If You Don't Know Me by Now: SAB Choral Octavo

This arrangement captures the warmth and sophistication of a genuine soul classic without requiring your singers to navigate complex harmonies or extreme ranges. Mike Taylor's SAB voicing preserves the song's emotional core while keeping the piece accessible for mixed choirs at intermediate levels, making it equally viable for a holiday concert or a springtime pop show.

Warm, introspective, and confidently emotional. The arrangement honors the song's original arrangement while creating space for voices to breathe and for the lyrical content to land authentically. There's a quality of restraint here that actually heightens the emotional impact.

Any SAB or three-part mixed choir looking for contemporary repertoire with genuine artistic substance. This works equally well for high school choirs, community groups, and college ensembles seeking a recognizable song that doesn't sacrifice musicality for familiarity.

• Lean into the legit singing style the arrangement calls for; this isn't novelty music, and your choir will sound best when treating the melody with the same care you'd give a spiritual or art song.
• Balance the lead line with the supporting voices so the song's familiarity works in your favor without anyone checking out during their harmonic parts.
• Take full advantage of the recorded accompaniment to lock in the groove; the rhythm section is essential to selling the soul feel, especially if your rehearsal accompanist isn't comfortable with contemporary R&B grooves.

Program this alongside other soul standards or contemporary pop arrangements to anchor a full concert in accessible material. It also works as a standalone closer or as part of a medley celebrating classic R&B hits. The 12-page length and familiar melody make it ideal for performances where rehearsal time is limited.

• Singing in a contemporary soul style with appropriate phrasing and articulation
• Maintaining independence in three-part voicing while supporting a strong melodic line
• Working with recorded accompaniments to lock in groove and timing