Welcome back to Gender-Affirming Voice 101! This is part 3 of our 8-part series, where we explore the concept of Resonance—a vital element in shaping your vocal identity. Resonance can be thought of as brightness and darkness, vocal space, or even the "gender dial" that helps you fine-tune how your voice is perceived.

Hi, I’m Renée, a gender-affirming voice teacher, and I’m excited to guide you through this next stage in our series. If you’re new here, be sure to sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss any future parts!

What Is Resonance?

In our previous discussion on vocal anatomy, we examined how the vocal tract shapes the sound produced by your vocal folds. This is where Resonance comes into play—it's the characteristic that adds colour to your voice, making it brighter or darker based on how you adjust it.

Every object vibrates at a specific resonant frequency, and your vocal tract is no different. However, unlike a static object, your vocal tract can change its size and shape, which in turn alters its resonant frequency. This adaptability allows you to modify the brightness or darkness of your voice, a crucial aspect of gender-affirming voice work.

The Science of Resonance

Sound is fundamentally about waves. When the waves from your vocal folds combine with the waves created by the resonance in your neck, you experience "wave superposition," where a new, final wave emerges, blending both sources. This phenomenon is why you can distinguish different vowels, even when they’re sung on the same pitch. Check out the video below for a demonstration of this.

Each vowel remains distinct, even though the pitch is constant. Additionally, you can adjust the brightness or darkness of a single vowel by altering your vocal tract's shape.

Why Resonance Matters

When we talk about modifying Resonance, we're focusing on adjusting the brightness and darkness of your voice. This modification significantly impacts how your voice is perceived in terms of gender. A brighter resonance might be perceived as more traditionally feminine, while a darker resonance could convey a more traditionally masculine quality.

If you’re eager to explore more, I have a variety of Resonance exercises available on my blog right now! As a quick tip: a smaller vocal tract tends to produce a brighter sound, while a larger vocal tract results in a darker one.

What's Next?

That’s it for part 3 of Gender-Affirming Voice 101! If you have any questions, feel free to drop them in the comments on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram.

In part 4, we’ll be discussing pitch and its role in shaping your vocal identity. Be sure to follow along so you don’t miss out. I hope this post has been helpful in your voice journey!