The five most powerful rises and falls of intonation—handy for actors, public speakers, and even day-to-day aloha talk. 🌊🎭

 Five Essential Patterns

1. The Rising Question (↗)

• Sound: Voice lifts up at the end.

• Use: Yes/no questions, curiosity, uncertainty, or inviting response.

• Example: “You’re coming tonight↗”

• Theatre Trick: Keep the rise subtle for sincerity; exaggerate it for comedy or nervousness.

2. The Falling Statement (↘)

• Sound: Voice drops at the end.

• Use: Finality, confidence, authority, truth-telling.

• Example: “This is the end↘”

• Theatre Trick: A slow fall makes a line tragic; a sharp fall makes it firm or angry.

3. The Rise-Fall (↗↘)

• Sound: A lift, then a smooth slide down.

• Use: Sarcasm, irony, persuasion, or teasing.

• Example: “Oh, really↗↘”

• Theatre Trick: Perfect for double meanings—what the character says vs. what they mean.

4. The Fall-Rise (↘↗)

• Sound: Drops, then climbs back up.

• Use: Uncertainty, contradiction, or leaving the door open.

• Example: “I suppose so↘↗”

• Theatre Trick: Great for layered emotions: agreement tinged with doubt, apology laced with pride.

5. The Sustained Plateau (→)

• Sound: Holds at the same pitch, a drone or flat line.

• Use: Deadpan comedy, emotional numbness, menace, or suspense.

• Example: “I’m fine→” (but they’re not fine)

• Theatre Trick: Let silence or stillness accompany the plateau—audiences lean in, waiting for the drop.

✨ Pro tip for the stage: Intonation is like surf on Kaua‘i—waves can be gentle, pounding, or deceptive, but they always move. Don’t let your voice stay still too long, unless stillness itself is the dramatic choice.

​