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Jnkyrdguy wrote up this instructable for crafting a basic flute instrument from PVC piping. As he points out, the limited range could be an advantage to those new to the instrument - and its simple construction can easily serve as the basis for many experimental designs -
This flute design is a common one on the net, and for good reason. Not only is it simple to build, it's also relatively simple to learn and rewarding to play. It only took a month of on and of playing to be relatively proficient (meaning I could get a clean sound from the first two octaves without difficulty.) The flutes are keyed instruments and only play in one scale (without more complex fingerings) which is actually a plus when just noodling around since you can't easily hit a note outside of the major scale of that flutes key.- Making Simple PVC Flutes
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Making Simple PVC Flutes
Bart Hopkins "Musical Instrument Design" is one of the great (GREAT!!!) maker books of all time. It has a good chapter on flutes.
Also anything you can do to make the bore slightly conical will make it easier to hit the second octave. IE flattening the end to reduce the cross section or inserting a pencil size rod at the mouthpiece end. You might be able to partially fill the tube with glue, but I havent figured out how to get consistent results that way.
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