with voices of all sorts for over 25 years. I’ve worked with people young and old, all who have a myriad of concerns about their voices. I’ve learned a lot, and much of what I’ve learned is evidence-based and dependable. Most of it is beneficial to all. Even so, every person and every voice is different and the reasons for these differences are limitless.

One of those people with whom I have explored ‘voice,’ is myself. I worked as a professional classical music singer for over 30 years. I’ve struggled to perfect my breathing and breath support, increase my vocal range and refine my tone to achieve the most beautiful quality possible. So I know, first hand, of the frustration, fatigue and failure that people experience when trying to reach their vocal goals. I understand how hard it is to get what you want from your voice.

I also understand what is riding on success - it’s a matter of your identity. Every time I opened my mouth on stage, I was “sized up” by the audience, fellow professionals and critics. My professional identity was always on the line, based almost entirely on the sound that came out of my mouth. In essence, my hopes and dreams of what I wanted to do with my life was also on the line.

On my blog, I will be sharing information that I’ve gleaned over the years. I will share views and ideas from other people, too. Some of the stuff may resonate with you and make a difference, but some may not. You may agree with some posts, and you may question the content of others.

I welcome sharing of experiences, information and joint exploration, so feel free to helpfully and respectfully comment on the posts. By sharing, we can all support each other and learn together.