Vocal Feminization: How to Project Using Twang

If you’re working on feminizing your voice, but feel like you’re not able to project the way you want to, the answer might be twang!

Something that I hear from my trans feminine clients is that as they raise their pitch, they feel like they’re losing power and volume. So if you feel like your sound isn’t cutting through, people aren’t hearing you, or you don’t feel like your voice is as authoritative as you’d like it to be, twang is something you can use to remedy that without straining your voice or using more effort. 

What is Twang

Twang is a bright, sharp quality to the voice that we get when the aryepiglottic sphincter narrows. The aryepiglottic sphincter is the space inside the larynx right up above the vocal folds.

Our throat, mouth, and nasal cavity are the resonators for the sound that our vocal folds make. The sound travels through these cavities and is filtered by them, resulting in the sound we actually hear. But when the aryepiglottic sphincter narrows, it creates a new resonating chamber, and because the sound is going through a that small space, the air is forced out at a faster pace. That causes the sound to resonate at a higher frequency, and we get more output for less effort. The vocal folds do less work, but we get a more focused sound that cuts through. 

Learn more about twang here.

Why You Should Use Twang

There are many reasons to use twang to project when feminizing your voice.

1. Bright vocal qualities are perceived as more feminine. Twang is going to give you that bright sound.

2. Using twang helps the vocal folds close more efficiently, which is what we want for a healthy voice.

3. You’ll have a more clear, less breathy quality to your voice, if that’s something you’re interested in.

4. You’ll decrease the likelihood of vocal strain, or injury since you won’t be pushing in an unhealthy way to make sure you’re heard. 

How to Speak with Twang 

Try some character voices to find a twangy sound!

Examples: 

1. Robot

2. Duck

3. Bratty Little Kid

4. Cat’s Meow

5. Baby’s Cry

Follow along with the video above to hear this sound and to learn how to practice! Hope this helps! :)

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