Singing Guide: Cliff Richard
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Cliff Richard is one of the most successful British solo artists of all time, with a career spanning over 60 years. Known for his infectious pop songs and energetic performances, Richard's voice has been described as smooth, melodic, and versatile.
To learn how to sing like Cliff Richard, it's essential to understand his unique vocal technique. One of the defining aspects of Richard's singing is his use of falsetto, which he uses to great effect in many of his songs, notably in "We Don't Talk Anymore" and "Dreamin'". Richard's falsetto is not just an airy, delicate sound, but he uses it to convey intensity and emotion, contrasting it with his powerful and resonant chest voice.
Here are some practical tips to help you develop some of Cliff Richard's techniques and singing style:
- Breathing: Proper breathing is crucial for developing control over your voice. Check out Singing Carrots' article on breathing basics to learn the proper technique for taking deep breaths and controlling your exhalation.
- Voice registers: Learning to navigate between your chest voice, falsetto, and head voice can help to expand your vocal range and enable you to create the unique sounds of Cliff Richard. Check out Singing Carrots' article on voice registers & vocal break to understand how to create smooth transitions and avoid straining your voice.
- Vibrato: Cliff Richard uses vibrato to great effect to lubricate his voice and create that smooth sound. Check out Singing Carrots' article on singing with vibrato for exercises on how to create and control vibrato.
- Emotion and stage presence: A crucial part of Richard's success is his ability to convey sincerity and emotion in his performances. Understand how to control your emotions while singing by checking out Singing Carrots' article on singing with intuition, skills, emotion, and thinking. Additionally, Singing Carrots has created a video playlist on tips for performing on stage.
Some of Cliff Richard's most notable songs that showcase his unique vocal style are "We Don't Talk Anymore," "Summer Holiday," "Living Doll," and "Devil Woman." Be sure to check out Singing Carrots' vocal range test and song search to find songs that match your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference, and explore the vocal ranges of famous singers to understand Richard's vocal range.
Finally, Singing Carrots offers an exceptional educational singing course, covering singing theory and practical tips, perfect for learning how to sing like Cliff Richard and improving your singing skills. Check it out here.
With these resources and practical tips, you are on your way to developing your own unique vocal style and singing like the legendary Cliff Richard.