If you’re a fan of both Undertale’s iconic soundtrack and experimenting with Rust’s creative capabilities, you’ve probably wondered how to play Megalovania on Rust piano at least once. The adrenaline-fueled boss track is one of the most requested pieces for custom piano tools built in Rust, and you don’t need advanced music theory or senior Rust dev skills to pull it off. I’ve put together this guide after testing 4 different Rust piano implementations across desktop apps and server plugins, so all the tips below are tested to work even if you only have basic Rust knowledge.
What You Need Before You Learn How to Play Megalovania on Rust Piano
The barrier to entry for this project is incredibly low, so you won’t need any fancy equipment or prior experience to get started. First, you need a working Rust piano tool – this can be a precompiled desktop app, a custom build you put together from an open source repo, or an in-game piano plugin for the Rust survival game, depending on what you’re using it for. Most popular Rust piano repos come with prebuilt binaries for all major operating systems, so you don’t even have to write code if you don’t want to.
- A functional Rust piano tool (custom build, precompiled app, or in-game Rust server piano plugin)
- Basic knowledge of how to run Rust binaries or access server plugins if you’re using the survival game version
- The simplified Megalovania note sequence we’ll share below (no sheet music required)
- 10-15 minutes of practice time to nail the timing of the track’s main riff
Don’t skip the setup test step before you start practicing. I’ve wasted 20 minutes drilling the wrong notes once because I used a custom key map I forgot I changed a month prior. Always test your piano’s key mapping first by pressing a few keys to confirm they line up with the standard QWERTY mapping most tools use. If your mapping is different, you can easily adjust the note sequence we’ll share later to match your setup.
Simplified Megalovania Note Mapping for Rust Pianos
Most standard Rust pianos use a QWERTY key mapping that lines up with three octaves: the bottom row of your keyboard for low octave notes, the middle row for middle octave, and the top row for high octave. Sharps and flats are usually mapped to the number row above the letters, but you can skip most of those for the simplified version of the track we’re using today. The main opening riff only uses 6 notes total, so you don’t have to memorize dozens of keys to get the recognizable Megalovania sound.
For the standard QWERTY mapping, the opening left-hand bass sequence is Z, X, C, V repeated throughout the first 8 bars of the track. The right-hand melody sequence is G, H, G, K, J, G, H, F for the first round of the riff. If your Rust piano uses a different key map, just adjust the notes to match the interval sequence: D, D#, F, G, G#, F, D, A# – that’s the core of the opening riff, and you can transpose it to whatever key your piano is set to. Most players who are new to playing Megalovania on Rust piano worry they need to learn complex chords, but the simplified version we’re using only uses single notes, so it’s accessible for everyone.
You don’t have to stick to the simplified version forever, but it’s the best place to start if you want to be able to play a recognizable version of the track in 10 minutes or less. Stick to 120 BPM for the most accurate sound – that’s the original tempo of the track, and most Rust pianos let you set a built-in metronome to keep time if you’re struggling with pacing.
Step-by-Step Practice Routine to Nail the Track Fast
I’ve tested a lot of practice routines for this track, and the one below cuts down learning time by almost 70% compared to trying to play the whole thing at once. First, practice just the left hand bass sequence for 2 minutes. The left hand plays a repeating 4-note sequence that runs under the whole main riff, so getting that down first makes the rest way easier. Don’t worry about timing at this stage, just focus on hitting the right notes in order without looking down at your keyboard.
Next, practice the right hand melody separately for another 2 minutes. Again, focus on accuracy over speed at this point. Once you can play both parts separately without mistakes, start combining them at half speed, or 60 BPM. This gives you plenty of time to line up the notes correctly without rushing. Don’t speed up until you can play the full 8-bar riff 3 times in a row without mistakes – rushing is the number one reason people mess up the timing of Megalovania.
Once you’re comfortable at half speed, bump the tempo up by 10 BPM every time you can play the riff correctly 3 times. You’ll be at the full 120 BPM in no time. I used to skip the slow practice step when I first started playing tracks on Rust piano, and I spent almost an hour fumbling through the riff before I realized I’d memorized the wrong timing. Taking it slow at first saves you a lot of frustration later.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Playing Megalovania on Rust Piano
Even if you get the notes right, there are a few common pitfalls that can make your version of Megalovania sound off. First, don’t ignore the note sustain feature. Most Rust pianos have a sustain pedal mapped to the Shift key, and using it sparingly on the longer notes makes the track sound much closer to the original. Don’t hold the sustain pedal down the whole time – that will make all the notes blend together into a messy, unrecognizable noise.
Second, don’t try to add too many extra notes right away. A lot of people add extra flourishes before they’ve mastered the core riff, and it ends up sounding messy. The original track is pretty simple, so sticking to the core notes is better than overcomplicating it. Third, if you’re playing on a Rust game server, make sure your ping is under 100 before you play. High ping will cause delay between when you press the key and when the note plays, so your timing will be off even if you’re hitting the notes correctly. Test a few notes first to check for delay if you’re playing for other people on a server – there’s nothing more awkward than playing a whole riff that’s out of time for everyone listening.
Fourth, don’t forget the small pauses between some of the melody notes. The original track has intentional gaps that give it that iconic driving feel, and skipping those makes the riff sound rushed even if you’re playing at the right tempo. Once you’ve mastered the core riff, you can experiment with adding extra layers, chords, or even the rest of the track if you want to make it more complex.
Learning how to play Megalovania on Rust piano is a fun way to show off your Rust skills, whether you’re building a custom piano app or playing for friends on a game server. You don’t need advanced music or coding experience to pull it off, just a little bit of practice and the right notes. Once you’ve mastered the main riff, you can move on to learning the rest of the track, or even experiment with building your own custom Rust piano features like MIDI support or custom sound packs. Next time you’re looking for a fun, low-stakes Rust project to work on, give this a shot – you’ll have a recognizable track to show off in no time.