What'll I Do? (arr. Ed Waesche, Renee Craig): TTBB Choral Octavo

Nostalgic and intimate, with the gentle melancholy of a question asked softly. The arrangement honors the song's original emotional weight while adding the rounded, blended quality barbershop harmony brings.

Barbershop choirs and general secular ensembles looking for a standard that sits comfortably in the middle of the voice ranges. This works equally well for groups deepening their barbershop technique or for mixed choirs wanting to explore the genre without heavy technical demands.

• Lock in the harmonic rhythm across all four parts; barbershop style depends on crystalline vertical alignment, especially on the sustained chords that define this tune.
• Lean into the lyricism of the melody without dragging. This song asks for warmth, not sentimentality.
• Balance the inner voices carefully so the arrangement's harmonic color comes through without clouding the top line.

Pair this with other pop standards from the early 20th century to build a program exploring the Great American Songbook, or use it as your lighter moment in a concert that otherwise features more challenging repertoire. It also works beautifully on casual performance contexts where approachability matters.

• Barbershop harmonic tuning and blend
• Sustained legit tone with character and shape
• Flexibility with multiple voicing options
• Phrase shaping and lyrical control in a standard