I've got a quick and easy voice exercise that’s quickly becoming my new favourite for controlling resonance in trans voice training! It’s called Big Dog Little Dog.

Understanding Resonance in Voice Training

As I’ve mentioned before, voice resonance is controlled by the size and shape of your vocal tract.

• A smaller vocal tract produces a brighter, lighter voice (more feminine).

• A larger vocal tract produces a darker, deeper voice (more masculine).

This principle is essential in vocal feminization and vocal masculinization, as resonance heavily influences how your voice is perceived. So, how can we manipulate our vocal tract to achieve the resonance we want?

Big Dog Little Dog Exercise

Enter Big Dog Little Dog, a fun and practical way to explore vocal resonance!

Brighten Your Voice

If you want a brighter, more feminine resonance, try panting like a little dog:

• Use a tiny, light pant.

• Focus on how bright and small your vocal tract feels.

Darken Your Voice

If you want a darker, more masculine resonance, try panting like a big dog:

• Use a deep, heavier pant.

• Notice how it opens your vocal tract and creates a darker sound.

Going All In

Take it further with barking exercises:

• Bark like a little dog: yip yip → smaller vocal tract, brighter resonance.

• Bark like a big dog: woof woof → larger vocal tract, darker resonance.

The key is to choose your dog and maintain that shape when you speak. Consistently using these shapes will help train your vocal tract to produce the desired trans voice resonance, whether for feminization, masculinization, or nonbinary voice training.

Practice Tips

• Repeat the exercise daily for voice training consistency.

• Try combining it with other gender-affirming vocal exercises to refine your pitch and resonance control.

If you want to hear examples of this watch the video!

Want more tips and tricks? Check out my online voice training courses where you learn at your own pace!