Practice
practice... what is it? according to me, it is the time spent playing your horn, not during a recital, in which you are either learning or maintaining what you have already learned. i know good and well that practice is what makes a musician. to me, talent means nothing. talented people, in my opinion, are a danger to the profession. talented people, those people who just seem to pick up a skill without working for it, don't understand what the rest of us do. for someone like myself, who has to practice to achieve anything, talented people are really just an abomination. those with talent don't have to struggle to get anywhere, and thus they never really experience the music. they do what they were born knowing how to do.
people who practice, on the other hand, are to be commended. it is only through toil and labor and concentration that music can every truly be understood. having said this, i hope it is clear that practice is something that needs to be done on a daily basis.
i myself try to practice an hour everyday. i don't have a particular routine; of course i warm up first (for info about warm ups, go here), but after that i play whatever i feel like that day.
try to find a set time each day to practice. this will give you the same comfortable conditions each day-- and, when your routine inevitably starts to become dull, you can deviate for a day or two to re-vitalize yourself.
i think that scales should be praticed everyday... of course they should be memorized, all twelve majors, and the minors too when you get around to them. things such as lip slurs also need to be practiced, as do the fundamental things like air, support, embouchure, and tone. those four, of course, should be present anytime you play a note.
practice the scales as maintenance-- pratice them everyday. concentrate more on tone than technique. scales should be memorized so well that they are literally second nature... i think an analogy is called for. you don't think about how to chew your food, do you? neither should you have to think about how to play a scale... it should come just like that.
play something else for maintenance-- major thirds, perhaps. play with them a little. one day, slur them, the next, tongue them...
be absolutely certain that you can play the music in your band without a flaw. most low brassists have parts so easy that they can be sight read almost perfectly--- but just in case, know your music by heart.
i think a good technique book is a must. the particular technique book you choose depends on what YOU want--- consult your band director, or lessons giver, or some other knowledgeable person, for help. have one technique book that is fairly easy; it's nice to have literature that is easy to play. it makes you feel good.
then choose another book that is pretty hard. (books by vladislav blashevich, i may tell you, are cruel.) the pieces in there are bestly to read but they are wonderful experience. the only way to get good at sightreading is to practice it. after reading a piece once through, take it and work on it. it may take you a few days or even weeks til you feel good about it, but so what? it doesn't matter how quickly you can master a number, it matters how well.
if you have a solo to prepare, be sure to devote plenty of time to it, but don't force anything. don't overplay it, you'll become disenchanted with it, and if you're having a bad day, don't even play it. you can give youself a break every once in awhile.
most importantly, always strive to find something that you enjoy. you are lucky enough to have discovered that you love music--- don't ever let it out of your grasp. if you are wildly bored with what you are playing, switch gears. discover new music. play with different people. if you are used to practicing with a group, devote some time to yourself. listen to new stuff. if you have never been fond of the opera, borrow a tape from someone and force yourself to listen to it-- you may discover that you like it. if you are a die hard beethoven lover, spend a night by yourself jamming to some chicago. never let yourelf get disillusioned with music... practice is the most important thing you can do to improve yourself, and if you go about it in the right way, it will always give you the benefits you desire.