The internet-famous, impossibly fast piano composition “Rush E” was created by Sheet Music Boss, a YouTube duo consisting of Australian musicians and composers Andrew Wrangell and Samuel Dickenson.
The Origins: From “Rush B” to “Rush E”
To understand how “Rush E” came to be, you have to look at its predecessor, “Rush B.” Sheet Music Boss gained initial popularity by arranging video game and pop culture themes into complex, fast-paced piano MIDI animations.
In response to a community joke—rooted in the classic Counter-Strike gaming meme where players yell “Rush B”—the duo composed “Rush B,” a Russian-folk-inspired piano piece heavily centered around the note B.
When looking for a follow-up, the internet was heavily circulating the “E” meme (featuring Lord Farquaad’s face mashed with Markiplier). Capitalizing on this viral trend, Andrew Wrangell and Samuel Dickenson decided to write a successor built around the letter and musical note “E.”
Why Is It So Hard?
“Rush E” was intentionally designed as an absurdity. Because it was programmed as a digital MIDI file rather than something meant for a human with ten fingers to easily play, it escalates into a terrifying wall of notes that requires multiple hands—or a literal monster character with 24 fingers, as popularized in their YouTube visualizer video.
Despite its computer-generated origins, the piece sparked a massive global challenge. Pianists, prodigies, and content creators across YouTube and TikTok began trying to physically arrange and perform the unplayable piece, turning it into a staple of modern internet culture.
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