You know what’s fun? Tier lists. You know what’s not fun? Wasting months struggling with avoidable voice training mistakes.

If you’re working on feminizing your voice, you might be making some very common mistakes. Some are totally understandable. Some will slow you down. And some? Jail. Straight to jail.

So today, we’re ranking 9 of the most common voice feminization mistakes on a completely arbitrary but highly entertaining scale—from oops, no big deal to hostage situation.

Below, you’ll find an empty tier list, which we’ll fill in as we go. Scroll down to see where each mistake lands!

Watch the video below to see where each mistake lands in the ranking and get a deeper breakdown of why they happen.

Mistake #1: Over-focusing on pitch and ignoring resonance

The classic mistake. Everyone hears “feminine voices are higher” and assumes the secret is cranking pitch into the stratosphere.

Here’s the thing: pitch is just one piece of the puzzle, and it’s not even the most important one. A voice can be high and still read as androgynous or even masculine. A voice can be lower and still be perceived as feminine. Resonance—the brightness and darkness of a vocal sound—is what really makes the difference.

If you’ve been hyper-fixating on pitch while ignoring resonance—congratulations! You’ve just earned S-Tier: Peak Struggle. Welcome to the club.

Mistake #2: Using falsetto/head voice

If your feminine voice sounds like Minnie Mouse, we need to talk.

Falsetto is light and high, so I get why people go for it. But it’s also weak, airy, and disconnected from the modal/chest register (which is where most speech happens). A strong, sustainable feminine voice needs a blended or chest-supported sound.

So this lands in A-Tier: Understandable, Have a Nice Day. You were almost on the right track. Let’s fix it.

Mistake #3: Too breathy

Sometimes, when trying to lighten the voice (by reducing vocal fold mass), people take it too far, and suddenly they’re permanently whispering.

A little airiness? Cute! Full-time breathiness? Tiring, inefficient, and not sustainable. Unless you are Jessica Rabbit, this might not be the vibe.

This lands in A-Tier: Understandable, Have a Nice Day because it’s a normal mistake, but you will probably need to adjust. If you’re working on lightening your voice and are having this issue, check out my video on straw phonation for some follow-along exercises.

Mistake #4: Too nasally

Raising the larynx can sometimes cause the soft palate to drop, sending excess air through the nose. The result? Fran Drescher energy.

One quick way to work on maintaining an open airway while raising the larynx is to raise your larynx and then breathe through your mouth with your nose pinched. It should sound like “brighter breathing”. Once you can do this effortlessly, you’re ready to add phonation again!

This gets B-Tier: You’re on the Right Track… But Also Not. You’re doing something right! But it’s still not working.

Mistake #5: Doing too much too fast

If you’ve ever thought, “I should be able to read an entire book in my new voice after two weeks of training,” I love your ambition. But no.

There are so many muscles and habits involved in the creation of a vocal sound, and both muscles and habits take time to adapt. If you can say a single vowel sound in a way that gives you gender euphoria, you’re already winning. That’s a foundation we can build on.

This one lands in A-Tier: Understandable, Have a Nice Day. I love the energy. But let’s slow down.

Mistake #6: Over-relying on feedback tools

Voice training apps are great. But if you’re only relying on spectrograms instead of listening to yourself, we have a problem.

Also, turn off the pink and blue colour coding in VoiceTools. You do not need that gender-reveal energy in your life.

This one is B-Tier: You’re on the Right Track… But Also Not. Tools are useful! But your own perception matters more.

Mistake #7: Trying too hard / Perfectionism

I hate to say it, but in voice training, the harder you try, the worse it gets.

Voice is one of those deeply annoying things where trying harder just creates tension and strain. If your throat is clenched, and your brow is furrowed, and your breath is shallow, and you’re overthinking every sound—stop.

A question I ask my students all the time: “What if this were easy?” Try it. You’ll be surprised at the change this simple question can create.

This lands in C-Tier: You’re Fighting for Your Life, and I See That. Because perfectionism isn’t just slowing you down—it’s actively making this harder.

Mistake #8: Not practicing for real-life situations

If you can only use your voice when you’re alone in your room but panic in conversations, you’re missing a crucial step.

Voice training is about more than just getting the right sounds—it’s about handling cognitive load challenges while speaking. If you don’t know where to start, check out my free book, Practice Games for Endurance in Trans Voice Work.

This one gets D-Tier: We Need to Have a Conversation.

Mistake #9: Not being kind to yourself

The real worst mistake. If you beat yourself up for every little thing, you’re just making this harder.

Voice training takes time, patience, and self-compassion. If you’re constantly tearing yourself down—congrats, F-Tier: Jail. Straight to Jail. And I will find you. And I will force-feed you self-love affirmations.

Final Thoughts

Here’s where everything landed in the final ranking:

Which of these mistakes have you made? Let me know in the comments on the YouTube video!

If you want a clear roadmap to voice training (without these mistakes), check out my free, hour-long masterclass: Change the Gender of Your Voice (No Hormones or Surgeries Required).

I hope this helps!