Learning to Sing “Congratulations” by Cliff Richard
One of Cliff Richard’s signature songs, “Congratulations,” uses a vocal technique known as ‘Twang’. It’s the ‘nasal’ or ‘bright’ sound that adds a pop quality to the voice. You can hear the same technique in songs such as Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” and nearly all of Carrie Underwood’s repertoire.
Understanding ‘Twang’
‘Twang’ is a resonance strategy that brightens and amplifies the voice, immensely useful for cutting through background instruments without straining the voice. Before applying it to a song, one might want to first understand and practice the technique separately. Check out this tutorial video on how to twang.
Applying ‘Twang’ to “Congratulations”
Remember to warm up your voice before starting. A good warm-up video like this 3 Minute Warm Up might help. Next, play “Congratulations” a couple of times, listening for that ‘twang’ in Richard’s voice. Try to imitate this quality in your own voice.
Assessing Your Voice
Use the Vocal Pitch Monitor tool to get instant feedback on how well you’re matching the pitch and ‘twang’ technique of the song.
Practicing “Congratulations”
Start practicing the song slowly and break it down into smaller sections if needed. Use the Song Search tool to find sheet music and lyrics of the song.
Evaluating Your Progress
Finally when you’re comfortable, take the Pitch accuracy test while singing “Congratulations.” Compare the results with your previous attempts to track your improvement. Also test your Vocal range regularly, as practicing with ‘twang’ can extend this.
Refer to How to learn a song effectively and Twang and other contemporary vocal techniques article for more insight on this.
Remember!
Every voice is unique and different techniques work differently for each person. Make sure to rest your voice if you feel any discomfort and always aim to find your own authentic voice.