The Way You Do (The Things You Do): TTB Choral Octavo

Deke Sharon's arrangement captures the groove and warmth of the original while giving your singers genuine musical material to sink their teeth into. The flexible voicing options (TB, TTB, TBB, TTBB) mean you can program this regardless of your ensemble's makeup, and the a cappella texture keeps the focus squarely on blend and ensemble balance.

Smooth, sophisticated, and undeniably groovy. This arrangement wraps the listener in lush harmonies while maintaining the rhythmic energy that made the original a classic, creating a performance that feels both polished and genuinely felt.

Directors building a secular setlist that bridges popular music and choral artistry will find this a natural fit. It works equally well for established a cappella groups and concert choirs looking to expand their repertoire beyond traditional literature.

• Establish the groove first in sectional rehearsals; lock the rhythmic pocket before layering in harmonic details. This style demands precision in the offbeats.
• Balance the melody line with supporting voices by having sections mark their parts lightly until the overall sound comes together. Smooth voice leading matters more than volume.
• Commit fully to the style's characteristic phrasing and articulation. Listen to the original recording to absorb the rhythmic nuances Sharon preserved in the arrangement.
• Blend resonance with clarity by encouraging singers to maintain steady air support while keeping vowels unified across the section.

Pair this with other popular song arrangements to create a contemporary concert segment, or feature it as a sophisticated contrast in a program built around American songbook standards. Its five pages fit neatly into a concert without demanding lengthy rehearsal time.

• Balancing melody and harmony in homophonic texture
• Singing with rhythmic precision in syncopated passages
• Blending vowels across multiple voice parts
• Interpreting style and phrasing in popular music contexts
• Reading flexible voicing arrangements with multiple options