How to Make the Simplest Native American Flute from PVC - Easy Peasy

In this video I will show you step by step how to make the most simple form of Native American Flute from a material that is readily available to nearly everyone on earth. Or at least for those who have the internet ;)
Please watch the video in its entirety. I may talk a lot, but there is a reason behind the things I have to say. If you watch the entire video it will save you from error and from having questions.
Please SUBSCRIBE! Like and Share this video. It helps more people see it and helps more people in general.
Thank you for watching!
visit my website www.bluebearflutes.com

[@MicaDeMijatovic]

For some reasons I couldn't make it with wooden cork, but with real cork it works like a dove. Beautiful, beautiful sound.

[@RickMoniz]

I wish to thank you Charlie for your great videos.I just finished my first native American flute, thanks to you my friend now i hooked, lol thanks again Charlie and all at blue bear flutes..

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you Rick so very much for your kind words!

[@stormspotterkwp]

Just finished my pvc flute. Very nice sounding and a great diversion project after a tough work week! Thanks so much!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

That is excellent! Now you've got to check out this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a53YqH2rnsyXqNU&si=2wxwQ8bdZszJZ1iJ

[@kenanderson1963]

I used a pocket knife from your first PVC flute video. It played just fine. You have good instructions.

[@ronaldjacobs8169]

Hi Charlie, You made this flute the way I make them, but I don't want to lie, so I better turn it around: I make my flutes like you made this one because I learned it from you, using a lot of movies in which you showed how to make your flutes. I would like to thank you very much for that. Although I use a cork that is easy to replace as plug and valve. I make my flutes from PVC, but I choose the thick-walled pipe for that, because bamboo is also thick-walled and where I live there is nowhere to get bamboo and that does not grow anywhere. To drill the finger holes I use a thin drill bit after which I continue with narrow and widening flat screwdrivers. And for the windhole I use a drill and a small flat file. Instead of those flat screwdrivers I sometimes use scissors that I do not open during use, you can drill holes from small to large with them. I also make my Quenas in this way, also from PVC. People love to hear me play my PVC Native American flutes because they sound good and clean. My name is Chief Helping Dog Blackwolf Javanclaronaje Jerovanja make Rodinu White Dove. The name my mother gave me is Jacobs Ronald Felix, called Ronny, because this sounds easier to my bystanders. My descent caused my white Belgian father to kill my unborn brother while trying to kill my mother and me, my mother survived by running away from him with me in her arms, I owe my life to that too, but I did lose it my unborn brother, I was 16 months young at the time and I never got to know my father, I am also very happy because it is good not to know a murderer as a father. Now I know from my mother that I am a mixed-blood Apache, that I was born on the border with America-Mexico, through a Czech and a Native Apache who were guest workers and they traveled in covered wagons looking for work. When I was born, my parents lived in Belgium, where they still live, and yes, the murderer is still alive, but I don't know where and that's a good thing. Fortunately, after she ran away with me, my mother was taken in with me by a man who was 19 years older than my mother and who already had 3 sons, when my mother became pregnant by him and thus had a family with a new man and 5 children she herself was just 20 years old because when my mother dropped out of school because of her work she was 16 years old, when she married she was 17 years old when I was born my mother was 18 during the deliberate murder of my brother and the two attacks I was 16 months, when my half sister was born I was 2 years old and my mother 20 years and my half sister is 2 years younger than I am. My foster father was a good man, he died in 2008, God rest his soul I'm sure. In this way my compliments for everything you do for people, I would also like to thank you for that. persevere. Greetings from Belgium from Helping Dog Blackwolf. I am very happy and proud of my heritage. A'ho.

[@jimdaddyshikingvideos2023]

Thanks for sharing, Charlie!

[@standswithfish]

Nice project Charlie! I have made a few side blown 6 hole flutes in G and Bb that sound good. Also made a 6 hole Native American "style" flute. Really want one that is 5 hole to experiment with. Had not considered what I guess would be a fipple mouth piece. As a suggestion, I use a board with two parallel strips attached the width of pipe appart to help hold the pvc while drilling. Also aids in drawing a straight line for holes if desired. If sanding the outside with rough sand paper over time as you mentioned it picks up some oils and dirt, almost looks like birch. Thanks again for posting!

[@Rusty-om6ut]

Your pipe vice sounds like a great idea. Thank you.

[@FREEZER4000]

Thank you for taking the time and effort to make your video demo. I thought it was very considerate to show . The way things are today most craftsman /luthiers would not want to share what you did , just wanted to tell you I appreciated it . Thanks !

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you very much for your kind words my friend! Please be sure to check out all of my other videos and share them with anyone you know that would be interested. kzbin.info

[@JonJackson-op2ev]

Thank you soooo much!, I can’t wait to make one ( or more) for my granddaughter and myself!

[@tonyhartley871]

Thank you Charlie!

[@raystevens687]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge on to build a flute 🪈 I appreciate that.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

You're welcome budd! I hadn't seen you in a while. Look out for those squirrels!

[@vernonsteinkamp1088]

Thanks for posting

[@kevinbracewell3208]

Thank you Charley sounds great all from plastic and a bit of wood and a lot of knowledge and experience well done 🤙

[@vivianac1592]

Muchas gracias.

[@bennyhill3642]

Gr8 info! Thank you & GOD Bless😇🙏

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks for watching!

[@banjo1957]

That is awesome Charlie great sound out of PVC

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks! I do have a few better PVC flute videos!

[@banjo1957]

@@BlueBearFlutes I’ll be checking out as many as I can , you have really great stuff , thanks for all you do .

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@banjo1957 Thank you!

[@M.Rawlins]

I'm going to make one !!! Thank you for this video.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

You're so welcome! For additional information be sure to check out some of my other videos!

[@larzhillbot1443]

Oh no Charlie .... Now i am off to the Pvc store lol Love it and again Thank you for all you do

[@brentknudson3397]

I've made about 20 of them they work real well

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Way to go! 😀👍 20 more to go!

[@congamike1]

Thanks!

[@pixiemoon3020]

I made a rain stick using pvc pipe and I painted it with acrylic paint and then sealed it with a spray type sealer. Has held up well… But I guess you’d only do that if you want a funky looking flute lol I just got my first flute a few days ago, so hopefully I can play it as beautifully as you soon! 🙏🏻

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hey, some like funky! 😁 You will! This is the easiest instrument in the world! Thanks for your kind words.

[@johnskinner7428]

Brilliant funny and a hoot on the flute. Thanks man

[@dejansmalcelj]

Amazing, educational and fun 😊 thank you, I'll go on and make one ☀️

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Be very careful if you use any power tools! Keep an eye out for a very educational historical video soon!

[@dejansmalcelj]

Absolutely! Been making pvc whistles and woodcarving for a while now so I'm preety handy with the tools, but yes, the handling with power tools should be done with all seriousness and respect 🙏, thanks for the advice ☀️

[@Spiritbeats69]

Appreciate this video, appreciate the metric system even more

[@BlackBearSixTV]

I made one and it works very well - enjoyable - kudos 2 U 😀

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you my friend! Don't forget to check out our hundreds of other videos!

[@scribblingjoe]

I think I might try this one. I don’t have PVC but I do have copper tubing… and a Dremel

[@stuartdavey]

Thank you for this video. Interesting to see that you don't the block style air hole to get the sound for an Native American flute.

[@bobneal1960]

Thanks for making this video

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thank you for watching it! We do have hundreds of others similar that would help if you need them!

[@RustyGunn7]

To decorate pvc flutes, I've used the 'fabric' for radio controled airplanes, and cut to shape, and iron them on. They come in many colors. These sre iron on plastic material. The ones I've personnaly used is called Tower Kote from Tower Hobbies. Excellent results. I made a video on this.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Absolutely too cool!

[@moonolyth]

You should share your video!❤

[@jamesalliss2317]

😂 Beautiful scenery flute playing thank you

[@tfisher808]

I have tried a few times to build flutes from your videos, i get sound but does not sound like yours. So i have been experimenting with the plugs to change the sound and the sanding of the sound hole. Thanks for the detailed construction video. I will keep trying

[@emegaucho]

👏👏👏

[@wolverinemcstud194]

I have made your flutes in PVC not exactly the same way you made them but it’s in the pentatonic scale I would like one an E minor with the Low D behind it. I’ve seen the figuring for using your fingers on the native American flute but I noticed there’s a finesse that makes it so when you lift and lower your finger over a certain hole it will bend the note I can’t seem to get that with the PVC fluid that I made help if you can if not cheers mate

[@lassuculentasdenatayalgoma3331]

I am from Colombia city Cali. Salute

[@BlueBearFlutes]

¡Gracias por ver! ¡Tenemos toneladas de otros videos!

[@lassuculentasdenatayalgoma3331]

@@BlueBearFlutes en español?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@lassuculentasdenatayalgoma3331 aún no

[@lassuculentasdenatayalgoma3331]

@@BlueBearFlutes por esto es que le pido respetuosamente que si coloca los subtítulos en español. Gracias

[@MicaDeMijatovic]

I adore this channel, all those things, instruments, you make, their look and their sound particularly (with all those interesting, and familiar, so pleasant, scales). Might happen that in some of my past lives I was a Cherokee, who knows. (-: Anyway, thanks so much, you Blue Bear, for all of that you give us at disposal. It is a real treasure. (Musician, composer here, from the other month on infected by making and playing DIY flutes, dizi, kena, pan flute and there now the Cherokee ones.) Be well.

[@fitter1354]

Hey fun thing for grand kiddos

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Most definitely! Check out my other videos, too!

[@user-xe2wl1dw4t]

Чарси клас, очень красиво

[@BlueBearFlutes]

спасибо за добрые слова мой друг! пожалуйста, проверьте мои другие видео.

[@SerkanKabak25]

Hi Charlie, this looks quite easy to make. Does the length of the slow air chamber (SAC) matter with these PVC flutes? The wooden flute that I bought had a SAC of at least 8 in, but perhaps this is a more traditional design? I am seeing some other NA style PVC flute makers keeping the SAC length short as well, perhaps its easier to push a dowel or cork through it.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

That's a great question my friend! I believe I actually did a video that included some of this topic as well however the short answer is no. The length doesn't matter too much. I have actually lengthened my flutes air chambers in order to make them more aesthetically appealing to the public. Historically they were all over the place as well as in modern times! Thanks for the great question!

[@deborahjudyboucher1072]

That is amazing, I will definately try to make one. I'm curious though, can one be made from a copper pipe?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Of course, and video coming soon! Thanks for watching! 🙂

[@congamike1]

I did one modification in my build: I found the 3/4 dowel too small so I used 7/8 which fit with no sanding and worked great. The notes I get are A, C, E, F# (+35), and A. Were we aiming for A, C#, E, F#, A? Where is the calculator I should use for my next one? Thanks for this project!

[@user-ms8cp6en5c]

Thanks very much for the instructions. This is very cool. Just one question though. It seems odd that a 7/8" dowel fits inside a 3/4" PVC pipe. How does that happen? I just grabbed some 3/4" pipe and a 5/8" dowel fits inside with a tiny bit of room to spare. Thanks, John

[@michellecoon6619]

I would like to buy some of these for a beginner flute circle. People can try out and see how easy it is to make music 🎶.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

You might be better off looking at my website and seeing our regular prices before you decide to buy PVC flutes. www.bluebearflutes.com/product-page/googol

[@stoneyrunva]

This is interesting. But the flaw in this design is the introduction of a wood dowel that will expand/contract with moisture from breath condensation. The easy fix is to file a flat spot and cut a short piece of pvc that's one size larger diameter than the long section. Use it as a 1 or 2 inch clip on cover. Then, use a wine bottle cork for an interior plug. You can keep your holes straight by marking the pvc against a piece of plywood or similar lengthwise. Also, sanding then brown shoe polish and clear coat looks realistic if simulating wood.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@stoneyrunva]

@@BlueBearFlutes Don't dismiss using pvc as a nontraditional flute making source material. If you spend as much care and attention as wood flute making, with your skill, it could be a fantastic sounding and durable instrument that can be enjoyed for generations without a single adjustment or maintenance ever. Some of mine are several years old and still sound as they did when new.

[@jsxgmanfam]

You can vinyl wrap the outside of the pvc flute. Shouldn't change the sound to much.

[@olepops5021]

Same thing with my wife Charlie. I've learned everything she knows from her too.

[@apburner]

I just ordered some colored PVC from Formufit. You can't get thin wall but the inside is the same. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[@martinraeside]

I'm making clay flutes and gradually getting better results and your videos have been very helpful in understanding what makes a flute work. So far I've concentrated on tuning and getting soundholes working and have been happily making them without a slow air chamber. So I'm getting playable pentatonic flutes that aren't fully native american style. Could you maybe demonstrate the difference that adding a slow air chamber will make? It might motivate me to make the effort, as at present, I'm not sure what the benefit is.

[@richard-music53]

Charlie I just watched the video again and I think this will be the next one I will try to make. Over the summer I attempted to make a PVC bass A flute the regular way with a bird on top but for some reason it didn't play well at all. The schedule of that one was 40 and it was 1 inch pipe. So now I think I should give this flute a try and see what happens.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hey, so you didn't have success with the other flute build. If you could send me a picture of the track area on it, I may be able to help.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Also, if you haven't seen my contrabass video yet, it may help you with a new design of block and track that will play better for you.

[@richard-music53]

@@BlueBearFlutes Thank you so much Charlie. Unfortunately, I no longer have the flute to show any photos of it. I appreciate that you replied with an offer to help.

[@richard-music53]

@@BlueBearFlutes Thanks again Charlie. I will surely search up this video also to see your contrabass flute design.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@richard-music53 most importantly, let me know if I can help!

[@shakyarcher]

You can color PVC to any color you want by mixing RIT dye for synthetic fabrics with clear PVC primer.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Have you tried it?

[@shakyarcher]

@@BlueBearFlutes Yes, I made a handful of your Cherokee whistles out of 1/2 inch PVC & I dyed one pink for my granddaughter & one purple & red for myself.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@shakyarcher I must not have been holding my mouth right when I tried it! 🤣 Looked up websites, videos and companies who offered pcv dyes... I guess I was just not happy with the results and didn't offer it in this video. Thanks for posting! (and for watching!)

[@shakyarcher]

@@BlueBearFlutes I used the liquid Rit DyeMore for synthetics & Oatey clear PVC primer. I didn't dilute the dye with anything, other than the PVC primer. I think I mixed the dye/primer in 2-1 ratio (2 parts dye to 1 part primer). Darker colors seem to work better & I used multiple coats. It doesn't dye the PVC completely through, just the surface & a deep scratch can go through it.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@shakyarcher that's exactly what I experienced. I felt like it was painting it more less with clear paint.

[@roseericson3828]

I have a pvc pipe sax that the maker used hardwood veneer on the outside.

[@MrBass4art]

I am attempting to make one

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Yoda "says do or do not, there is no try!"

[@MrBass4art]

@@BlueBearFlutes well if you do not succeed the first time keep trying until you succeed and that is what i am doing

[@marciacunningham5877]

I followed your directions and it works, except for jumping an octave higher if I blow a little too hard. What is causing this? Thanks, Michael

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I do have lots of other videos to help out with the small problems like that but one thing that should probably help you is to slightly bevel the edge of the track going into the sound hole.

[@bluetrust2002]

Awesome! Thank you. FYI, the website is down at the moment.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Thanks so much for watching! I also appreciate you helping me keep track of the website. I checked it and it seems like it is working fine. bluebearflutes.com please be sure this is the site you're going to.

[@bluetrust2002]

@@BlueBearFlutes The wifi I’m currently connected to was blocking it for some reason 😋 I’ve been learning so much from your videos and I’m super excited to begin my own journey with the Native American flute. I’m in love.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@bluetrust2002 good luck my friend and thank you again!

[@JosesGarage101]

Hello there Charlie. What flute and size are you using on your video intro sound? Thanks for sharing 👍👍👍

[@jjohnston94]

SDR is what you ask for. It stands for "sewer and drain". Your store guy will probably know it by that name rather than the schedule. Also, it tends to be mixed in with the pressure pipe, so just look through the whole bunch at your big box store.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I usually ask for IRRRP and they never seem to know what I'm talking about at my "big box store"! I guess using made up acronyms isn't the best way to go. Of course little Timmy at my local store doesn't really need a job while he's going to college anyway, and you know my local irrigation supply store (small box store) doesn't want my business because I'm not a landscaper...

[@seansnyder2855]

Does the wooden block/plug have a technical name or did you come up with that? I tried to do a bit of googling with no luck.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Because it's purpose is primarily functional, most of us making flutes simply call it a block, a bird and some people call it a fetish or a totem. There are of course people who don't like certain words for whatever reason! 😵‍💫

[@littlefarm34]

could you use 1 inch pvc or would you need to change too many variables?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Like I always say, try it and see what happens. 😁 Thanks for watching!

[@peterpeersman4931]

I would like vegass 26:25

[@SargentEdgedTools]

do you have measurements for sch 40 ?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I have made some comments in this video and other PVC flute making videos to help answer that question. I would suggest trying the measurements from this video and see what happens. 😁

[@SargentEdgedTools]

@@BlueBearFlutes thanks for the quick response, much appreciated, started watching your videos and looked over to see a piece of 40 leaning against the wall, well on my way to getting it done, thanks so much!

[@SargentEdgedTools]

@@BlueBearFlutes got one that actually plays different notes, stoked!

[@LuxordGenius]

Have you found any success in making a Drone Flute from PVC. I have heard you talk about it in a video somewhere that it has been done but have you personally tried. I am extremely curious of attempting a Drone Flute with PVC for fun.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hey Zachary! Thanks for asking. I have made a few drones out of PVC and have a video that will be coming out to show the process very soon!

[@LuxordGenius]

@@BlueBearFlutes So much excitement just enveloped me. Thank you, can't wait for my "Backpack Penguin Drone" :)

[@smaklilu90]

It plays a pentatonic minor scale, how do you make it play a regular pentatonic scale? I wish the distance between the holes and their relation with intervals is discussed

[@BlueBearFlutes]

And how many of my videos have you seen? Also, how many videos do I have? What subjects are they on?

[@jasonwalton1985]

Sent you a message with a video on your Facebook page my friend.

[@maayanburroughs5424]

Please, could you wrtite down the measurement of the pvc tube; diameter and length. I have a hard time to understand my language in French. Thanks!

[@maayanburroughs5424]

oh and mm and cm because I do not understand 7-78 inch something

[@Mwwright79]

Thank you for your videos! Don’t know if it helps people in identifying the proper pipe or not, but The sdr in the print on the pipe tells the wall thickness. It is a dimensional ratio (the DR part of SDR) of the outside diameter. Outer diameter of 3/4” pipe is 1050 thousandths smaller r 1.050”. Divide 1050 by 21 in this case and you have a wall thickness of .050.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Wow!

[@nmlindon20]

That measure instrument have holes measuring tips just for info.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Measurements fingerings videos posted many. Others check my channel.

[@moneyman_-lr9hy]

I’m in the process of making this but I’m not getting hardly any sound maybe the sound hole isn’t sharp enough?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

It could be that, or more likely the plug is not open enough or is open too much and is pushed too far inside of the flute.

[@gerardjohnson2106]

SDR = sewer, drain, riser not for potable water use

[@luisosorio5004]

Lo podrías traducir al español latino por favor

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Tal vez algún día.

[@lenval555]

can someone tell me, what the size in cm is? (OD) in metric...im sorry, i am German

[@BlueBearFlutes]

OD 25mm. Keine Notwendigkeit, sich zu entschuldigen. 😄

[@lenval555]

@@BlueBearFlutes alles cool, danke dir, ich kaufe gleich morgen die Passende im Baumarkt...danke liebe Grüße

[@lenval555]

​@BlueBearFlutes are you sure, that its od25?... am i stupid or did i calculate wrong, i have 3/4" as 1,9 cm...or is there any way, you could post the lenghts in Metric cm?? If u dont mind, its hard, even with acces to internet, to do each independent...or tell me i am wrong, I bought both, oder 20, as well as 25en and for both the wooden dowels, my text is probably too long

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@lenval555 Entschuldigung, dass ich dich ausgetrickst habe. Anscheinend können Sie Zoll problemlos in Millimeter umrechnen.

[@lassuculentasdenatayalgoma3331]

I speak our I write only English

[@lassuculentasdenatayalgoma3331]

Friend you can put the subtitles in Spanish? Please?

[@lassuculentasdenatayalgoma3331]

To put

[@KGatLC]

Hey Charlie, Lowes has it listed on their website as SDR 21.

[@larzhillbot1443]

yes Lowes has good stock of it

[@michaelwilson4132]

Get to the point!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

No problem. The point is, you have no attention span and you think that you want to learn something but truthfully you only want to see someone else do it and you want it to be quick and easy! Well, it ain't quick and easy! If you're going to get all of this info, hundreds of videos I've posted and all this experience for free you're going to have to listen to all of my inane babbling! Maybe if you pay close attention, you just might learn something!

[@user-pd4xc4mh1v]

Мутительно! Почему я должен выслушивать эту тарабарщину? Что за дискриминация родного Русского языка? Маразм!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Вы поняли мой английский, почему вы не написали комментарий на английском? Трусливый

[@GwenS320]

You take forever to say nothing

[@BlueBearFlutes]

😂 actually, for those with a fully cognizant brain, I gave an entire life's lesson in a short amount of time.