I am the President of the Hutchinson One Wheelers, the local unicycle club. We have two teenage girls that like to talk REALLY LOUD during practices, and this made me think of my tip of the day for Thursday, May 27th. Here are two things to think of while speaking: volume, and pitch.

Adjust the volume.
Use changes in volume to prevent your voice from slipping into monotonous sameness and to alert your audience to the nuances of your message.

Always speak loudly enough so everyone in your audience can hear you. Speak a little more loudly if the audience is large, even if you’re using a microphone.

Lower the volume for an aside. Raise the volume gradually as you build toward a point.

Change your volume when you’re changing an idea or an approach.

Refine the pitch.
Pitch is the frequency of the sound waves you produce. It is about hitting high or low notes with your voice.

Become aware of pitch and learn to refine it, phrase-by-phrase. Questions, for example, should end on a higher note. Conversely, affirmative statements should end in a level or slightly lower pitch. The ending of statements on a high pitch can create doubt in your listeners.

Vary your pitch throughout your presentation to establish and reinforce your message.

Next time you speak, consider using volume and pitch to strengthen your speech.