You’ve never heard AC/DC quite like this before.
In fact, it seems that Moyun of Hong Kong can transform just about any song into something brand new – all with the help of the guzheng. This traditional Chinese instrument is said to have been created before the 6th century BCE and is made of 16 or more strings and moveable bridges. Together, it produces some of the sweetest sounds that pair surprisingly well with what was originally a rock song.
“Traditional Chinese instruments aren’t suited for adapting a band’s entire sound,” Moyun said. “Guzheng is like the bass. It’s hard to create variations with it.”
Despite these limitations, Moyun has mastered the process of adapting popular music for the guzheng. In one of her many videos shared on YouTube, she does this with “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC. During her performance, Moyun is constantly moving both of her hands, each movement effortlessly methodical and hypnotizing to watch. When she’s not plucking one of the instrument’s many strings, she’s beating it like a drum.
By sharing videos like these, Moyum hopes that more people will come to appreciate this unique instrument and all that it has to offer musicians and listeners alike.
“Chinese culture tends to be abstract,” she said. “It’s not really accessible. But pop culture is accessible. By putting the two together, I hope the audience can appreciate my music.”
Watch Moyun masterfully create an epic new version of “Thunderstruck” in the video below, and don’t forget to share.
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