Cello Wars (Star Wars Parody) Lightsaber Duel - The Piano Guys

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Long ago in a galaxy far, far away...

We announced CELLO WARS on September 19, 2011 thinking we'd be able to deliver on our promise within a few weeks. We had NO IDEA. 70 days later, more than 7,000 frames, 72 audio tracks, 24 hours of filming through the night in front of a green screen, the most props and costumes we've ever used, several broken bows and strings, and over 1,000 hours of editing and rendering -- we felt like we had taken on the entire EMPIRE!

Tel Stewart is THE MAN. He is the reason this worked. He is the man behind the green screen -- behind the editing bay -- behind all the cool effects. He had to edit every single frame in order to make the light sabers work (a total of over 7,000 frames)! We now have a Piano Guys Hall of Fame and he was recently the first inductee.

Original music composed by the AMAZING John Williams
Arrangement written and produced by Al van der Beek & Steven Sharp Nelson
Recorded, mixed & mastered by Al van der Beek at TPG Studios
Steven Sharp Nelson: Electric Cellos/Vocals/Percussion
Al van der Beek: Vocals/percussion
Starring Steven Sharp Nelson and his Doppelganger (Jedi/Sith),
Al van der Beek as Darth Vader
Paul Anderson as Chewbacca

Special thanks to
CEC-TV in St. George for the use of their green screen studio
CMI at Dixie State College letting us use their Sony F3
Ben Braten For the constant advice for visual effects
Will Stucki for letting us borrow the cymbals and gong!

Video produced by Paul Anderson & Tel Stewart

We used the following John Williams Star Wars Movie Themes (in order of appearance)
The Imperial March (Empire Strikes Back Theme)
Duel of the Fates (From Episode 1)
May the Force Be With You
Star Wars Main Theme
Cantina Band (from Episode 4)

All FIVE melodies enter one by one at the end and stack on top of each other until all of them are being played at the same time.

Check out our Top 10 videos!

#thepianoguys #pianocello

[Alec_Shepard]

9 years later and were still waiting on a Cello Wars Part 2. The fandom is in pieces, and can only be made whole again by the Power of music. Help me, Piano Guys. You’re my only hope.

[fredemon]

"no using the bows at lightsabers" the first thing a orchestra student hears. this guy however...

[marytheisen]

I show my 3rd and 4th grade students this video every year when we do our unit on instrument families of the orchestra. They always die laughing when Vader comes in with the accordion!! Such a great video to get kids interested in string instruments!

[shawnbalboni]

Well, I guess for Vader that didn't exactly go...accordion to plan

[rintje]

Anakin's braincells fighting over whether or not to join the dark side

[milaynaallen]

I love how the Sith cellist plays in a minor key and the Jedi plays in major! Such a good idea

[katien.]

6 years later and I'm still waiting for part 2...

[lkrader]

I started chuckling when Darth Vader pulled out his accordion 😂😂

[cheshireangel]

Guys we have all misunderstood darth Vader he didn’t be evil all he wanted to was play his accordion

[tristonthomasmusic]

This is not a parody. This is a work of art on its own. Been watching for ten years hats off to you.

[ActorsWithIssuespodcast]

That bit with Vader was hilarious haha

[babaayayga]

"You will annoy all of your friends with the constant posting of this video." How can I annoy people who don't exist? XD

[matthewlawrence]

"That Cello player was our last hope."


"No. There is another...."

[kandiphilbeck]

11 years and this video still plays rent free in my head 💜

[ninjachannel]

This is the greatest thing I've ever seen.

[avengermkii]

After coming back to this video, I just realized they threw cymbals at each other lol.

[maximus]

Dude this stuff is like fine wine. Coming back here feels like I'm revisiting my early teen years. Miss you piano guys. You're legends 🤟

[J_Rossi]

This has to be one of the best, most creative and powerful covers and homages I've listened to. I love how they blend several key Star Wars melodies into a cohesive whole. The flow of  Duel of the Fates into the Force theme is particularly brilliant. Love it. 

[RobertGeisler]

Darth Vader playing the accordion WON the internet. I've seen all I ever need to see now. I have lived. I have lived.

[offbeatbanders]

Lightsaber can be used to decapitate someone or able to cut through bone

Can’t cut through cello strings

CELLOS ARE THE ULTIMATE WEAPON BABY