What is it, and how can I do it?
Resonance is how our vocal energy (breath) filters through our vocal tract (from the larynx or “voice box” to the nose).
A person who was assigned male at birth will typically have a larger larynx and thicker vocal folds, therefore a larger vocal tract means the sound will be deeper, and will typically resonate in the chest.
A person who was assigned female at birth, and who has not gone through a testosterone surge during puberty, will have a smaller vocal tract. The vocal energy will be directed more forward, towards the face.
The aim is to bring all the vocal energy aka vibrations away from your throat/chest and into the front part of your face to modify the sound. You will feel a gentle buzz in the front of you face when you have the resonance right.
As you focus on bringing the vibrations onto your face, relax your throat and don't intentionally squeeze your throat to cause any strain. This should be nice and relaxed. ensure your position is upright and your shoulders aren't tense.
Our goal is to hear a thin, bright, and clear sound.
Breathe in, and at the top of your inwards breath, hum "mmmmmm" and focus on feeling a slight buzz on your lips or on your nose. Your pitch will be higher, but focus only on the buzzy lip/nose feeling. An easy way to achieve this is to "casually agree" or "actively listen" with me by saying "hmm-hmmmm"
Once you feel a buzz on the mmmm sound, try the sounds /n/ and /ng/ (like the end of the word "sing").
Good luck with finding your FFFR, I hope this has been helpful for you. It’s really exciting that you’re at the stage of affirming your voice.
Please contact me if you have any questions about FFFR or if you’d like help to brighten your voice.