5 Things to Look for in a Gender Affirming Voice Teacher

Deciding to start voice training is a big decision. Even bigger is how to learn how/who to do it with! 

Working with a teacher one-on-one is going to give you better results than trying to learn on your own. By working with a teacher, you’ll get exercises designed specifically for you. You don’t get personalized feedback from a video.

But finding the right voice teacher can be challenging. With the wrong coach for you, you might not get as much out of your sessions. 

So below, I’m going to share 5 things you should look for in a gender-affirming voice teacher. 

1. Voice Education/Teaching Experience

The truth is, there’s no single degree to qualify someone to be a gender-affirming voice teacher. Gender-affirming voice teachers might have a degree in vocal performance, vocal pedagogy, music education, speech pathology, or no relevant degree at all. 

While it’s helpful to have degrees in these subjects, it’s not always necessary. For example, many singing teachers may not have degrees, but they have a ton of performance and teaching experience. So much of what we learn is not only in our degree programs, but also what we continue to learn afterwards from private teachers, trainings, and books. 

So when you’re looking for a gender-affirming voice teacher, take a look at their credentials, how long they’ve been teaching, and reviews from other students. This can give you an idea of how experienced the teacher is. 

2. A Personality/Teaching Style You Connect With

Working on vocal feminization or masculinization is a very personal process. In order to make the most of it, you have to be able to be open and vulnerable with your teacher. 

It can be uncomfortable at first to explore your voice and make noises in front of another person. That’s why it’s so important that you feel comfortable working with your teacher. 

Look for a teacher who who like personally and who takes the time to really get to know your personality. That way, they can make adjustments in their teaching style to make sure your needs are met. 

3. They Listen to Your Goals

When looking for a teacher, it’s important that you really feel heard. The whole benefit of working with a teacher is that you can really focus on you and what you want. 

Not every person working on vocal feminization is going to be working toward the same type of voice. 

Look for a teacher who asks you a lot of questions and checks in to make sure you feel like you’re going in the direction you want to go. 

4. They Give Constructive Feedback

Working on the voice is challenging in that we don’t have buttons to press to change our sound. You have to become aware of how the vocal mechanism works and what feelings are associated with the sounds you’re wanting. 

Because of that, sometimes it can be challenging to communicate about the voice. You might encounter vague descriptions of what you “should” be feeling. But a good teacher will give manageable instructions that you can execute. 

Look for a teacher who gives clear guidance on how to troubleshoot your voice. 

5. They Consider Vocal Health and Longevity

Vocal modification involves changes that can be taxing on the voice. 

It’s important that your teacher thinks about the health of your voice. It’s also important to consider the sustainability of any changes that you make. 

If you’re achieving a sound, but can only maintain it for 10 minutes, that’s not going to help you in the long run. Slow, incremental change is most beneficial for your voice. 

Look for a teacher who thinks about the health of your voice and creating a sustainable new voice. 

Summary

Finding the right gender-affirming voice teacher can take some time, but when you find the right one, it can really pay off!

Interested in a consultation? Let’s see if we’re a great fit!