Learning to Sing “Baby, Please Don’t Go” by Them
“Baby, Please Don’t Go” is a classic blues song made famous by the band Them, featuring Van Morrison’s dynamic vocals. If you’re keen on learning this iconic track, you’ve come to the right place. Aside from its catchy tune, this song also highlights a specific vocal technique: a heavy modal voice with a tinge of vocal growling.
Understand Your Voice
First, assess your vocal capacity with our Vocal Range Test and Pitch Accuracy Test. Understanding your vocal type and range will give you a good starting point.
Analyze the Song
Begin your learning process by listening carefully to the song and taking note of its structure. Specifically, pay attention to how Van Morrison dynamically uses his heavy modal voice.
Mastering the Heavy Modal Voice
You can observe the heavy modal voice in other popular songs too, such as “Back in Black” by AC/DC and “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin. This technique uses thicker vocal folds to achieve a full, resonant sound. Practicing the heavy modal voice aids in achieving the power and expressivity required in the blues genre.
Adding Vocal Growling
The song’s emotional depth is amplified by Morrison’s occasional use of vocal growling, a technique that adds a gritty undertone to the voice. You can learn this technique with this How to Growl Exercise video.
Practical Training
Once you understand these techniques, it’s time to practice! Start by singing the song at a slower pace until you master the techniques and lyrics. You can use our Pitch Training tool to verify that you’re hitting the right notes.
Apply Techniques to Other Songs
After mastering “Baby, Please Don’t Go”, you can apply these techniques to other songs within your vocal range, which you can find with the Song Search tool.
Final Notes
Remember to take care of your vocal health. Singing with a heavy modal voice and vocal growling can tax your vocal cords, so balance your practice with vocal warm-ups and rest.
Persist with your practice and you’ll soon have Them’s classic song in your singing repertoire. Happy singing!