Establishing Your Target Pitch
Pitch refers to how high or low a sound is perceived. It’s measured by the number of vibrations per second produced by the vocal folds. We can measure pitch by utilizing different applications, some of which I will recommend later in this blog. However, it’s important not to put all of your focus on numbers. If you do, you can lose sight of other essential components such as resonance, breath support, and proper body alignment.
According to research, voices can be gendered based on the fundamental frequency (pitch). Instead of categorizing pitch as masculine, feminine, or androgynous, I like to use the colors dark (for a deeper pitch), light (for a higher pitch) and silver for somewhere in the middle.
Dark: 100-140 Hz
Silver: 130-190 Hz
Light: 180-220 Hz
Establishing Target Pitch for Transmasculine & Non-Binary Speakers
If you are wanting a deeper, darker sounding voice, a suggested target pitch to start at is D3 (146 Hz) and eventually work your way down. It’s like lifting weights, you don’t want to start too heavy! These exercises help to build consistency and stamina with establishing your target pitch.
Step 1- Play the note D3 and hum (mmm) at target pitch. Try this 5 times and hold out the mmm for 5 seconds. Make sure you are taking breaths in between each hum.
Step 2- Play the note D3, hum (mmm) and chant 1-2-3-4-5. Take a breath after 5, hum again at D3 and continue to chant 6-7-8-9-10. Take a breath after 10, hum at D3 and chant 11-12-13-14-15. Work your way up to 20.
Establishing Target Pitch for Transfeminine & Non-Binary Speakers
If you are wanting a higher, lighter sounding voice a suggested target pitch to start at is E3 (164 Hz) and eventually work your way up.
Step 1- Play the note E3 and hum (mmm) at target pitch. Try this 5 times and hold out the mmm for 5 seconds. Make sure you are taking breaths in between each hum.
Step 2- Play the note E3, hum (mmm) and chant 1-2-3-4-5. Take a breath after 5, hum again at E3 and continue to chant 6-7-8-9-10. Take a breath after 10, hum at D3 and chant 11-12-13-14-15. Work your way up to 20.
Here are my suggested apps to help measure and maintain your target pitch (as of 2020).
Tiny Piano (free) - Simple to use and recommended for this particular exercise.
Pitch Perfect (free)- I like that the “notes” section provides the note and corresponding hertz value.
Voice Tools (free)- Measures your pitch in real time and it displays on a graph. After you are done speaking select “more” —> “statistics” to find your average speaking pitch.
Voice Analyst ($10) - Highly recommended. You can set markers to make sure you are staying within an appropriate speaking range (this is usually done with your voice therapist). It also allows you to save recordings and send samples to your voice therapist for feedback.
References
Block, C. (2019). Chant your pitch (voice feminization). Count big (voice masculinization). In Behrman, A., & Haskell, J. (Eds.) Exercises for Voice Therapy, 3rd Edition. San Diego, CA: Plural Publishing.
Mills, M., & Stoneham, G. (2017). The voice book for trans and non-binary people: A practical guide to creating and sustaining authentic voice and communication. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers
