Knowledge Transfer
Voices That Work
Edited by Charlie Cunningham
Module 3
An Example of Good Practice
“The Reflective Practitioner”
Derived from “Female to male transgender project” Spring 2006
By John Tucker
The full list of modules available are:
Module 1
“An Introduction to Voice” Basic Voice Exercises – by Kate Pringle
Module 2
The Universal / Generic Voice – by Veronica Allardice
Module 3
An Example of Good Practice: “The Reflective Practitioner” – by John Tucker
Derived from “Female to male transgender project” Spring 2006
Module 4
Best Practice in Lesson Planning for Bespoke / Client Focused Training – by Emma Brown
Module 5
The Importance of Spoken English Skills Training in the Business Setting – by Phil Bliss
Module 6
Pitching Voice Work to the Business Client – by Phil Bliss
Module 7
“An Introduction to Voice” Basic Voice Exercises – by Kate Pringle
Creating Environments that Support Sustainable Learning – by Nick Owen
Module 8
Performance Skills for the Non-Performer – by Emma Brown.
© Copyright The Central School of Speech and Drama 2007
Introduction
The ability to communicate effectively in all areas of our lives
can be dependant upon how confident we are as users of our
voice. As individuals we possess a broad array of skills and talents
but the inability to get our thoughts, our feelings, our desires
and our messages across effectively to our “audiences” can hold
us back. The ability to retrain our own voices and the voices
of others can be challenging, empowering and creatively very
exciting.
In the article that follows, an experienced voice and professional
development trainer offers advice on techniques and strategies
that will allow you to develop your own style of training to be
most effective for the groups you are working with. We hope
that by studying and putting into practice the approaches
described, you will be able to enable your trainees/learners/clients
to benefit from coaching that is integrated into personal and
professional development programmes.
There are some important messages and caveats to bear in mind
as you approach the material and work practically on your own
voice and the voices of others. The following is a bullet point list
of things to consider when you begin to integrate elements of
voice coaching into your practice.
1.Accessibility – An understanding of the voice and the
physical and psychological factors that effect how well
we communicate is accessible to all trainers and can be
incorporated into any training delivery. However, professional
voice coaches undergo a significant amount of training. It is
recommended that the practitioner undergo specific training
before seeking work as a “voice coach”.
2.Health and Safety – Voice training is a physical process. As
such, you must ensure that the health and safety of your
group is supported. Those whose voice is damaged by
prolonged misuse should be referred to a medical professional
or speech therapist in the first instance.
i
3. M
aking it your Own – The theory and practice of voice
training has been evolving for many years. There are no
perfect or ideal exercises for any one group or situation. Take
the exercises you think would work for you and make them
your own.
4.Being Patient – The way we speak and communicate is hard
wired by our experience. The muscles of speech and some
of our thought processes therefore must be retrained. This
process will take time and may happen in small increments
or larger steps. Make sure you record progress and keep
your trainees moving forward through feedback and
encouragement.
5. R
eflecting on your Practice – As a trainer, it is important that
you reflect on your methods of delivery, how you connect with
your training groups and what works/what doesn’t. Again,
take the material presented and use it so it suits your own
development as a trainer to the benefit of your learners.
Approaching the Material
> All modules contain questions to prompt reflection and
discussion of issues raised in the text.
> S ymbols in the margin show where listening (ear) speaking
(mouth) and physical (body) exercises are featured.
> If
you wish to obtain other modules in this series of articles
about voice training, please refer to other titles shown in the
inside front cover and contact [email protected] for copies.
If you have any questions or comments about the material or
ideas presented, please contact Charlie Cunningham or Paul
Nicholl at The Central School of Speech and Drama (CSSD) on
0207 559 3936 or email [email protected].
ii
This contribution is for those non-expert trainers who have little or no formal
background in voice training. The exercises and commentary provided are
designed to help trainers who work with adult students.
Welcome to a world of many voices
The world is far more connected today than at any other point in our history. Through
the proliferation of communication technologies, increased global travel and growing
career mobility, people from diverse backgrounds are able to communicate with more
people, in more places, more often. As a result most of us, on a daily basis, interact
with an array of people from a variety of ethnic, cultural, social, educational and
professional backgrounds. We continually hear many varieties of voice, accent and
vocal rhythm. In a single day we can hear examples of Indian English, British English,
African English, Malaysian English, Caribbean English, Australian English, New Zealand
English, Chinese English and American English amongst other varieties. This diversity
is giving rise to an emerging vocal aesthetic or vocalic fusion that creates some
interesting issues and challenges especially for the voice coach. Some questions that
come to mind immediately are: (Put the questions in a box with space for reflection.)
Module 3
> W
ith the growth and mix of spoken English internationally, is there a standard we
should adopt?
> Does the voice still matter in a technology driven world?
>Regardless of the varieties of spoken English, what are the vocal skills that really
make a difference to the effectiveness of communication?
Voice coaches grapple with these questions daily. What follows is an attempt to
provide some brief comment on these important questions as a guide for those nonexpert trainers working with people from different spoken English backgrounds.
An Example of Good Practice
“The Reflective Practitioner”
In a culturally diverse setting, what
Derived
fromof“Female
to English
male
standard
Spoken
do we adopt?
transgender
project” Spring 2006
An important consideration for the voice trainer is the standard by which to judge
effective speech. As our voices and accents become more mingled in the international
English speaking context, some interesting questions are raised about the issue of
standard. Arthur Lessac makes some thought provoking and valuable observations.
He notes
that the
search for standards of “proper” speech leads to confusion.
By
John
Tucker
Lessac suggests that our primary focus should be an approach based on concern for
standards of enunciation, pronunciation, articulation, vocal quality and the energy
brought to the task, rather than the development of different idiosyncratic and
subjective taxonomies.
Lessac is at pains to point out that his approach is not designed to stand in the way
of the evolution of the spoken language. Rather, he wants to encourage new, more
energetic ‘levels’ of vocal quality to serve more effective communication and creativity
in speech. His idea of a standard of speech is one that crosses nearly all cultural and
linguistic borders. He proposes an interaction of voice and speech that is reflected
in a pleasing, warm vocal quality allied to vitality and complete intelligibility. Such
a standard, he believes, should stand against the lethargy, ignorance and laziness
often found today in speech whilst maintaining a dignity, self-respect and concern for
quality within the individual’s personal culture.
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
3
3.2
3
Site Description
‘FTM London’ is an association that serves the needs of female to male transgender
people2. In this report I refer to female to male transgender people by their colloquial
name ‘trans men’.
The voice workshops I conduct offer trans men the unique opportunity to develop
speech and voice skills. In its first year this project received no funding; we offered
the voice workshops free of charge. Now in its second year, the project is funded by
Central School of Speech and Drama’s Knowledge Transfer Project, which enables us
to continue to offer the workshops free of charge.
Client Description
A trans man believes his gender not to be that of his biological body3. Many trans
men undertake a sex change operation with concomitant hormone therapy. When
a trans man is prescribed the male hormone testosterone, he grows taller, develops
male muscle mass and grows male body hair. His female larynx grows into a male
larynx, his female voice type (soprano, mezzo or alto) changes into a male voice type
(tenor, baritone or bass)4.
There are two voice workshop courses running concurrently, one weekly and the other
monthly5. The number of participants attending the workshops is higher this year than
it was last year. The level of attendance has been consistent throughout both years.
One or two of the participants were unable to attend the last two sessions of the
weekly and the monthly series due to personal reasons.
Monthly Series:
• B: age 50. Employment status: employed full time
• E: age 54. Employment status: unemployed
• E: age 24. Employment status: unemployed
• J: information not available
• J: age 47. Employment status: unemployed
• L: age 45. Employment status: unemployed
• M: age 45. Employment status: unemployed
• P: age 41. Employment status: unemployed
• V: age 34. Employment status: self-employed
Weekly Series:
• A: age 58. Employment status: retired
• B: age 25. Employment status: unemployed
• C: age 38. Employment status: unemployed
• J: age 46. Employment status: self-employed
• J: age 30. Employment status: Services Manager/Ph.D. Student
• L: age 31. Employment status: full time machinist
• V: age 34. Employment status: self-employed author
3.3
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
Participants List in the Spring Series 2006
3
How did you work in partnership with
the host organisation, what where the
limitations and benefits for both parties?
My main contact at FTM London is Jay Stewart, the association’s chairman. Jay also
takes part in the voice workshops. My continuing work at FTM London has led me
to being appointed an associate member. In addition to running the courses, I am
working with FTM London to reverse the current thinking in the medical and vocal
professions regarding the voice care needs of the trans man. It is assumed that the
trans man’s male larynx will function after transition and that this new larynx will
sound low like a biological man’s larynx. As a result of this misconception, trans
men, unlike trans women, are not offered referrals for voice therapy as part of their
transition process.
In seeking to change current thinking regarding the vocal needs of trans men, I speak
regularly at conferences and publish papers on the topic. This year I will be speaking
in July at the Knowledge Transfer Conference at the Central School of Speech and
Drama in London; at the 3rd National Gender Dysphoria Course for Speech and Voice
Therapists at Charing Cross Hospital in London; in August at the Gay, Lesbian and
Transgender Forum of the ATHE Conference (The Association for Theatre in Higher
Education) in Chicago, and at the VASTA Conference (Voice and Speech Teachers
Association) in Chicago.
Teaching and learning pattern
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
Series Overview
• The first series (September – December 2005) addresses physical alignment and
physical co-ordination problems. Basic postural, breathing and voicing techniques
are introduced.
• The second series (January – April 2006) builds on the individual participant’s
developing physical co-ordination and starts to connect dynamic voice use with
physical support.
• The third series (May – August 2006) continues connecting dynamic voice use to
physical support. The use of texts is introduced to explore their grammatical and
vocal structures.
The purpose of these voice workshops is to teach trans men how to use the male
larynx that has grown in their throat6. At every session the participants are encouraged
to reflect on the work and about their voices. We always do this sitting in a circle
on the floor. This part of the pedagogical learning process is important. It is a space
where the participants can verbalise their feelings and their thoughts.
At the first session of the first series most of the participants admitted that they hated
their voices: “My voice sucks” (M, DVD 12/10/05); “[O]n the phone my voice lets me
down” (C, DVD 12/10/05), and “[My voice] often does not work” (L, DVD 12/10/05).
These statements are the tip of an iceberg of vocal distress. The improvement in the
quality of trans men’s lives by developing voice functions and speech skills cannot be
overestimated7.
3.4
3
At the end of the second series, the participants spoke with increased confidence
of their voices and recognised the improvements they had made. They particularly
enjoyed the physical nature of the vocal work. M wrote, “I like it, the physical parts
I get a lot out of, seems to strengthen my voice” (Questionnaire, Spring 2006); B
wrote, “I really enjoyed engaging with physicality more this time…I felt more at ease”
(Questionnaire, Spring 2006); L said, ‘[M]y confidence in it is improving. The shame
of wanting to explore it is diminishing. I enjoy it and am excited by it” (Questionnaire,
Spring 2006).
Physicality and the Voice
I became aware that the physical nature of the voice work was achieving good results
and that the participants were enjoying the work. This led me to alter my teaching
plans for the last three weeks of this series.
THIS YEAR’S SECOND SERIES (2005-2006)
• Week One – The Feet – How rhythm helps project your voice
• Week Two – The Lungs and the Vocal Tract – Exploring resonance of the pharynx
• Week Three – The Abdominals – Exploring support
• Week Four – Vocal Range – Exploring speech dynamics
• Week Five – Understanding Speech – Exploring speech elements
• Week Six – One Voice – How speaking and the body work together
I believe voice training to be an experiential process and so I felt it was important to
repeat and develop vocal and physical experiences that were pedagogically successful.
When dealing with sound, spoken or sung, the repetition of specific exercises allows
the participants to turn conscious learning into unconscious physical behaviour. In this
manner the participants exchange bad habits for good habits8.
This year I decided not to explore the singing voice, something I had done in the
second series of 2005. Instead, I focused purely on the speaking voice. Speaking and
singing are different acoustic and technical functions of the same organ. Mixing their
teaching seems to me to detract from developing one of the two.
I also did not use the same texts as in the same series of 2005, in which I had
introduced male dialogues from scenes in plays by contemporary writers such as Caryl
Churchill and Harold Pinter. Instead, I used poems that were less specifically male in
context and tone. They were also written in the first person. Such poems facilitate
the participant to make personal and emotional connections. I intend to use the male
dialogues again during the advanced voice workshops starting in September.
3.5
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
LAST YEAR’S SECOND SERIES (2004-2005)
• Week One – The feet. How rhythm helps to project the voice.
• Week Two – The lungs. How the lungs empower resonance.
• Week Three – The vocal tract. Exercising resonance and vocal range.
• Week Four – Exploring speech patterns for men.
• Week Five – How singing and speaking help one another.
• Week Six – Play your vocal cords.
3
Handouts
At every session I give handouts with diagrams of the physiology of the voice to the
participants. These handouts are part of a wider arch of learning. With every series
they become more detailed and specific. In the second series, the handouts presented
the vocal tract, the organs of breathing, the organs of articulation and the abdominal
muscle support structures. I worked with each individual as he explored the acoustic
properties of his specific male voice type.
Communication Structures
The workshops offer different communication structures through which the
participants can explore their developing vocal skills.
These are:
1. Group contact
2. Individual to teacher contact
3. Peer to peer contact
4. Social contact
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
Contact between participants as part of a group takes place in a safe environment
where the participants can free themselves of any self-consciousness or anxiety.
Individual to teacher contact takes place in front of the whole group, which, as a
result, is a learning experience for everyone. Peer to peer contact encourages the
participants to take responsibility for their individual learning curve. ‘B’ writes: “Seeing
other people progress has been one of the most rewarding aspects of the series, but
also one of the most powerful ways of learning” (Questionnaire, Spring 2006).
Social contact is an invaluable part of the whole workshop experience. Each group in
this series has become a closely-knit circle providing what in some cases is the only
regular social contact. After most sessions the group visits the local pub. This visit is a
chance to enjoy a social life in a mainstream environment.
What worked and what
did not work
Group Size
This year the series had eight participants as compared to the three of last year. The
higher number has worked much better, allowing the participants to feel less exposed
as they confronted their voice issues. “I enjoyed the 2nd [series] much more than the
first [series]. Probably a mixture of ‘letting go’ a bit more…also my confidence had
improved” (C, Questionnaire, Spring 2006).
Changing from the monthly to the weekly series or vice versa is not to be encouraged.
Two participants attempted it, regretted it and went back to their original series.
3.6
3
Lower Fundamental Frequencies
9
In a study of gender identification, Gelfer & Mikos stated, ‘The most obvious
difference between male and female voices is fundamental frequency or pitch’.10
They concluded that ‘gender identifications were based on fundamental frequency’ 11
(The Relative Contributions of Speaking Fundamental Frequency and Formant
Frequencies to Gender Identification 2005:544-554). Teaching trans men to engage in
lower fundamental frequencies is central to the pedagogical remit of the whole voice
workshop series.12 “I am definitely more aware of how to engage with my ‘natural’
more male voice” (L, Questionnaire, Spring 2006).
In order to engage lower fundamental frequencies, the participant must learn to
control resonance13. To control resonance the participant needs to lengthen the vocal
tract14. Lengthening the vocal tract requires changing the shape of the pharynx15.
This is what I term engaging in ‘open throat resonance’. The participant also learns to
engage in ‘nasality resonance’ of the nasal cavity16.
In my experience, the skill of managing these two types of resonances is not
sufficiently addressed as part of spoken voice development. Gelfer & Mikos explain
that ‘[i]n addition to fundamental frequency, resonance might also play a role in
gender identification’ (The Relative Contributions of Speaking Fundamental Frequency
and Formant Frequencies to Gender Identification 2005:544-554). My work teaching
trans men to manage laryngeal and pharyngeal resonance is vital for the development
of their natural male voices and the gender identification of their voices as male.
The participants continue the routine from last year of lengthening their spines and
necks and freeing their shoulders and arms of tension. Such exercises help the trans
men engage, widen and lengthen the lower pharynx. Lower pharyngeal resonance
supports lower fundamental frequencies17.
In the present series, I did not successfully profile ear training as a distinct and
integral part of voice development. This is clear to see when reading the participants’
responses in the Spring Questionnaire 2006. I would like the participants to identify
and value ear training as part of their range of learning experiences. The sound
the voice produces has many constituents, not just the fundamental frequency. An
awareness of that prepares the participants for the third series, in which they will
explore vocal range and vocal colour.
3.7
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
The rigorous physicality of the vocal exercises I have devised helps the participants
overcome inhibitions about engaging their voices in new ways. They are based on
normal every day activities such as walking, sitting, cantering, jogging and running
on the spot. More dynamic physical vocal exercises have proved to be popular in this
series such as pushing against the wall, twisting the body and rolling the body across
the floor.
3
Male Voice Types: Tenor, Baritone
or Bass
Categorizing spoken voices according to the voice types tenor, baritone and bass,
and teaching them accordingly, is proving itself as a valuable strategy. It helps the
individual find a voice that is specific to him, not a stereotypical voice that is male or
low18.
Another thing that worked well was continuing to use the concepts of ‘loudness,
pace and engagement’ as qualities of male voice production. All three are easy to
understand and apply. “Loudness, pace and engagement definitely helps me to
engage [my voice]” (‘C’, Questionnaire, Spring 2006).
What worked well this year was relating physical support exercises to exercises the
participants encounter at the gym and in every day activities:
1.Work on developing support by lengthening the spine, as in ‘Alexander
Technique’, as you resist outside pressure from the left; right; back; or front 19.
2. Work on developing support by standing on one leg, a la ‘Feldenkrais’, scrunching
into the abdominal muscles20.
3. Do three sets of ten ‘Pilates’ sit-ups to strengthen abdominal muscles 21.
One part of the workshops that does not function successfully is the debate about
voice issues I am encouraging to take place among the participants. I need to learn to
give space to the participants to argue things out amongst each other. In observing
myself in videos, I can see that I need to take more of a back seat and just listen.
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
I have learnt in this series to handle observers more carefully. One observer, a potential
participant, sat with the group as we started an exercise. The group resented this.
I asked the observer to return to the side of the room and any potential upset was
avoided.
What worked well was organising the guys to perform as a spoken voice choir for
‘Transfabulous’ on the 27th January 2006. I have organised another performance for
‘Transfabulous’ on the 17th June 2006. “I feel really proud to have been part of this
performance. I will never forget that night. We sounded beautiful! In all our varied
voice glory!” (L, Questionnaire, Spring 2006). “It was good to go out in front of
lots of people and be using my voice. I remember standing at the back of the room
and thinking how beautiful everyone sounded” (B, Questionnaire, Spring 2006).
“I was surprised what a positive effect it [the performance] had. I have never liked
performing in public (except on the sports field) but I really enjoyed the performance
and found it very empowering and self-affirming, uplifting and exciting” (A,
Questionnaire, Spring 2006).
3.8
3
How did you develop as a trainer?
I have intensified and systematized my research in order to deepen my understanding
and knowledge of trans men’s voices. The developments I have made are largely the
result of my increased technical and academic understanding of the issues at hand.
What has surprised me is that there is very little printed research available on the voice
issues of female-to-male (trans men) transsexuals while the voice issues of male-tofemale (trans women) transsexuals are well served.
In one such study, Neumann and Welzel claim that voice reassignment strengthens
the ‘sexual identity, the way they relate to their bodies, their self-esteem, and
consequently, improves their general well-being’ (The Importance of Voice in Maleto-Female Transsexualism 2004:154). Neumann and Welzel argue that ‘for maleto-female transsexuals, the function of the voice remains the main obstacle to their
finding a new sexual identity as, in contrast to female to male transsexuals, hormone
therapy does not make a significant difference to, or have a lasting effect on, the
pitch of the voice’.
This statement implies that hormone therapy removes for trans men voice function as
an obstacle to finding a new sexual identity. My findings do not bear this out. They
show that gender-specific voice training should be as much part of voice reassignment
for trans men as it is for trans women. Hormone treatment is the first step and
must be part of an integrated long-term retraining program if it is to strengthen in
trans men ‘sexual identity, the way they relate to their bodies, their self-esteem, and
consequently, improve[s] their general well-being’.
Recently, I have become aware that in moments of stress, habitual female sounds and
muscle reactions reoccur in a trans man’s voice use. Lucas McKenna spoke in class of
losing the lower tones in his bass baritone voice when he is ‘talking to my mum’ (DVD
11/01/06). ‘A’ said in class that his voice still rises and constricts when he is talking on
the telephone (DVD 11/01/06). The anticipation of being mistaken for a female is so
great that his voice responds habitually and his vocal tract constricts.
My findings increasingly affirmed that the participants in the voice workshops are men
and that it is a mistake to impose upon their development that they are still crossing
from one gender to the other. I do not have to tell them how to be men, how to
appear convincing as males. Unlike speech therapists working with trans women,
I do not have to engage ‘secondary [speech] factors’ so that the trans man’s voice
makes a successful male impression. If his voice lets him down, it is a technical, not
a behavioural, shortcoming. My workshop participants do not have to ‘mimic’ my
voice or learn gender specific behavioural rules of communication to sound or appear
male. All this boils down to the fact that trans men are men with male larynxes, each
learning to exploit the full sound potential of his new, individual and unique voice.
3.9
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
My findings also run counter to the theory that hormone therapy provides the trans
man with a functioning male larynx. Every trans man’s voice is effectively dysphonic.
Unless the trans man receives vocal support as part of his voice reassignment, he
cannot make sense of the new physical structure in his throat.
3
Text
In the up-coming series I plan to deepen our use of texts in a very specific way. The
participants will begin to look for emotions attached to specific words and groups
of words beyond pure voice production. In discussing emotion and the voice, Lucie
Manén writes:
‘The expression of emotion is a reaction to internal and external stimuli in which
the whole system participates: facial expression, gesture and attitude and vocal
exclamations, together with heart-beat and breathing, reflecting the internal state
of the individual. These reactions occur as reflexes...Chemical substances are poured
into the bloodstream to supply the system with all those resources on which the
human being unconsciously calls in any given state of emotion, be it hatred or love,
joy or pain, surprise, fear or aggression…Stanislavsky insisted that actors should give
expression to a wide range of feeling – joy, surprise, grief, disgust, horror – by means
of bodily gestures and facial expression. Only when these were mastered were words
added.’ (The Art of Singing 1977:11).
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
When teaching speech communication, we need to recognise that the attribution of
emotion and intellect to different sides of the brain leaves whole words caught in a
force field between the two. The right hand side of the brain activates exclamatory
vowels, the left hand side of the brain activates learnt speech elements in words.
Exclamatory vowels are performed without the assistance of the lips: /AH/, /OO/
and /EE/ (vowels of phonation). Vowels of speech require the fassistance of the lips:
/AYE/, /AY/ and /OH/ (vowels of articulation). A ventriloquist speaks using vowels of
exclamation.
I observed in related exercises that participants felt more comfortable using vowels
as opposed to words. This seemed to be contradictory: Why does the participant
enjoy exclamatory vowels which are the vocal signifiers of emotions, and then shy
away from the emotion present in complete words. Could it be that vowels express
unconscious emotions whereas words are containers of conscious emotions? In an
interview on BBC Radio 4, Ruth McKernan, a neuroscientist, spoke about the function
of memory and emotions in the brain:
‘Scientists still don’t know what makes consciousness. What makes me me, and what
makes you you…Memory is stored in the part of the brain that is relevant for the task.
Procedural memories, what you need to ride a bike, draw, sing, are kept in the Motor
Cortex or the Cerebellum, parts of the brain that are involved in controlling movement.
Memories, the events, episodes that we recall from our lives, are kept in the Cortex,
that gland secreting thoughts, a big juicy outer layer of the brain. It would probably
cover a table if it were laid out. It’s a massive part of the brain. That’s where we keep all
our thoughts, our ideas and our memories. There is one specific part of the brain, the
Hippocampus, which is from the Greek meaning ‘the sea horse’. That’s the gateway to
memory, that’s where memories are formed and then they are stored somewhere else.
That’s the part of the brain that can degenerate very quickly, or be injured by disease.
So the ability to form new memories can be destroyed. The emotional memory that
we have, like love, that always stays with you. It’s emotion that helps imprint memories
very strongly. Not necessarily stress and bad things but things that are emotional and
that are meaningful for us. Things that are really bland like drinking a cup tea, tying
your shoelaces – that barely makes a mark in your memory. Things like grief, it’s like
writing with a highlighted felt pen. You just know that it’s always going to be there.’
(BBC Radio 4, ‘Midweek’ Programme Transcript, 15.03.06)
3.10
3
From this, and my own workshop experiences, I conclude that the brain’s ability to
distinguish between emotional memorable and non-emotional non-memorable data
can be tapped on in speech work by linking vowels to their emotional significance.
Text work that emphasises these links will help cement a trans man’s voice as a maleexpressive organ.
Learning through experience
McKernan writes about the experiential nature of learning, ‘as we learn, permanent
changes occur; neuronal architecture is modified by experience. As they say in forensic
medicine, “every contact leaves a trace”. It is written in our minds’ (The Science of
Living The Guardian, Saturday 5th March 2006).
I am a strong believer in repetition – from repeated exercises to regular exercise
routines- as a useful pedagogical tool to harness experience in the service of vocal
technique. Developing speech technique is an experiential process. We learn through
experience. The teaching plan that I prepare for every lesson provides a structure
for experience to take shape in. The experience itself arises from a combination of
repetition and spontaneous adjustment to changing needs.
3.11
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
Bruce Kirle in his book Unfinished Business discusses his theory that any performing
structure, a play, a musical score – I would add a teaching plan – is in a ‘complex
relationship to its historical moment of creation and performance’. I am coming
to understand that I, as teacher, am as instrumental in providing the structural
framework as, indeed, responding to the developing situation by deviating from that
given structure. A teacher who responds to the stimulus provided by any individual
at any given moment in a situation is ‘in the moment’. For me, as a teacher, it is
the pursuit of research, the seeking of more knowledge and understanding, which
empowers me to be ‘in the moment’. My teaching is developing along those lines.
3
Recommendations
Being Loud
Loudness is an aspect of the male speaking pattern that I teach as part of the sessions
and recommend as a teaching practice. Trans men find it difficult to project their
voices in noisy environments. This may be in part a habitual response to their old
female voice type. In a study of men and women speaking against noise, it was
concluded that ‘subjectively, women reported less success making themselves heard
and higher effort. The results support the contention that female voices are more
vulnerable to vocal loading in background noise’ (Södersten, Ternström & Bohman
Loud Speech in Realistic Environmental Noise: Phonetogram Data, Perceptual Voice
Quality, Subjective Ratings, and Gender Differences in Healthy Speakers 2005:29-46).
Loudness is a dynamic of speaking that is often condemned as impolite or socially
unacceptable. It can also express loss of control or composure. Making loud noises
is important when exploring and developing resonance and projection and releasing
physical or emotional inhibitions. The workshop participants have commented that
the opportunities to speak loudly in every day life are few and far between. It is often
difficult to be loud in one’s own home. We worry about what the neighbours or those
who share our accommodation might think. In this light, the opportunity for the
participants to be loud with their voices in the workshops cannot be overestimated.
Voice Care for Trans Men
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
In discussing her work with transsexuals at Charing Cross Hospital, London, speech
therapist Christella Antoni writes:
‘In female to male transsexuals, testosterone hormones...[lead] to a thickening of
their vocal folds and a corresponding shift in fundamental frequency resulting in a
lower pitched voice. In male to female transsexuals however, the oestrogen treatment
they are given...has no effect on the structure of the vocal cords and therefore
no vocal changes occur in the client. The bulk of our work with this client group
therefore is with Male to Female transsexuals who wish to feminise their voice and
communication.’ (Working with Transsexuals 2005:4)
The view that trans women need speech therapy more than trans men do because
oestrogen treatment does not change the vocal cords in the way that testostorone
treatment does is, in my experience, wrong. Its implication for trans men is harmful.
Trans men are left unaided and unsupported in their physical vocal adjustment
after testosterone treatment. Doctors are unaware of the fact that the trans man’s
larynx does not simply slot into its proper use after the changes brought about by
testosterone treatment but requires voice care after vocal reassignment just as a trans
woman does. The most common statement I have heard from trans men echoes ‘A’s’
statement, which is, ‘the one thing that lets me down is my voice” (DVD 12/10/05) 22.
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Notes
2. The Transgender Recognition Act of 2004 protects the rights of all transgender men and women to live
under their chosen name pertaining to their changed gender without fear of exposure to their previous
identity (Department for Constitutional Affairs, www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/transsex/legs.htm).
3. ‘Transsexuality is a complex and permanent transposition, the causes of which are not yet known’ (W.
Eicher Transsexualismus: moeglichenkeiten und grenzen der geschlechtsamwandlung 1992:17-20).
4. This growth of the trans man’s larynx is comparable to the ‘break’ in the voice of the adolescent boy
during puberty. When the trans man’s larynx grows, the vocal folds lengthen and thicken, and the
cartilages widen.
5. The weekly workshops serve the needs of those trans men living and working in London. The monthly
workshops were set up to serve the needs of those trans men who travel to the association from as far
away as Reading, Brighton, Manchester and Somerset.
6. I have identified common problems in handling the voices of trans men: a lack of physical co-ordination,
a lack of physical strength, a poor breath capacity, a lack of vocal resonance, no understanding of the
male voice types (tenor, baritone, bass), no understanding of an optimum speaking pitch, constriction
of the larynx and the pharynx, a weak engagement of the organs of articulation, vocal huskiness, vocal
creak, a limited vocal range, an inability to project the voice, a fear of not ‘passing’ for or sounding like
a man (particularly on the telephone), a lack of confidence and self-esteem.
7. In a study exploring the importance of voice issues in male to female transsexuals, it was found that
‘unless suitable measures are taken, the transsexual…will encounter numerous problems in an attempt
to become fully integrated into society. This will lead, in turn, to serious internal mental conflict, which
often results in long periods of psychotherapy’ (Neumann and Welzel The Importance of Voice in Maleto-Female Trans-sexualism 2004:154).
8. Cicely Berry writes that engaging with the voice beyond the ‘habitual’ allows for responses on the
level of the subconscious to occur (Text in Action 2001: 38). Such subconscious responses allow the
participant to discover new ways of engaging his voice and his body with the word in a text. If the
participant keeps repeating these responses he will eventually be able to call upon them at will, they
become learnt, memorized. In effect, they turn into new ‘habitual’ responses forming the basis for the
new vocal technique.
10. ‘Three factors are responsible for controlling the fundamental frequency of the voice: the tension, the
mass, and the lengthening of the vocal folds’ (Neumann and Welzel The Importance of Voice in Maleto-Female Trans-sexualism 2004:161).
11. ‘The average speaking fundamental frequency for men generally falls between 100 and 146 Hz,
whereas the average speaking fundamental frequency for women is usually between 188 and 221 Hz.
These pitch levels help a listener correctly identify the speaker’s gender’ (Gelfer & Mikos The Relative
Contributions of Speaking Fundamental Frequency and Formant Frequencies to Gender Identification
2005:544-554).
12. ‘The resonator [vocal tract] may be expanded further still by means of rib-reserve breathing, which has
the effect of drawing down the larynx from below, thus bringing about an increase in the size of the
pharynx. The physiological explanation of how this comes about need not concern us here. That this
does occur can be demonstrated, and the beneficial effects of the expansion of the lower resonator
[lower fundamental frequencies] are heard as practice develops’ (Turner Voice and Speech 2000:26).
13. ‘Resonance is a function of the supralaryngeal vocal tract. The air in the oral cavity, oropharynx,
laryngopharynx, and [for some phonemes] the nasal cavities and naso-pharynx vibrates at various
frequencies in response to the vibratory movement of the vocal folds and air passing through the
glottis. These resonant frequencies depend of the size and shape of the vocal tract and its constrictions
[as well as tongue and lip positions, which can change the functional length of the vocal tract]’ (Gelfer
& Mikos The Relative Contributions of Speaking Fundamental Frequency and Formant Frequencies to
Gender Identification 2005:544-554).
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An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
9. ‘In addition to their outward appearance, via their main means of communication – the voice – which
may be regarded as a secondary sexual characteristic, human beings are assigned to a particular sex by
people around them. The fundamental frequency and timbre are the basic sex-specific characteristics
of the voice’ (Neumann & Welzel The Importance of the Voice in Male-to-Female Transsexualism
2003:154).
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14. ‘Vocal tract resonances are often studied in terms of vowel formant frequencies. Because the male vocal
tract is about 15% longer than the female vocal tract, the speech of men can be expected to have
lower formant frequencies than those considered characteristic of women’ (Gelfer & Mikos The Relative
Contributions of Speaking Fundamental Frequency and Formant Frequencies to Gender Identification
2005:544-554).
15. ‘The pharynx is the most important resonator of the voice’ (Bunch Dynamics of the singing voice
1997:85).
16. ‘An essential component of…technique is the exploration of the upper respiratory tract, i.e. the nose
and the naso-pharynx, by switching…from the larynx to the nasal passages behind the level of the
bridge of the nose’ (Manén The Art of Singing 1974:27).
17. Hanamitsu & Kataoka concluded in their state that ‘[T]he vocal tract is known to affect vocal fold
oscillation’. Their study concludes that ‘findings demonstrates that the vocal tract influences vocal
fold oscillation’ (Effect of Artificially Lengthened Vocal Tract on Vocal Fold Oscillation’s Fundamental
Frequency 2004:169/174).
18. Andrew believed his voice “was far too high pitched in the sense that I was feeling that it was
somewhere between a male and a female voice instead of being truly male. But then you tell me that
I am a tenor and suddenly I think…“Yes! Your OK!” There are no rights or wrongs, you are either a
tenor baritone or bass, and if you are a tenor, you are a tenor” (Holdich Interview 05/04/06).
19. ‘The Alexander Technique (Frederick Matthias Alexander 1869-1955) is a method that works to change
[movement] habits in our everyday activities. It is a simple and practical method for improving ease
and freedom of movement, balance, support and coordination. The technique teaches the use of the
appropriate amount of effort for a particular activity, giving you more energy for all your activities’
(http://www.alexandertechnique.com/at.htm).
20. ‘Feldenkrais lessons (Dr. Moshé Feldenkrais 1904-1984) are a method of exploratory learning. He rejects
any top-down approach, where an expert would instruct a student in the correct way to perform an
action...His Awareness Through Movement lessons contain, in fact, thousands of variations designed to
enrich flows of sensory and proprioceptive information. Efficient solutions to action emerge as a natural
consequence of the exploratory process’ (http://www.feldenkraistrainingprograms.com/background.
htm).
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
21. ‘The Pilates Method (Joseph Hubertus Pilates 1880-1967) represents a unique approach to exercise
that develops body awareness, improving and changing the body’s postural and alignment habits and
increasing flexibility and ease of movement’ (http://www.pilatesfoundation.com/).
22. ‘Unless suitable measures are taken, the transsexual…will encounter numerous problems in an attempt
to become fully integrated into society. This will lead, in turn, to serious internal mental conflict, which
often results in long periods of psychotherapy’ (Neumann and Welzel The Importance of the Voice in
Male-to-Female Transsexualism 2004:154).
3.14
3
Bibliography
Berry, C., Text in Action, Virgin Books, London, 2001
Bunch, M, dynamics of the singing voice, Springer, Wien & NewYork, 1997
Turner, C., J, Voice and Speech, A & C Black, London, 2000
Kirle, B., Unfinished Business – Broadway Musicals as Works-In-Progress, Southern
Illinois University Press, Carbondale, 2005
Manén, L., The Art of Singing, Faber Music LTD, London, 1974
Paper and journal bibliography
Antoni, C., Working with Transsexuals, The Newsletter, The British Voice Association,
Vol. 5, Issue 3, April, 2005
Eicher, W., ed. Transsexualismus: moeglichenkeiten und grenzen der
geschlechtsamwandlung, Fischer, Stuttgart, 1992
Gelfer, M. P., Mikos, V.A., The Relative Contributions of Speaking Fundamental
Frequency and Formant Frequencies to Gender Identification Based on Isolated
Vowels, Journal of Voice, Vol. 19, No. 4, 2005
Hanamitsu, M., & Kataoka, H., Effect of Artificially Lengthened Vocal Tract on Vocal
Fold Oscillation”s Fundamental Frequency, Journal of Voice, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2004
McKernan, R., The Science of Living, The Guardian, Saturday 5 March 2006
Neumann, K., and Welzel, C., The Importance of Voice in Male-to-Female
Transsexualism, Journal of Voice, Vol. 18, No.1, 2004
Web bibliography
Department for Constitutional Affairs, www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/ transsex/legs.
htm/, October 2005
Encyclopaedia Britannica http://www.britannica.com/, February 2006
The Alexander Technique, http://www.alexandertechnique.com/, March 2006
Feldenkrais, http://www.feldenkraistrainingprograms.com/, March 2006
The Pilates Method, http://www.pilatesfoundation.com/, March 2006
Tv and radio
McKernan, R., BBC Radio 4 Midweek Interview Transcript, 15.03.06
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An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
Södersten, M., & Ternström, S., & Mikael Bohman, Loud Speech in Realistic
Environmental Noise: Phonetogram Data, Perceptual Voice Quality, Subjective Ratings,
and Gender Differences in Healthy Speakers, Journal of Voice, Vol. 19, No. 1, 2005
3
Reflection
Compare this article/example to Veronica Allardice’s article.
What are the similarities?
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
What are the differences?
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What elements of reflective practice could you take from John Tucker’s article to
employ in your own teaching?
Having read this article/example, what do you think needs adapting in your
learning and teaching to ensure your client groups needs are met?
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An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
How has the work been adjusted to meet the clients specific cultural needs?
3
John Tucker
AGSM MA
John Tucker has been working at the CSSD since April 2004 on the Short Term
Courses and the BA (Hons) Acting Course. He is also part of the CSSD’s Bespoke
and Business team and runs workshops for the vocal development of female to
male transgender people. In August 2005, John presented a paper on these FTM
transgender workshops at VASTA’s first international conference in Glasgow. VASTA
has invited him to present another paper in Chicago 2006 and to write an article for
VASTA’s Journal in 2007.
John trained as a singer at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He has sung all
over the world from the Royal Opera House, London, to Carnegie Hall, New York.
Today, John teaches singing to actors and musical theatre singers working in London’s
West End, (clients include William Huston, Toby Stevens and Indira Varma), as well as
pop singers, many of whom are listed in the Charts. In 2004 and 2005 John was the
voice coach for Bigfoot Theatre’s ‘London Talent’ productions at the Old Vic Theatre,
Shaw Theatre and Stratford Theatre.
An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
John’s interest in the voice has led him to research the relationship between speaking
and singing in both classical and contemporary pedagogies. He has a particular
interest in the work of Jo Estill. John Tucker is a graduate of the CSSD’s MA Voice
Studies course.
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An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
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An Example of Good Practice “The Reflective Practitioner”
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