How Much Will Testosterone Change My Voice
| As a singer-songwriter and voice teacher who is an openly transgender man, I regularly get questions from people considering taking testosterone who want advice on how to continue to sing as their voice changes, or who have taken testosterone for a while and are unsure about how to sing with their changed voices. I'd like to offer my reflections and advice based on my own personal experience as well as my experience teaching other singers in the hopes that they'll be helpful. I put off taking testosterone when I was first considering it because I was a trained singer. At the time in 2005, the singers I talked to who had taken testosterone told me they were no longer able to sing after their voices changed. I was very attached to and identified with my singing voice. I had a hunch that I would enjoy having a lower speaking voice and many of the other changes I knew testosterone would bring to my body, but I loved singing, and I didn't want to lose the ability to express myself in this fundamental way. I am happy to say that my fears did not come true! Many years later, singing remains one of the things that gives me the most pleasure in life. In some ways my voice is even stronger now than it was before. Before I began taking testosterone in 2006, my voice was a high, lyric soprano. Within a couple of years of starting hormones, my voice had dropped to a high tenor range, and my comfort and agility in this new range grew over time. [Edited in 2017 to add: After about ten years on testosterone I noticed that my voice had dropped a bit more, though I was still definitely a tenor. In a way this isn't surprising; I started hormones at 20, and now I'm in my early 30's. Many people's voices deepen naturally as they age.] For myself and many others I know, testosterone certainly changed our voices, and we did have to come through awkward vocal periods. But much like cisgender men whose voices change during puberty, trans masculine people can find a way through the creaking and cracking and come out strong singers on the other side of our vocal transitions. You will not have to stop singing! I am now a touring indie folk singer-songwriter. I've released two albums: At The Seams in 2013 and Strong and Tender in 2017. Since my transition, I've also sung in semi-professional classical choruses and done the occasional paid classical church gig. I am very happy with my voice, and I believe you can be too. So, some advice for those who want to take testosterone and continue to sing -- 1. Above all, don't stop singing! When you start taking testosterone, keep vocalizing, doing vocal exercises and singing songs through the process -- gently. Don't push your voice to do anything that feels painful, strained or uncomfortable. I've found that one reason many folks have trouble with singing after their voices change is that they didn't sing during the time when their voices were shifting. When they go back to sing after the change, they don't know the lay of the land, and they are trying to sing as though they still have their old instrument. But when your voice is shifting from a violin to a cello, so to speak, of course you'll have to re-learn where the notes are! Singing is a physical process, and we rely a lot on muscle memory. So the more you keep singing (even when it feels strange), the better shape you'll be in when your voice eventually settles into its new range. 2. Find a way to make your favorite music shift with you. Change the key of the songs you sing so that they're in a comfortable spot for your voice. (If you're a guitarist like me, the capo is your friend.) 3. There will likely be a time when finding notes is awkward and you won't be able to find notes where you're used to them AKA match pitch. Don't stop! Keep experimenting, getting to know where the notes are in your new voice and you'll get through it. 4. If your voice has already changed and you didn't sing as it changed, it's not too late for you to re-learn how to sing. Take some time to play with your voice and explore and find your way around your new instrument. Maybe the songs you used to sing won't work for you right now because you have built up muscle memory of singing the songs in a way that is no longer accessible to you. Try singing new songs by people whose voices sound closer to where your voice now sits. I remember when I was first discovering my tenor voice, two songs that I enjoyed newly being able to sing along with were "Miracle of Miracles" from Fiddler on the Roof and "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" by Rufus Wainwright. I also recommend seeking out a voice teacher and doing some singing lessons. 5. Know that no matter how you approach your vocal transition, the process won't be linear. There may be some days when you have new low notes and the high notes won't come out, and some days when the reverse is true. There will almost certainly be a period when your passaggio -- the "bridge" in the middle of your voice where you shift from chest register to head register -- will be weak and your voice is likely to crack a lot. Sing gently through that area as best you can while things are changing. There may even be a time when there are some notes in the middle of your voice that you can't sing at all. This is normal. 6. The biggest changes will likely happen between the 3rd month and the 12th month of your first year on testosterone. I found that my own voice didn't truly settle into its new range until about 2 years in, and it's still changing -- just as everyone's voice changes gradually throughout their lifetime. Your voice will likely be slightly lower the day after you do your shot than it is at the end of your shot cycle. If you opt to stop taking testosterone at some point, know that your voice will change again, and you'll lose some of your new low notes. It won't return to your pre-testosterone voice, but it will become something yet again new. I have also heard from people who've had hysterectomies that their voices deepened further as a result. 7. Keep exercising your voice throughout your whole range, whatever it may be on a given day. Sing gently in your head register (also called falsetto), but keep using it. There are plenty of guys who sing up there, like Bon Iver, Aaron Neville and the Bee Gees. Even if you don't think you'll ever want to sing in head register in a song, continuing to exercise your voice up there will actually help strengthen your middle and lower range and help you avoid straining your voice. Never push your voice to do anything that makes you feel pain or strain. Stay connected to your body and your diaphragmatic (belly) breathing. 8. Just keep singing! I took private lessons, played my own songs, sang in a renaissance choir and a small baroque music ensemble as my voice was changing. Though my range was fluctuating between soprano, alto and tenor for some months, I did my best to sing every day and I found the process humbling, humorous and ultimately very helpful. 9. If you want to give your voice the best chance of a smooth transition, start testosterone gradually, rather than at a "full dose." Going on a large dose of testosterone right from the outset of hormone therapy can cause your voice to change rapidly and have a less resonant quality. Alexandros Constansis has written about this in his 2008 study The Changing Female to Male (FTM) Voice. If you want to have the best chance of maintaining a strong singing voice, I encourage you to work with your doctor to start at a small dose of testosterone and gradually increase it over a period of months to find what dosage is best for you. This allows your voice to change gradually, rather than all at once. Hopefully your doctor will be supportive and help you through this process in the way that works best for you. I'm not a medical professional, and I don't know what's right for anyone's body but mine, so I won't give you specific dose recommendations. I will say that when I started hormones in 2006, a full dose was considered 100 mg per week. From what I hear anecdotally these days, many people are transitioning gradually, and in the end find they feel good taking significantly less than 100 mg per week -- myself included. There is a good piece by Micah AKA Maddox about starting testosterone at a low dose and understanding dosage. Transitioning slowly can also be socially awkward because the physical changes visible to others will not happen as quickly as if you started out at a large dose of testosterone right away. But for myself and many of my students, we've found it worth it to go slowly to assure a gradual transition for our voices, knowing that the changes will still come, they just won't happen as quickly. And of course, some people don't want full physical masculinization, or aren't sure whether they want to remain on hormones for the long term, so starting at a low dose can be a great fit for folks in that boat. I think it's helpful to remember that it's not actually us who are awkward. It's our society, which is structured by transphobia, patriarchy, and a binary view of gender that doesn't make room for the fabulous variety of genders and bodies that exist in the universe. But we can all be a part of building a more gender liberatory world! 10. I've learned from my reading, personal life experience and my observations working with other singers that the younger you transition, the more pliable your body is and therefore the more easily your voice will change. I believe that a big part of the reason my own vocal transition was relatively smooth is that I was twenty when I began taking testosterone. This is not to say that people transitioning later in life can't keep singing well, but it's important to know that your voice may not have as much elasticity as someone transitioning earlier in their life. Access to hormonal transition at a young age is definitely a privilege, not something that all trans people share. I hope that as time goes on we will have more research, information and personal stories about the most effective ways for people who transition later in life to have a smooth vocal transition. 11. Find a voice teacher you like and take lessons with them. Ask around and see if any trans folks in your area have voice teachers they recommend. You can find a list of voice teachers who work with trans and non-binary peoplehere. You can also join one of my onlinesinging classes for LGBTQIA people and allies. More trans people are becoming voice teachers and voice professionals, which is exciting to me because I want more peers in this field. (If you're a trans voice teacher, please reach out, I would love to connect with you!) More and more cisgender voice teachers are also learning how to work with trans singers. But if you live in an area where you can't find someone with experience, don't lose hope. Most voice teachers are caring, considerate people who are willing to learn. You can share with them my pieceCreating Gender Liberatory Singing Spaces: A Transgender Voice Teacher's Recommendations for Working with Transgender Singers.You might seek out someone who's worked with cisgender boys going through puberty. The vocal changes you'll be going through are similar, and many voice teachers have experience working with adolescent boys while their voices change. Ask around and see if anyone you know has a voice teacher they like. Check out Yelp reviews for voice teachers in your area, read people's websites and reach out to the teachers you like the sound of. I personally teach using an approach called Somatic Voicework - The LoVetri Method™, and I find it to be very helpful for my students. You can search for teachers of this method by location here. Most important is that you work with someone you feel comfortable with. Someone who respects you, your gender identity, and your process, and who is willing to learn with you as they go. I worked with a student voice teacher during my transition who hadn't previously known any transgender people, but she was open and approached my changing voice with a curious mind, a kind heart, and a will to research! She supported me to find my best voice, wherever it was at that day. I'm very thankful for her help. It's part of the reason I teach singing today. More Resources
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Your support is so appreciated! Tobias 11/5/2014 11:51:10 am I'm currently beginning my transition at age nineteen from female to male, and testosterone is one of my biggest fears mainly because I don't wish to lose my singing voice. Hearing that many people have failed in recovering their vocal talent has completely scared me away from the thought of pursuing hormones, but after doing a bit more research into the topic and finding people like you who have had better experiences are starting to give me hope again. I live in the Bay Area, so I might be popping in to see you soon (provided I can afford the lessons)! Hi Tobias! Thanks for sharing a bit of your story. I'm so glad to hear that reading about my experiences has helped you feel more hopeful. There are as many ways to be trans as there are trans people, and as I'm sure you know, you definitely don't have to take hormones to be a man. But if you decide you do want to take testosterone, I'm happy to say that there are many people who can attest that with some intentional work, it is totally possible to keep singing well. If you're interested in taking a lesson with me, I welcome you to get in touch with me privately. If money is a barrier, I sometimes have sliding scale spots available, so we can have a conversation about that. Take good care, and happy singing! -Eli Eli Conley's article, " Men, Testosterone, and Singing - Some Advice," is full of important information for trans male singers and non-singers alike. Men can develop difficulties with their speaking voice when they push their pitch too low, too fast and when they push for loud voice usage, creating vocal fatigue and muscular tension. Singing exercises sung gently and within the appropriate range can help to heal the speaking voice. Thank you so much for this info! My singing voice is so important to me, both personally and professionally, and this is one of my biggest fears about taking T. I'm not at that point yet, but It may be part of my process. Great to know that a lower initial dosage can make a difference in managing my voice. Max, I'm sorry for the (years) late reply, but I'm so glad this piece was helpful to you! I hope you'rv been on a good vocal journey since you commented here, whether it has involved taking testosterone or not. Dante 11/8/2017 05:23:40 pm I've been on T for 1y 6m now, and I've just started singing, so I really have no previous experience to compare with.But I had been through that point your voice starts changing and its even impossible to control for a proper voice while speaking, so I understand why so many transguys feel discouraged bout this, thats why is so nice seeing someone Who is a living example.Thanks. Dante, I'm glad it sounds like things with your speaking voice calmed down after awhile! It's true, it can be very concerning when it's totally out of your control, and that goes tenfold for singers. I'm happy to say that many folks are able to figure out a new way to sing that works for their new voice. Marshall 2/26/2018 02:39:20 pm Hi! I'm a tenor, pre-T, though I can get up to a soprano range if needed. What are your tips for finding a trans-supportive vocal teacher? I'm afraid of getting a teacher that would make me sing more in the female range, as I'm rather proud of being a tenor pre-T. Also, how many octaves should I expect to drop when I'm on testosterone? I'm kinda hoping to drop to a bass, but I don't know if that's possible. Hi Marshall! The best thing to do is get a referral from someone you know. Are there any trans masculine singers in your life? Ask around, and see if anyone has a voice teacher they like! If that's not an option, there's a new web page that lists voice teachers who have experience with or are interested in working with trans and gender nonconforming singers. You can check it out here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1035WlnTLZ3dKT3BS6qt3itdR7So-bcRnvXwgTeCFajE/edit#gid=513350763 There's a directory of voice professionals who work with trans people here: https://www.transgenderpulse.com/voice-therapists/ (That list includes speech-language pathologists and speech coaches, but also includes some singing teachers.) If you don't find someone in your area, I offer voice lessons via Skype and would be happy to work with you. You can check out more info about that and reach out to me here: https://www.eliconley.com/voice-lessons.html Unfortunately, there's no way to know how far your voice will drop when you take testosterone. Hormones are different for everyone. It's possible you'll become a bass, but you'll just have to wait and see. Theodore 3/7/2020 09:21:15 am Hey, I'm a trans man of 22 (I started T when I was about 19 or 20) and... Struggling. I've continued to work on my voice throughout my transition - albeit not professionally. I had a high tenor/low alto voice when I began and nowadays, I fit well within the tenor range. My problem is that I want to find a vocal coach who is sensitive to my needs as a trans/nonbinary man, but my location is very limiting. There isn't much in the realm of inclusiveness in Kentucky. I've always wanted to pursue music, but I've been shot down by high school choir teachers and other local singers time and time again. I don't have a bad voice - I match pitch easily, I was in Mixed and Women's choir as well as Chamber Choir - but being a trans man limited my opportunities while I was pre-T and even after. What do you recommend? Should I suck it up and see a nonLGBT+ vocal coach or should I try to look harder in my area? Skype isn't the best option for me because I still live at home (in an unfriendly household) but I still want to try and chase this dream. Thank you for your response. And thank you for being a little beacon of hope for me. Hi Theodore, I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling with your voice. It can definitely be challenging to do it on your own, and a teacher can be a big help. There are many cisgender voice teachers who are great allies and would likely be good teachers for you, even if they don't have previous experience working with a trans singer. I recommend asking around to see if any singers you know have voice teachers in your area who they recommend. You can reach out to them and share up front that you are a trans singer re-learning how to sing with a voice that has changed due to testosterone, and that you are looking for a teacher who will be a strong ally to you on your singing journey. You can also ask if they have experience working with trans singers -- even if people don't advertise it, you might be surprised how many singing teachers are working with trans folks these days. If you find a teacher in your area, you can share this piece that I wrote with advice for teachers on working with trans singers: https://www.eliconley.com/blog/creating-gender-liberatory-singing-spaces-a-transgender-voice-teachers-recommendations-for-working-with-transgender-singers#comments You could also recommend they read the book The Singing Teacher's Guide to Transgender Voices by Liz Jackson Hearns and Brian Kremer. In a previous comment I mentioned the Trans Affirming Teacher List that my friend Liz put together: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1035WlnTLZ3dKT3BS6qt3itdR7So-bcRnvXwgTeCFajE/edit?usp=sharing Unfortunately it doesn't look like there's any teachers in Kentucky on the list at this time, but you could check back occasionally. I understand that working with a teacher on video chat is not the best option for you, given your situation at home. Would it be possible for you to try out an online lesson at a supportive friend's houe? It's not ideal, but you could even do a lesson on your phone sitting in a car in an area with good cell reception. If one of these options sounds workable, please reach out to me at SingWithEli@gmail.com and I would be happy to work with you from afar. No matter how you choose to do it, I wish you all the best on your journey with singing! Alex 4/2/2020 09:03:58 am Thank you for this incredible resource! I hope to start T soon (I'm 19) and would really like to continue singing. In most of the footage I've seen of people singing post-T, they tend to sing more softly. Does T reduce the ability to project and belt, or is that specific to the singers I've listened to? Eli Conley 6/29/2020 09:46:03 am Hi Alex, It's true, testosterone often makes it somewhat harder to belt (take chest voice up high) or sing with volume. There are exercises you can do to strengthen your voice and get more power with help from a voice teacher, but on average you will not be able to sing as loudly as you could pre-T. Mason 6/24/2020 02:43:36 am I'm 15 so I've still got a long way to go till I can go on T, but I love singing and I so badly want to be part of a band. I know I will most probably want to go on T and I also know that will change my voice a lot, which is currently quite high. I'm just not sure whether it's best to wait till my voice settles or not as it might be weird for my listeners if my voice just changed a lot. I know that I wouldn't mind much if my voice changed and I know I'd put the effort into retraining my voice; I'm just thinking how that'd affect people who would hopefully be listening to my music. Eli Conley 6/29/2020 10:01:07 am Hi Mason, There's no need to miss out on all the singing you could be doing now. Join and band and enjoy it! I and many people I know sang for many years before we transitioned. Don't worry about your listeners -- they will come along on the journey with you when it's time. What's most important is living and enjoying your life now. Check out these musical acts who were already popular when their singers transitioned: Lucas Silveira of The Cliks - http://www.thecliks.com/music.html Sam Bettens of K's Choice and Rex Rebel - https://www.facebook.com/pg/sam.bettens.fanpage/about/ StormMiguel Florez - https://www.stormflorez.com/smf-music-home.html Hello, Eli Conley 10/3/2020 11:17:15 am Hi Cat, Your range will definitely shift when you take testosterone. There's no guarantee by how much, but you can expect that as you gain lower notes, you will eventually lose the high notes you currently have. That doesn't mean you can't sing high anymore, but where "high" in for your will change. If you want to keep singing with the same bands, you will need to lower the key of the songs you're singing. As your voice changes I encourage you to make sure you're vocalizing in head voice AKA falsetto to keep your vocal cords flexible. You may need to sing more softly or use greater breath support up there, but if you want to sing high, it's important not to neglect that part of your voice as is changes. I don't know any trans-competent rock voice teachers in Texas specifically, but many teachers work with students online, especially now during the pandemic. You might check out the teachers at https://www.truvoicelessons.com/. The owner and many of the teachers are trans, and they also specialize in working with folks on healthy technique for rough/scream singing. Ennis Bashe 1/19/2021 02:49:51 pm Hi, Eli. I come from a family of opera singers, and my parents are always like "You have such a beautiful clear voice, people lose their voice on testosterone, I'm so worried about what would happen if you transition." Is there anything I can tell them to deal with their fears? Thanks, Ennis Hi Ennis. I'll be honest with you that it's not an easy road being a trans opera singer, but there are folks out there blazing the path. I recommend checking out Holden Madagame and Kristofer Matthias Eckelhoff. They are both opera singers who have transitioned and continue to perform, and it might help your parents to know about them and be able to imagine a path for you. Kristofer is a voice teacher, and I believe he will consult with teachers and others about this topic, so you and your parents might be able to setup a consultation with him to ask questions and get his advice. You don't say whether being an opera singer is actually your dream, or the path your parents want for you. I think an important question to ask yourself is what cost feels greater -- losing the voice you know in order to align your body with your sense of self and find a new voice, or choosing not to transition in order to preserve your voice as it is. There is no one right answer. Both paths have costs and benefits. The only person who knows what's best for you is you -- not your parents and not me. Ultimately it's your body, your voice, and your decision to make. I wish you all the best. Luca 2/5/2021 09:57:19 pm I'm writing this mostly to encourage other people who are considering starting testosterone at an older age but are worried about the effects on their singing voice. Before I started transitioning, I had a range of C3-A5 and sang alto in various choirs. I put off transitioning in part due to fear of losing my voice and started T at age 36. I started on a fairly low dose of 50 mg/week. I had several months during which my voice was so unstable that I couldn't pitch match or consistently sing in the same octave, which was depressing and frightening. But I kept at it and gradually my new voice began to emerge. My range is smaller than it used to be (E2-A4) and I don't have as much power as I used to have in my middle voice, but it's worth it to be able to sing lower notes and to have a speaking voice that doesn't upset me. I try to sing every day for at least 20 minutes, and to work through my entire range. I hope this helps other older trans people Jordan 7/7/2021 09:15:12 am Ah I'm so nervous. I'm looking into T right now but the main reason I've been putting it off is, honestly, because when I had voice lessons pre-COVID, I found that I can sing much higher than most people and I'm so proud of that. Even though the songs I like the most are too low for me, so I have to shift the pitch anyway! (And singing is a hobby I don't even practice! It's just part of my self-concept I guess.) I just feel kinda like it's a deal with Ursula... Get the body you want, but... Jason 9/1/2021 08:13:27 pm I started T at 18 and I didn't know that I was supposed to start at a low dosage and work up gradually. I was excited to be on T at all. But I wasn't keeping up with my head voice as my voice dropped and now I'm worried I've ruined it. :( Hi Jason. It's not too late! You can still start playing with singing in your head register now, just go gently and don't push anything that feels uncomfortable. Working a voice teacher or taking a group voice class with a trans-affirming teacher could also be helpful. You can check out the classes I have coming up here: You can see the teachers I recommend here: I wish you all the best on your journey with singing. Your comment will be posted after it is approved. Leave a Reply. | Eli Conley's BlogArchives August 2021 |
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