How to learn hard sheet music fast (for the flute, any tips)?

-Okay, I'm a freshman starting marching band and I need to memorize the school theme song. The instructors are extremely strange to me because the first day we were at band camp they expected the freshmen and upperclassmen to be able to play the music perfectly (I can't tell you how many times the male instructor has kicked the drum major off of the stand to yell at us). So I was wondering if there were any tips to learning difficult sheet music, and fast.

Here's the song on youtube, if that helps at all. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mrEFlq9E鈥?/a>

I know you can't really hear the flute, but it moves extremely fast for us and it's hard to keep up with the fingerings. We've only had four band camp classes and I've tried to play as much as I can, but I have to fake the rest of the music, and I'm ashamed that I can't play up to their standards. (At the school I attended for most of my life, our band was a bit behind the rest of the middle school bands. We didn't march and we were behind on our music skills, so it's catching up to us now)



I really want to make the band and to do that I have to memorize all the traditional music for the school and make this elaborate headdress (The mascot is a Native American, I'm sure if you dig around the related videos you'll find a video of the band in their headdresses and uniforms). I'm passionate about playing my flute, but it's really hard at times to lean new sheet music and I get frustrated. PLEASE, I'm begging for tips here! I've been playing the flute for almost three years, so it's not like I'm new to playing it or anything.



Thank you so much for your help!

Sincerely,

XaurnelEasy okay learn it in peices start form the top and learn the 1st 2 lines by covering the rest with a peaice of paper and just repeat.
- Practice parts that you think you know the least.

- When you notice your focus dropping and thus progression rate slowing, take a short break, but skip doing anything during the break, just relax, have a snack (blueberries, grape juice, dark chocolate, macadamia nut, garlic, kale or at least some other food rich in antioxidants, most fruit will do, just keep it very very simple (don't forget to also eat regular food)) and return to practice. Avoid doing complicated things during breaks (such as browsing the web like you're doing now), if possible.

- When practicing, play slowly, at the speed that is easy enough for you. Start speeding up to normal speeds when comfortable.
Take it slower then gradually speed it up. Don't hurry yourself. This is my 4th year of marching band and it's taken me this long to figure out all the rhythms to my school song, so don't feel bad :P.



And about marching:

It depends what kind of marching your doing: High stepping or roll stepping. High stepping is difficult, in my opinion, too much effort xD. Roll stepping is easy. It's basically walking except you can't bounce :P. Marching really isn't hard to get the hang of it. If you have anymore questions you can message me on here :)
Well, how often do you practice this music? During your practice sessions, identify the most difficult parts and practice them. Start off by playing them REALLY slowly..then change the rhythm so that your fingers will learn the fingerings. Then slowly increase speed.



Do this with all the parts. Yes, it may take a little longer than expected, but I'm sure if you spend enough time on them, you'll be able to get the pieces by the next rehearsal. In addition, if you know the parts perfectly, then it shouldn't be that hard to memorize them.
Ok...well I will get to the offensive mascot of your school in a minute but from one band geek to another, I suggest you pull out your old music books, going all the way back to elementary school, set them aside in case you need help understanding the phrasing, guidelines and tempo. Note the key and time signatures and dynamics, If you don't know what these are, open those books and begin reading, PRONTO. Once you have the basics down, scan through the entire piece, treat each note as a monotone "tee-tee-taa" while mouthing out the beat and pace, then the second time through try humming it to yourself in tune. Note crescendos and decrescendos, their beginnings and ends, etc. The third time through, listen to a recording of the flute portion of the piece that you will be playing, don't try playing along just yet, just try to read the sheet as the flute is playing. Fourthly, try playing it yourself, one line at a time. Now is a good time to go through the music and note breath marks. When you perfect one line, go onto the next, so on and so forth. When it comes to memorization, I suggest playing your flute as often as you can. Memorize 8 beats at a time, adding 4-8 as you can. Good luck, marching was one of my favorite aspects of band :D I magically got through junior high without really being able to read sheet music at all, just listening to my peers in the same chair as I and copying what they did (and still made it into the school wind ensemble!! ) But come high school..my teacher really kicked my butt, lol. For marching the only thing you can do is practice. They do ride your case, but that is how competitive band is, "nicer" band instructors have weak bands. Suck it up and don't take it personally. If they single you out and jump on your case, don't cry, just thank them politely for their criticism. Most competitive band teachers run the band like a military unit, its just how it is.





Now for the stupid mascot. I am Native American, I am not a theme, a mythical being, or a mascot. I am a person. We are people, not figments of the imagination from a bygone era. When people dress up in rediculous costumes that do not in any way resemble the REAL regalia of our cultures and prance around like a crazy animal, then call themselves one of us, it is very, very offensive. How do you think African Americans would take it if there was a school mascot called "the ******" and people wore stereotypical african clothing and acted barbaric?? Exactly.