Wish You Well: Lead Sheet / Fake Book

Fanning's lead sheets read cleanly and singably, which means students can focus on interpretation rather than deciphering notation. The pop sensibility here rewards expressive phrasing and dynamic control without demanding extreme technical pyrotechnics, making it ideal for teaching contemporary song arrangement alongside traditional fakebook skills.

Warm and reflective, with an earnest quality that sits somewhere between introspection and uplift. The harmonic language is accessible but thoughtful, inviting both player and listener into an intimate emotional space without demanding spectacle.

Pianists and keyboardists learning to comp from lead sheets in contemporary styles, as well as vocalists building a modern pop repertoire. This works equally well for solo piano study or as an accompaniment resource in a voice studio.

• Pay attention to the vocal line's natural speech rhythm; this isn't operatic phrasing. Let the melody breathe where commas or pauses would appear in conversation.
• Balance the keyboard voicings so the changes land clearly without overwhelming the singer. Less is often more in contemporary pop arrangements.
• Lock the tempo early in rehearsal. Pop grooves depend on rhythmic precision, and any wavering will flatten the song's energy.

Slot this into a recital or concert that explores modern Australian songwriting, or use it as a bridge between classical piano repertoire and contemporary commercial music in a mixed program. It also serves jazz and pop ensembles exploring lead sheet reading in non-standard repertoire.

• Reading and interpreting lead sheet notation in a pop context
• Comping with idiomatic chord voicings for contemporary music
• Balancing accompaniment with vocal melody
• Shaping phrasing in singable melodic lines