If you spend any time on YouTube or TikTok, you've likely encountered Rush E, the notoriously difficult piano meme that looks impossible to play. The kinetic typography videos, frantic hand movements, and chaotic progression have made it a staple of internet culture. But unlike classical masterpieces by Chopin or Beethoven, Rush E doesn't belong to a 19th-century virtuoso.
So, who actually composed Rush E? The piece is a product of modern digital media, created by the YouTube channel and production group Sheet Music Boss. Rather than being written by a single traditional composer sitting at a grand piano, it was crafted collaboratively as a web meme designed to push the boundaries of impossible computer-generated piano music.
The Origin of Rush E
The story of Rush E starts with its predecessor, Rush B, a simpler meme piece built around the note B. When Rush B gained traction in the online gaming and piano communities, viewers demanded a follow-up that ramped the difficulty up to a completely absurd level.
In response, the creators at Sheet Music Boss released Rush E in July 2020. The letter "E" was chosen simply because it sounded like a funny escalation point for a meme track. The goal wasn't to write a standard concert piece, but to create an interactive visual and auditory spectacle that human pianists would try to conquer as a challenge.
Who Are the Creators Behind Sheet Music Boss?
Sheet Music Boss is operated by Andrew Wrangell and Caramelcube (the online pseudonym for Samuel Dickenson). Andrew Wrangell is a pianist and composer based in the UK, while Samuel Dickenson handles much of the technical production, animation, and video editing.
When they compose tracks like Rush E, they use digital audio workstations (DAWs) and specialized notation software. They write notes that far exceed the physical capabilities of a human pair of hands—incorporating dozens of simultaneous notes and impossible leaps across the keyboard—knowing that the visual representation (the falling MIDI notes) is just as important as the audio.
Why Did Rush E Become Such a Massive Meme?
Several distinct factors turned Rush E into a global phenomenon across YouTube and TikTok:
- Visual spectacle: The falling note animations make the music instantly engaging to watch, even for people who don't read sheet music.
- The "Impossible" Challenge: Real-life concert pianists and content creators immediately began trying to arrange and perform the piece with multiple hands, extra fingers, or modified keyboards.
- Catchy motif: Despite the chaotic arrangement, the central melody has a genuinely infectious rhythm that sticks in your head.
Real Pianists Playing Rush E
While the original digital version requires multiple virtual fingers hitting keys simultaneously, professional musicians quickly took on the challenge of adapting Rush E for live performance. Pianists like Lord Vinheteiro and numerous talented cover artists released videos breaking down how to play simplified or rearranged versions on a physical 88-key piano.
Playing a live arrangement requires lightning-fast hand crossovers, intense stamina, and memorizing complex fingerings. These human covers added a second layer of virality to the original meme, bridging the gap between computer-generated novelty and actual musicianship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rush E a real classical song?
No. Rush E is a modern internet meme and digital composition created in 2020. It has no connection to classical music history, despite sharing naming conventions with pieces like Rachmaninoff's preludes.
Can a human actually play the original version of Rush E?
Not exactly as written. The original MIDI file contains more simultaneous notes and impossible stretches than a single human body can physically play with two hands. However, arrangers have created playable two-hand and four-hand adaptations.
What does the 'E' in Rush E stand for?
The "E" simply refers to the musical note E, which serves as the tonal anchor for the climax and central joke of the composition, following the naming pattern established by Rush B.
Where can I find the official sheet music?
Sheet Music Boss provides official transcriptions and simplified arrangements of Rush E on their website and through digital music platforms for pianists looking to tackle the challenge.
