The retired teacher dedicated his retirement life to creating unique instruments

65-year-old retired science teacher Sedat Sümbül, who started playing the bağlama about 15 years ago in Eskişehir, learned to make instruments by following his curiosity and started making the instruments he used, tried to achieve a unique sound with his new work named ‘Sümbülin’, which he named after his surname. Sedat Sümbül, who worked in the education sector for many years, started to be interested in instruments in 2015 along with playing the bağlama. Initially learning the notes and improving himself in playing the saz, Sümbül, who did not want to waste his retirement life, later wanted to make the instruments he played by himself. Believing that instruments can be produced at any age and people can learn, the retired educator, who also attended courses on instrument making, eventually started making all the instruments he played with his own efforts and came up with 3 original ideas during this process. Making his first work by turning a gourd into a saz, Sedat Sümbül, inspired by Ali Rıza Kalaycı, also produced a new instrument named ‘Sümbülin’ after his own surname. Planning to work on the cura from the bağlama family in the future, the retired teacher aims to improve the instrument named ‘Sümbülin’ with different works.
“I acted with the idea that it can be produced at any age and people can learn” After ending his teaching career in 2013, Sedat Sümbül, who became involved with instruments 2 years later, said, “I worked in the state for 26 years and in private for 8 years. After leaving the profession, I retired. After 2015, I became interested in playing the bağlama. First, I learned the notes. Then I tried to learn to play the bağlama partially. In 2016, I became interested in making instruments. I attended the instrument making course opened by Eskişehir Odunpazarı Municipality. Then I worked on instrument making with Sinan Aygün and İlker Negiş masters. The works I am currently carrying out are for hobby purposes. I want life not to end at a certain age and retirement. I acted with the idea that it can be produced at any age and people can learn. Actually, I saw that it is like this from my own experience. First, I worked on bağlama making. Then I tried to make some original instruments.”
“I named the last instrument I made ‘Sümbülin’ after my own surname” Stating that he created the stringed instrument named ‘Sümbülin’ by taking inspiration from the pumpkin and bağlama keyboard, Sümbül said, “The making of Sümbülin took a long time because I had to make trials at different stages. But it takes about 15 days in practice. There is nothing difficult. As an educator, I think if anyone in the world can do something, everyone can. With enough time and effort. It is not possible to obtain a good product without putting effort. Sümbülin was an instrument that we started as an experiment and achieved a pleasant sound. We need to develop it a bit more. Because saying ‘I made one, it’s done’ is not correct. In fact, others should be asked. What I am planning now is to work on cura and sümbülin from the bağlama family whenever I have the opportunity.”