Damn I hate this question as the answer is just really pretty obvious, the short answer is, "practice the things your not good at", it's the only way their going to get better !

  Now the long (boring) answer, 

  To make more effective use of your practice sessions, we really need to have some objectives rather than just jamming randomly, which is beneficial to a point, but sooner or later that gets boring and you need to learn new things to stimulate continued interest.

  I like to break my 'on kit' practice time into parts, so a session might go something like this.

• Warm up hands and feet, I'd probably spend the first 10-15 minutes, just feeling my way back into the seat. A pattern I use a lot today during my foot warm up, is playing constant 16th notes side to side, normally with this sticking RRRRLLLL, or RRLLRRLL than playing over it. For my hands I like to get a feel of each rate around the drums, so I might play 16th, quintuplets, sextuplets, septuplets and then thirty seconds either randomly or strict groupings around the kit.. exploring all the sounds I have...
• Go over today's work, then the previous week(s) work constantly, play  the examples once through, in a loop, at different tempo's,  then try to play a page full of examples / idea's top to bottom.  
• Try using these idea's in an implementation. i.e.  play in that style, try to add a fill, change the rhythm and return. 
• Work on my improvisation, either using free form (solo's), or playing along with a sequence or recordings.  
• Recap, today's exercises I'm working on.

 Personally, I do all of my purely hand technique practice away from the drum kit.  I just find then I'll focus more on it, normally while I'm watching T.V (Dave Letterman is good for this ;), I'll either use a practice pad or my leg ;).  I might work though singles, double strokes, and mixed stickings.  Pretty much all the stickings that I'm comfortable with on the kit, originated here..

 So there's an insight into the kind practice routine I like to maintain, I hope it gives you an idea to improve your own practice sessions. 

 And finally,  Don't be afraid to hit the wall, some times you have to scream I can't do it, before you grow.

 

Copyright Notice:

Any unauthorized reproduction of articles, images, sound, video or printed material in this website without the express written permission of Kevin Picone! is a violation of copyright laws as stated on electronic/internet policies and procedures. 

(C) Copyright 1999 / 2000, By Kevin Picone, All Rights Reserved