#1: AMERICAN INTONATION & SPEECH RHYTHM
LESSON 2 : AVOIDING MISTAKES WITH "JUMP UP & STEP DOWN"
(#1: Tracks 4-8)
-THE SOUND & STYLE OF AMERICAN ENGLISH

Don’t confuse "louder" with "higher."
Avoid upward glides, elongating or "punching" the jumped word and delaying the downward pitch steps.
Don’t return to a monotone on multi-syllabic words.

I'M GOING OUT OF TOWN NEXT $${\textit{WEEK}}$$.
I REALLY CAN'T ACCEPT YOUR $${\textit{OFFER}}$$.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN $${\textit{APPOINTMENT}}$$.
THE GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY IS $${\textit{AWFUL}}$$.
MY REAL ESTATE $${\textit{AGENT}}$$
A BOX OF $${\textit{BREAKFAST}}$$ CEREAL
A STRONG CUP OF $${\textit{BLACK}}$$ COFFEE
A REALLY WONDERFUL $${\textit{MANAGER}}$$.


After this group of phrases, you’ll then practice some sentences from Lessons 1 & 2 for a second time.

#1: Track 4.
Lesson 2 : avoiding mistakes with jump up step down

That's right before we go too far, I want to help you avoid the four most frequent mistakes that my students make when they first try to use this jump up step down technique.

The first mistake : is getting louder, instead of jumping to a higher pitch.
Make sure that you were doing a real upward pitch jump, and not just shouting the word.
Actually, see what it feels like.
Let's start by doing it wrong on purpose.
I'll count it, I'll get louder on the word two then you repeat.
Ready?

"one two three four five six"
(Pause)

This time, let's pause slightly before the word "two."
And then go up to a higher pitch.
Ready?

"one two three four five six"
(Pause)

Of course after the jump start stepping back down on the next word : "three."
Repeat again.

"one two three four five six"
(Pause)

And remember to do that bigger drop on the last idea "six."
Repeat it again.

"one two three four five six"
(Pause)

Now, on the sentence :  "I'm going out of town next week."
Do the same thing.
Purposely, do it wrong by just getting louder on the word : "going."

"I'm going out of town next week"
(Pause)

And this time, jump up and step down pause very briefly before the word : "going," for preparation, then jump to that noticeably higher note.
Repeat after me.

"I'm going out of town next week"
(Pause)

Now, here's a technique to help.
Make sure that you're actually jumping in Pitch instead of just getting louder.
Purposely make your voice softer at the same time that you do the pitch jump, be quieter on the target word while you're changing pitch.
Repeat it after me.

"I'm going out of town next week"
(Pause)

Sometimes native speakers do of course get louder at the same time that they go up and pitch.
However I don't want you to do that right now.
When you're first learning jump up step down, it's better for you to really experience the pitch change by not getting louder on the jump word.
Because I want your pitch jumps to sound natural not forcedure punched.
So, try the sentence again.
Doing a noticeable pitch jump on going, but without any punching or hammering of the word.
Repeat after me.

"I'm going out of town next week"
(Pause)

And now go back to the beginning of this lesson and play track 4's exercises once more to be sure that you're jumping the pitch and not just getting louder.
Then, without the recording read the same drills from the top of page three of the manual before continuing.

#1: Track 5.

Now here's the second warning.
Don't confuse pitch jumps with pitch glides.
Make sure that you actually jump to the new pitch and don't glide or slide up there.
Gliding pitch is a necessary feature in some of your original languages.
But upward glides almost always sound foreign and they're sometimes very distracting to American English speakers.
So once again let's do a counting exercise, and again let's make the mistake on purpose.
Do an upward glide on the word : "two."
To see exactly how it feels, so repeat after me.

"one two three four five six"
You do it.
(Pause)

Now do it the right way finish the word : "one."
At that lower note, and then start "two" already up higher, noticeably higher, without sliding.
Try this one after me.

"one two three four five six"
(Pause)

Now make the gliding mistake on purpose on the sentence : "I really can't accept your offer."
Purposely glide up on the word : "really."
Repeat that wrong version after me.

"I really can't accept your offer"
(Pause)

All right.
And this time, don't glide.
Instead, jump and land up there on the new pitch to "I Re" make that syllable, and then start down on the very next one : "really can't."
To be safe keep your voice softer on the jump syllable.
Repeat it after me.

"I really can't accept your offer"
(Pause)

Now go back to the beginning of this track number 5, and work once more through these exercises for avoiding confusion between pitch jumps and pitch glides.
After that, read the same drills from the top of page three of the manual before continuing.

#1: Track 6.

And now the third warning, to make jump up and step down sound natural, when you're first learning to use it.

Don't delay the downward steps after you jump.

Now, there are two different things that can delay the downward steps.
First ; stretching out the jump syllable.
And second ; taking a long pause right after the jump syllable.

Now let's experience both of those mistakes by doing them on purpose.
We'll use the sentence "I'd like to make an appointment."

First, jump on "like."
But stretch it out too much.
Repeat the way I do it.

"I'd like to make an appointment"
(Pause)

We're not going to do that.
Will also be sure to start down immediately by avoiding a long pause after the word : "like."
Again, I'll do it wrong purposely, and you repeat this wrong approach.

"I'd like to make an appointment"
(Pause)

Remember we want to avoid both of these things.
Let's finally do it the right way.
Don't elongate the word : "like", and don't pause after it.
Jump up to the new pitch, but continue right away with the rest of the syllables stepping down.
Repeat. 

"I'd like to make an appointment"
(Pause)

Now replay this track number 6 and practice stepping down immediately.
You'll find all these drills printed at the top of page 3.

#1: Track 7.

Here comes the 4th and last of these warnings.
Don't get monotone on words with more than one syllable.
After the jump keep stepping down on every syllable not just every word.
For example, in the sentence : 'the government bureaucracy is awful."
It would sound like this, if I stepped down only between words : "the government bureaucracy is awful."
Try that just on the two long words say : "government."
All on one note then step down lower and say "bureaucracy."
All on the lower note.
Repeat it after me that way.

"government bureaucracy"
(Pause)

If you stay on one note within the long words like we just did,
it could easily Lead You Back To The Rhythm pattern of your first language.
Try the same words again.
But, after the syllable : "gov," step down on every one of the five syllables that followed.
Repeated that way after me.

"government bureaucracy"
(Pause)

And finally repeat the whole sentence jumping on the syllable :  "gov", and stepping down all the way through the end of the unit.
Ready?

"The government bureaucracy is awful"
You do it.
(Pause)

Now as long as we're talking about those downward steps.
Don't forget that the last word or idea takes a bigger downward step than the ones that went before,

"bureaucracy is awful"
You do it?
(Pause)

Really throw it down at the end.

"The government bureaucracy is awful"
(Pause)

Now go back to the beginning of this track number 7, and review the exercises for stepping down on every syllable of longer words.
Following that picture, once again, you'll find the sentences at the top of page 3.

#1: Track 8.

Okay, now let's put it all together and practice the intonation pattern you just learned.
Now, since jump up step down isn't limited to complete sentences. Let's apply it now to some shorter phrases.
Repeat each one after me.
First one:

"my real estate agent"
(Pause)

Did you remember the first warning making a real jumping pitch not just an increase in volume or loudness?
If necessary make the word real softer to help guarantee that you avoid confusing higher with louder, try it softer voice on the jump:

"my real estate agent" 
(Pause)

Now, repeat the next:

"A box breakfast cereal"
(Pause)

Did you remember the second warning?
Actually jumping the pitch on the word : "box", and avoiding any upward slide not : "A box of breakfast cereal."
Land up there, instead at the higher note.
Repeat again?

"A box of breakfast cereal"

Try the next phrase:

"A strong cup of black coffee"
(Pause)

Did you avoid the third common mistake?
And after the jump on strong start stepping down immediately.
No elongation, not saying : "a strong cup of black coffee."
And also no pause after the jump.
Not doing : "A strong cup of black coffee."
Instead make the jump on strong seems simple and natural by starting back down immediately on the next syllable.
Repeat again.

"A strong cup of black coffee"
(Pause)

Now try this one:

"A really wonderful manager"
(Pause)

Now those words had lots of syllables.
Did you avoid the fourth mistake by making those downward steps on every syllable.
Don't stay on one note within those words.
Don't do: "really wonderful manager."
Keep moving down on each syllable until you get to the end of the phrase like this:

"A really wonderful manager"
You do it.
(Pause)

Now, let's rework the drill sentences from both lessons one and two.
This time will apply jump up and step down even more aggressively.
Trying to avoid all of the common mistakes.
Really exaggerate make bigger jumps and steps and your rear wants to hear.
If you don't make these pitch changes really big, it won't be enough for native speakers to hear.

So, let yourself feel foolish.
It's going to sound great to the listeners.
Repeat each one after me.

"I'm very happy to meet you"
(Pause)

"I'll call him on the telephone"
(Pause)

"I'm going out of town next week"
(Pause)

"I really can't accept your offer"
(Pause)

"The government bureaucracy is awful"
(Pause)

"I'd like to make an appointment"
(Pause)

All right.
It's time to go back and practice this basic pattern even more.
First, go back to track 2 the beginning of this lesson, and play it at least twice more.
After that stop the CD and practice reading all of the counting exercises raises and sentences from Pages 2 and 3 of the drill manual.
Record yourself while you're speaking these sentences.
So you can hear whether you're having any of the four problems that we just discussed.
Also ask your teacher or another native speaker to listen to you, and tell you if you're actually jumping up and stepping down in pitch.
Do not begin lesson 3 until you've done this practicing.

my notes :