Bringing traditional musical instruments to the digital environment

Not only are they passionate about European and American music, many young Vietnamese are learning to play the zither and pipa through online videos and covering US and UK music with folk materials. Social networks have become an “open stage” where traditional music is renewed and created, but the question also arises: How to maintain the originality while keeping up with trends?

Vu Do Quang Minh performs the zither. Photo: NVCC.

Digital stage becomes a trend

In recent years, the trend of bringing traditional musical instruments to the digital environment has spread widely in the Gen Z community. The zither, monochord, and pipa are mixed with US-UK and K-pop hits. Thanks to smartphones and the internet, many young people can learn to play musical instruments at home through short instructional videos . Many cases started from zero but after only a few months were able to perform and post clips online, attracting the attention of the music-loving community.

The story of Vu Do Quang Minh – a student at the Vietnam National Academy of Music is a typical example. Initially learning the bamboo flute, Minh switched to the zither and covered “Rolling in the Deep”, arousing curiosity among viewers because of its “strange rhythm”. Some other covers such as “Don’t make my heart hurt” on the zither also became a small “trend” with hundreds of thousands of views. For Gen Z, playing traditional musical instruments is no longer considered “dry” or “old”, but has become a way to express personality in the digital space.

Not only in Vietnam, many young artists are bringing Vietnamese traditional musical instruments to the world through online platforms. Zither artist Nguyen Truong Son (22 years old) living in Australia regularly posts performance videos on Instagram and TikTok, combining Western musical instruments in modern arrangements. In the comments section, international audiences curiously ask about the “harp-like instrument but smaller”, thereby learning more about Vietnamese culture. Social media, in that way, becomes an effective promotional channel that was previously unimaginable.

Conservation challenges

The rise of the “digital stage” also poses significant challenges. In pursuit of views and quick effects, some cover products abuse electronic beats or shorten clips, causing the timbre and technique of traditional instruments to fade away. Creativity sometimes becomes “distortion”, losing the original spirit of national music .

Musician Ngoc Thinh, a member of the Vietnam Musicians Association, believes that innovation is necessary to keep tradition alive in contemporary life. However, he emphasizes: Creativity must go hand in hand with understanding and responsibility. Each product posted online should not only be “pleasing to the ear” but also need to suggest the cultural story behind it. When placed properly – both modern and retaining its “soul” – the zither, monochord or pipa will become a bridge between today’s generation and the thousand-year-old heritage.

Along with that popularity, the biggest concern is that the identity may be blurred. Some cover products vary too much in melody and rhythm; using electronic beats to overwhelm the typical technique, causing the national element to be "diluted". The pressure to attract views also leads to a trend of shortening clips, ignoring the introduction of the history and cultural value of musical instruments.

Musician Ngoc Thinh assessed this as a positive sign because the tradition has stepped out of the festival framework and become closer to the lives of young people. But he emphasized: “Creativity must come with the responsibility of preservation. If we only follow the effect of social networks and remove the original spirit of traditional musical instruments, the identity will only be a decorative shell.”

According to Mr. Thinh, young artists need to master the musical scale, the technique of vibrato, and the unique style of the instrument before making new arrangements; each product posted online should be associated with a cultural story - something that helps viewers both enjoy and understand more deeply about traditional music.

Van Thanh

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/dua-nhac-cu-truyen-thong-len-moi-truong-so.html