Not that I never really had it, 20 to 30 minutes and it sounds like somebody replaced my reed with a mouse. I know I haven’t been playing long, but the question is. How long does it take?. Probably the answer is, how long is a bit of string .

I would love to practice longer. Perhaps I should pratice twice a day instead of once

It's a gradual thing.
The important part is that you practice a bit every day and do long notes as part of your practice routine.

I think of embouchure and practice as a bit like going to the gym. You need to practice just to the point that you feel fatigue, but not any more, because that's the point bad habits (e.g. biting in my case) set in. Then allow yourself to recover, then practice again to the point of fatigue. The theory being that the muscles should build up to the point where you can start increasing your useful practice time.

Something I've discovered in my own practice is that if I do too much my embouchure fatigues so I start biting to support the sound with my teeth rather than my lips. Then I end up chewing holes in my bottom lip and I can't play at all for a day or so. If I know i've got a particularly demanding day of playing ahead of me I'll go for a slightly softer reed in the hope that it will help me see the day out.

Strang thing I dont feel any fatigue in my mouth but the notes just stop coming. guess thats the same thing. Thanks for the advice. and you to lisbun.

That's how it is for me too.

Thank you David you've made me smile!!! Like the imagery!!! although wouldn't fancy chewing on a mouses back end though!!!

Agree with the advice you've been given so far. maybe twice or even three times a day is the way to go but I would also say that to build stamina you have to gradually increase practice times too. Bit like a runner who only does 3/4 mile fun runs wouldn't suddenly try a marathon but would gradually build up to it. It's the same with your playing. Add a few minutes to your time each day as your lip/ embouchure allows.

Good luck with it David.

Thanks Dawn
I appreciate what you are saying and will give it a go.

Don't despair.

When I was preparing for my G8 flute, I could happily play for 2 or 3 hours at a time (if I paced myself, and played some pieces that didn't require much effort).

Now (I'm very out of practise) I can manage about 15 minutes before I start feeling tired (so, just as I've got my flute warmed up, I'm too tired to make the most of it!) and another 30 mins after that of things sliding rapidly downhill. I do try and do that extra 30 mins of sounding dreadful though, because after a couple of weeks my tone comes back (ish) and I can play for significantly longer.

And then I lapse for another month or so.

Given time and practise stamina does improve. Doing two or three shorter sessions is a great way to increase practise time and progress, but don't forget to also push yourself to play a little longer (for so long as the ears in the vicinity can bear it, anyway) so that stamina improves as well.

Thanks Tamsin

I am now doing two sessions a day, so hopefully I will improve

I'm having a few embouchure niggles at the moment but they're only temporary as I've just switched a couple of days ago from a Gonzalez 2.25 reed up to a Vandoren blue box #3 to (hopefully) help me get a little more volume at concert band. (Finding it tricky keeping up in the crescendos against 40+ other musicians lol).

I like the feel of the harder reed and the notes above high D are a little easier but I can't play for as long at the moment before by lip gives out.

Something else which helps improve stamina is to do a few long notes at the end of your practice session, and not just at the beginning.

Yes I try to encourage my students to do this. Strangely enough I actually find long notes much more demanding to do at the start of a session. I guess it's where I'm not warmed up when I first attempt them. When I come to do them at the end of the session they are easy - unless it's been a really long session.

Lucid

My teacher claims they are also psychologically useful. If you can do them at the end of a "really long" session then you know that even at the end of your ""really long piece, you're going to be able to play the final held note

Yes definitely. It's something I was never taught to do (or thought of myself) while I was still learning. I remember when I was in the grade 6-8 stages and used to get very tired out during my pieces as my stamina wasn't up to it. I think that's why I really try to encourage my students to do this.

Lucid

Long notes at the end of the session are now on my agenda.

I have already started on my two (when I can fit it in) two 20-30 minute sessions a day. I must admit it is better than when I started even through it was only about a month ago. Great advice.

Everything is simple when you have mastered it, it’s the bit before that is hard lol

I only started teaching myself in December, and have been stuffed with a dreadful chest cold since Christmas, so unable to do anything for some weeks. Until this weekend. The advice you've been given thus far works, and is what I do anyway. I have a few pieces I enjoy, and can play well. "Puff the Magic Dragon", "You are my sunshine", "Love me tender" (good for lower notes). "When the saints go marching in" and "ode to Joy" are really good for working on the embouchure, as well as being fun to play. I vary between those pieces and vary the length of the notes, making them slow or fast, loud or soft, and that seems to be doing wonders for me. I still end my sessions with my lower lip going a bit wobbly, but I've added ten minutes to my playing time since I started again on Saturday. And holding those long notes can be fun.