Retro Rerun: Five Tricks to Enhance Feminine Voice
Roberta Angela Dee
Now, I already realize that some of you ladies are going say that the vocal trick you learned from your 20 sessions with a vocal coach (at $50 dollars a session) were far more sophisticated than the ones I offer here. And, you’re probably right. But guess what? Mine are free. They work and you don’t even have to leave the house to make use of them. So, if nothing else you can’t beat my prices.
TRICK ONE:
Sit back with the remote and find a movie or television show where there are a number of women. Now, hit the mute button.
‘You’re insane, Roberta. How am I supposed to hear them if I hit the mute button, silly girl?’ Well, I’m silly like a fox, hon’. We’re not listening — not just yet. What we’re doing is studying feminine mannerisms — natural feminine mannerisms. And while we’re watching were going to mimic just a few of the most obvious ones until we’re feeling very comfortable using them.
Women are very, very observant. Even if you have a perfectly feminine voice, the absence of at least a few feminine gestures will make most women suspicious. You don’t need to talk with your hands like Joan Rivers, but you do need a feminine gesture or two to accentuate your femininity. Don’t overdo it! In this case, less is more.
Practice this technique at least 15 minutes a day for a month. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn about feminine behavior and mannerisms.
TRICK TWO:
Ladies, are you all still comfortable and relaxed? Very good. Now you can turn on the sound, but close your eyes. Yes, close your eyes and listen to how the women respond to other women. But also pay very close attention to how a woman responds to a man. It’s different.
You’ll also note that women use a different set of inflections when speaking to very young children.
If you’re using a tape recorder, you’ll learn to speak at a comfortable pitch within a week or two with continued practice. And you might learn to sustain that pitch in about a month or two. However, getting the inflections right might take a little longer, but it’s every bit as important.
TRICK THREE:
This is going to be a bit tough for you former construction workers, but you’ll have to practice speaking in a manner that is more grammatically correct.
If I were a guy, I might have opened this section saying, This is gonna be a toughie for you former jocks and construction guys, but you gotta practice speaking good. A bit more machismo, isn’t it. We’re not looking for machismo here, ladies. I believe I’ve made my point, please allow me to move on.
TRICK FOUR:
Smile, ladies. That’s right smile. Give me a big, loving, come-to-mama smile. Very good. Now talk to me. Ah, not so easy, is it? You know why? Because little girls are taught to smile all the time. They play and smile. Run and smile. Talk and smile. And boys don’t.
When most men walk up to a stranger, they put on a poker face. It says, ‘Me a man. Me strong. Me masculine.’ When most women walk up to a stranger, they put on a happy pleasant face. It says, I’m loving. I’m gentle. I’m feminine.
Yea, yea, yea, You’re going to feel silly at first or at least a little awkward. But again, practice makes perfect. So get out your tape recorder and have a fifteen minute conversation with your imaginary girl friend and spend at least 10 of those 15 minutes smiling.
TRICK FIVE:
Your girl friend tells you a joke, she’s expecting you to laugh. Or, a guy tells you a joke, and as a woman you know you must laugh at a guys joke or you’ll damage his ego and be labeled a bitch for at least 10 years. But your laugh sounds so pretentious. Work on it, hon’. I don’t care if the best you can do is to master a giggle. Work on developing some realistic vocal response as close to laughter as possible. Because girl friends are always laughing at each others comments. You’re going to look and feel pretty awkward, if you can’t laugh and laugh a lot. Again, use the tape recorder. And PRACTICE.
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Wow! Has it been more than 20 years since this advice from Roberta Angela Dee came to us? I remember in the 1990s getting up early every Monday morning to read the latest TGForum posting and no writer was more anticipated than Roberta Angela Dee. Her advice always proved to be solid. I like to think that I am a much better woman because of her.
I hope the other Angela keeps these re-runs coming.
Crossdressing is more than just putting on a dress and make up. It includes how we talk, how we sit and stand, how we think and interact with others. Let’s embrace the whole package.
As long as we still have articles from Roberta we will be posting them now and then as Retro Reruns.