Affirming
Voice Classes
These 8 week programs provide you with the support, knowledge and skillset to find your affirming voice. In it we’ll explore the different ways we generate sound; learn to access many of different facets of our voice; and, be supported in experimenting with these new skills in finding a way to use our voice that fells comfortable, authentic and affirming to each individual.
This program is trans-led and run in small groups to ensure that all participants in the program are able to also get 1-on-1 support from the instructor.
*PLEASE NOTE: Participation requests your camera to be turned all throughout each class for the teacher to properly support participants.
Program Overview:
Affirming Voice I
Week 1: SETTING UP A SAFER SPACE FOR YOUR VOICE PRACTICE
5 minute vocal warm up, gently discover your target voice and target gender expression through speaking voice, practical exercises to get started
Week 2: DE-GENDERING VOCAL ANATOMY
Power, source and filter of the voice, HRT and the voice, find out where your speaking voice sits naturally, chant to speak exercises
Week 3-4: PITCH: high & low
Frequencies (Hz) versus Notes (pitches), musical alphabet, affirmed speaking range exercise, vocal registers, learn to isolate your target/affirmed speaking pitch & speaking exercises
Week 5-6: RESONANCE: bright/dark/neutral
Exploration and exercises with vowels, tongue, lips, larynx height and soft palate
Week 7: VOCAL FOLD MASS: light vs. buzzy
Exploration with the thickness and thinness of the vocal folds, chest resonance, SOVT exercises, Intro to twang
Week 8: INFLECTION & VOCAL CONTOUR: pitch inflection, emphasis, monotony
Determine your affirmed inflection pitch range, inflection exercises with pitch, contour exercises with duration and emphasis, inflection “map” exercise
Affirming Voice II
Affirming Voice II follows up on the 'micro' concepts of speaking voice exercises (pitch, resonance, vocal fold mass and inflection/contour) with more time spent on speaking voice. It also includes an introduction to voice analysis, voice inspiration & imitation exercise, articulation & volume exercises and a more in-depth look into vocal anatomy.
*** Requires completion of Affirming Voice 1 to enroll. ***
Affirming Voice III
Affirming Voice III focuses on more advanced warm up exercises, articulation and volume exercises and micro voice analysis and exercises (pitch, resonance, VFM and inflection/contour). We will learn about macro voice concepts like vocal cadences, as well as an even more in depth look into vocal anatomy.
*** Requires completion of Affirming Voice 2 to enroll. ***
Affirming Singing
Affirming Signing focuses on gender affirmation through singing instead of speaking, while building on the micro concepts in AV-I (pitch, resonance, vocal load & contour). This will include a more challenging vocal warm up, specific gender affirming voice singing exercises, affirmed singing range exercises, finding your target key, isolating resonance and pitch through song, exploring soft palate sounds, exploring twang, and exercises to incorporate some of the micro concepts of gender affirmation into your target singing voice.
Though this is a singing class, speaking voice exercises, speaking voice analysis video & polls and a speaking voice cognitive load game will be included in each class.
*** Requires completion of Affirming Voice 1 to enroll. ***