The Temptations (Songs from Ain't Too Proud) (arr. Mark Brymer): SAB Choral Octavo

Mark Brymer's arrangement respects the DNA of these iconic songs while making them singable for mixed voices at the high school level. The three-part writing opens these performances to choirs that might otherwise skip this repertoire due to voicing limitations, and the 26-page collection gives you substantial material without requiring multiple purchases.

There's an undeniable swagger in these songs; they move with effortless confidence and invite your singers to find their own phrasing within the structure. The vocal writing celebrates warmth and cohesion rather than fireworks, creating an intimate groove that an audience can feel in their bones.

High school choirs with solid blend and rhythmic confidence will find these arrangements immediately rewarding to learn and perform. Directors seeking to program soul and R&B repertoire without stretching into five or six voice parts will appreciate the accessibility of SAB voicing.

• Lock into the groove early. These songs live in pocket and timing; running a full rehearsal focused solely on staying locked with the rhythm section pays dividends before you add dynamics or interpretation.
• Layer the vocal parts intentionally. Spend time with each voice part individually so singers understand their harmonic role, then gradually reveal how the parts create the Temptations' signature sound when combined.
• Protect the diction. Soul music thrives on clean consonants and warm vowels; overprecision kills the feel, but sloppiness kills the sophistication. Find the middle ground where every syllable lands without sounding clipped.
• Use recorded references strategically. Listening to the original recordings helps singers understand style, but rehearse your own interpretation so the arrangement belongs to your choir.

Pair these with your spring concert to anchor a full set on soul and popular music, or distribute them across the year as tonal studies in rhythmic precision and vocal blend. They also work as an excellent counterweight to a classical program, bringing contemporary energy and a connection to music students actually listen to outside rehearsal.

• Rhythmic lock and pocket singing in funk and soul styles
• Balancing individual voice parts within blended ensemble texture
• Interpretation of syncopation and swing feel in written notation
• Diction clarity in soul music without overarticulation
• Understanding call-and-response and layered vocal arrangement