Technical practise

[ongaku_oniko]

What are the most effective methods to practise techinques?

Hanon all day long for a year?

play scales, arpeggios, chords, formula patterns until your hands fall off?

something else?

(the above are obviously exaggerations, I just want to know what everyone thinks is the best way to practise techniques)

[stevebob]

If I were you, I'd concentrate on polyrhythms.

[omar_roy]

Scales and arpeggi of all sorts are part of my daily regimen.

If I get really bored I try doing different keys/modes in each hand.  It's also helpful to make up your own exercises to address your own weaknesses.  On the whole, though, I think standard scales and arpeggi are a great way to develop dexterity and and finger speed.  They're great for learning standard patterns in music and expose any deficiencies like unevenness in tone and rhythm.