The Windows supplied volume concrol API places an icon for the entire
volume control suite on the TASKBAR.  This requires the user to first
double click the  icon, then adjust the speaker volume.  I'm looking
for an application or method to place just the speaker volume slide
control on my TOOLBAR (not an icon which must first be clicked and no
other volume controls shown ... just a speaker volume slide control).

"50% answer" : if you just just click once on the icon and then wait
for half a sec, a simpled volume slide control will appear..
Not exactly what you asked for, but still less cumbersome than double
clicking :)...

(i'm sure there are thousands of freeware out there that do what you explain)

I didn't even know that icon did that! :)
I thought it was just to tell me the volume was on, and a little
symbol covers part of it when muted.
I have volume control on the keyboard (including mute) and on the monitor.

I don't have to click anything.

Thanks for that.
Cheers

Understand about the single click, but I want the slide bar itself to
display on the TOOLBAR.  I've searched for just one of the "thousands
of freeware out there" ... to no avail.

The closest to this I have found would be Audio Sliders by Code Sector
This is a program that can be floated anywhere on the desktop and can
be reduced to a single tiny slider for the master volume control,
could be placed over the taskbar but is not actually in the taskbar
such as a toolbar. Not quite what you are looking for but close. The
program is not freeware, but has a demo download.
http://www.codesector.com/mixer.asp Maybe what you are looking for is
out there somewhere...

My keyboard has a volume on the side of it. It controlls all the
volume of the speakers (not the windows volume) I recoment you buy a
new keyboard.

http://www.statbar.nl

these guys make a nice toolbar that shows other various things as well
as having a direct access volume slider

i know its not a 'taskbar' solution, but the footprint is small, it
sticks to the top of your taskbar and doesnt eat up much space

i use it because it also shows useful things like memory usage,
network usage, winamp controls etc.

If you are using Windows Media Player the controls are

F9   -  Volume Down
F10  -  Volume Up

Under Windows XP (Possibly under other versions of Windows as well)

Ctrl+Page Down  -  Volume Down
Ctrl+Page Up    -  Volume Up

To add to comments above: most multimedia keyboards will give you
volume control right on the keyboard.

Also try out Desktop Widgets from Yahoo:

http://widgets.yahoo.com/gallery/?search=volume&x=0&y=0

these are small things you place anywhere on the desktop and that
control, do, or display pretty much everything.

Also, I suppose a prog that assigns a regular keyboard's key combo to
volume might work.

As to putting it on the toolbar, I am pretty much such a usage
scenario is not supported. The toolbar is simply too small to include
options for mouse input beyond clicking. Therefore, if you only want
it on the toolbar, then I am almost sure it is unacheivable.