just starting my usual annual list of resolutions, so here's the breakdown of the music-related ones -
1) - new solo album
2) - new album with Theo
3) - more gigs in Italy
4) - make headway on first book (any of the ideas will do, no really)
5) - record live DVD? possibly...
6) - establish Recycle Collective as THE monthly gig to be at (it already is, people just don't know it yet)
7) - do band arrangements of my tunes and gig them (the quartet I've been talking about for about a year and a half)
8) - look afresh at distribution deal options
9) - more collaborations!
10) - less time wasted online, more time practicing.
All of these are goals for the year. Calling them new year's resolutions just gives them a start point and a measurable target point - we all need bench marks to keep us moving forward. Some are short term and concrete, others are longer term and more nebulous. When learning an instrument, it's really important to have goals for that practice session, goals for the next week or so, and long term aims.
So this year, before you pick up your bass to practice, sit down and make three lists - start with the long term aims - could be to do with a particular gig you want, or forming a particular kind of band, or it might be about understanding a particular style of music, or getting a solo set together. Whatever they are, list them.
Then, think of some elements of those that you can work on over the next couple of weeks - it might be that you want to form a punk band but your right hand just hasn't got the picking skill to do it at the moment - stick that down on your list of things to work on (and remember that speed is merely a function of repetition - if you do that particular technique right, it'll get quicker just by doing it a lot...)
Then, for today, take a couple of different specific things to work on - pick a slower tune to work on, or a bit of a song to work out, or a couple of chords to practice grooving or soloing against...
At the end of the session, write down what you think you've got done, and make some notes for tomorrow's practice. Keep doing this and not only will your practice time be much more fruitful, but you'll have a fantastic diary charting how you got to where you are when you're a star!
enjoy!
New year's musical resolutions 
