Everything You Need to Know About Google Guitar

Google Guitar was initially introduced as a Google Doodle in 2011 in honor of the 96^th birthday of guitar legend Les Paul. It was an instant hit with people across the country trying to create a tune using the Doodle. Since then, the Doodle has remained online and popular.

This particular Google Doodle has been incredibly long lived considering all the other famous ones are only popular for a short time, even Pac Man. Yet Google Guitar remains in use every day by hundreds, if not thousands of people across the country. So what is it? What can it do and can you really play the Star Wars Imperial March on it?

Google Guitar

Google Guitar is a functioning guitar doodle playable by using your keys on a keyboard or with a mouse. You can pick with keys and strum with mouse and works in much the same way (in principle) as a real guitar does.

So how does it work? Hover your mouse over a string and it will light up and play. Or type in a key, either individually or in sequence to play the chord. That isn’t the only trick in its arsenal though. It can record your music too!

Hit the black button underneath Google Guitar and a little red light comes on and a message says ‘recording’. It is doing just that. Play your tune while recording, stop the recording and you will receive a link to where your tune was saved. You can then share as you see fit.

How to play a tune on Google Guitar

To play anything meaningful on Google Guitar, you need to link notes with a corresponding key on the keyboard. Google have done it with numbers.

1 = G

2 = A

3 = B

4 = C

5 = D

6 = E

7 = F#

8 = G

9 = A

0 = B

Hit number 1 and you get a G, hit 2 and you hear the note A and so on. While basic, Google Guitar has all the ingredients necessary to play basic chords and a few tunes. For example, you can create G major, F major and C major with:

G Major = 1, 3, 5

C Major = 4, 6, 8

F Major = 4, 6, 8

Song playable on Google Guitar

As you would expect, there are more than a few enterprising musicians out there who managed to bend Google Guitar to their will. I have found these eighteen songs that are all playable on the doodle. Some use numbers while others use letters.

Type the corresponding character into Google Guitar with some semblance of rhythm and you’ll get the tune.

Star Wars theme – 15 432 85 4342

Star Wars Imperial March – 333 1 53 1 53 7 7 7 8 53 1 53

Happy Birthday – 112143 112154 1176543 776454

The Godfather – D H K J H K H J H F G D

Titanic – Q WE WQ WT RTY TREW YUI UYT RTY TREW

Linkin Park: In the End – 6008777786008777786008777786

Nirvana: Come As You Are – Q Q Q W E W E W E W Q E Q W Q

Metallica: Fade to Black – D U I U D U T U A U I U A U T U

Metallica: One – DGJPJG DGJPJG JJJ JKJ HJHDDD

Metallica: Nothing Else Matters – 3735 1715 3735 1715 8 3735 2725 1715 15 27 3

Phantom of the Opera – GG J K J G L J G K J GG J K F

Bob Marley: Redemption Song – 12314653 123534321 12314653 123534321

Lady Gaga: Paparazzi – IIIIIOPU UUUIPI YU YUPI

Pokemon – 33333211 333212 44445321 133213 33333211 133213 44445321 33213 356335664321 6678855 356653653 133213 33566 33566 356

White Stripes: – Seven Nation Army – HHKHGFD HHKHGFD

Keyboard Cat – E T U T E TU T W R Y R W R YR W Q E T Q ET E Q QQ QQ Q Q Q Q

Lady Gaga: – Poker Face – 1 875 875 4444 33 3 55 2 212321

Jingle Bells – 333 333 35123 444443333355421

YouTube has hundreds of videos still up of people playing everything from Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean to the Star Spangled Banner. Check them out if you feel the need. Some have the keyboard combinations in the comments while others do not.

Google Guitar is probably the most successful Google Doodle ever. It is interactive, creative and allows for hours and hours of fun. It’s the doodle that keeps on giving!