by Emily Meenan
(Credit to Sony Music Entertainment)
When you type the word “cello” in the YouTube search bar, six out of the first ten matches have to do with Jon Schmidt and Steven Sharp Nelson- The Piano Guys. Their now viral videos began as an advertising plan for a piano store in St. George, Utah. It obviously went well. Now not only are The Piano Guys known across the globe, they’re also quite a hot commodity. “Presenters from literally all over the world have started asking for concert appearances. China, Malaysia, Australia, Vienna, Slovenia, India, Sri Lanka, Turkey, the list goes on. TED invited us to do a TED x event in Bucharest (which we were not able to accept). Also we have been contacted by some big hitters in the music industry,” Schmidt tells. Nelson has also begun to realize his new found fame. “When we filmed “Me and My Cello” we were recognized by someone in every location we filmed,” he reminisces.
The Piano Guys’ popularity isn’t just pure luck. Schmidt and Nelson have worked their entire lives to become so proficient at what they do. Not only do they sound good, but they write their music with incredible proficiency and skill. When asked about the writing process, Schmidt says, “Improvisation and experimentation are always the first steps in arranging a new tune. Every once in awhile we notate notes on paper if we are not in the recording studio, but usually no notation is needed because we can either record it immediately upon coming across something we like, or because it is a difficult part that needs practice… in which case it is quickly memorized.” Not every song is written exactly the same way, though, as Nelson explains. “Sometimes we’ll latch onto an idea and write it all out on paper, then use this as a foundation over which to improvise. Or sometimes we’ll find a melody that we love, then improvise around it until we’re comfortable enough to write harmonies above and below it. The majority of our music is written “organically” — meaning as it “comes” to us in the studio rather than mechanically, note by note on a piece of paper.”
Their great talent does not prevent them from having some crazy times while recording, though. Schmidt reminisces upon a time when a helicopter airlifted them and their instruments to a remote location to film. “When that helicopter began lifting our brand new-never-before-played grand piano into the air we couldn’t help close our eyes and cross our fingers.” Schmidt continues, “We consider a blessing of Heaven that it worked. I guess we figured that if it didn’t, maybe it could still be a viral video — ‘PIANO MOVE FAIL’.”
Both Schmidt and Nelson have learned that success can be bittersweet. Nelson discusses the easy and not so easy changes that have happened in his life. “Rearranging my personal life has been the easy part. Leaving my “day job” was a little scary but I haven’t looked back since. And I haven’t minded the sleep deprivation, the long hours, and the extra mental, spiritual, and physical commitment, but the time I’ve had to spend away from my wife and children has been a very difficult adjustment.”
The long hours and hard work have been well worth it, as is proven by some of the fantastic feedback that The Piano Guys have received. Schmidt recalls, “We heard Taylor Swift’s dad enjoyed Love Story Meets Viva la Vida. Also we heard that the father
of the cello player of “One Republic” cried when he watched Beethoven’s 5 Secrets.”
Schmidt ends by discussing his goal to get The Piano Guys’ name out there while Youtube is still up and coming, “The faster we can do it, the better chance we have of becoming a youtube name that is known world wide.” Make sure to check out the videos that The Piano Guys post regularly on their Youtube channel!
