Play Google Guitar
Quick Facts
- Summary
- Play the Google logo like a guitar in this interactive Doodle made for Les Paul.
- Creator
- Launched
- 2011-06-09
- Status
- Restored
(Discontinued by Google)
Try the Easter Egg
The Original Easter Egg
How It Started
Google released the Guitar Doodle on June 9, 2011, for what would have been Les Paul’s 96th birthday. It replaced the homepage logo with a playable instrument in Google’s colors.
Les Paul’s work on electric guitars and recording technology provided the background for the musical tribute.
What It Did
Visitors could strum the strings or use the keyboard to play notes. In the US, a recorder let them save up to 30 seconds of music, listen back, and share a link to their tune.
A display on the logo showed the recording and playback status.
Impact and Reach
Google reported that US users recorded about 40 million songs in the first 48 hours. The recorder let visitors save their own melodies and share them by link, extending the Doodle beyond a few notes played on the homepage.
Its Discontinuation
The Doodle’s run on the Google homepage ended long ago. Its archive page is still available, but the original guitar’s full interaction no longer works reliably in modern browsers. Adobe Flash Player began blocking Flash content on January 12, 2021, so the original Flash-based sound setup can no longer be used as intended.
The Restored Experience
What’s Different Here
The restored guitar can be strummed with a mouse or finger, or played from the keyboard. Its recording display, playback controls, and tune links let you save a short melody, listen back, and share it.
The audio has been replaced with a system that works in current desktop and mobile browsers, preserving the instrument after its original sound technology became unusable.
The Easter Egg Experience
Click the button above to start playing. Pluck the strings with your mouse or finger, or use your keyboard to play single notes. Press “Record” to start a recording of up to 30 seconds, then press it again to stop. Use “Play recording” to listen back, or copy the tune link to share your melody.
How to Try It
- Click the button above to enter the restored Guitar Doodle.
- Strum the strings with your mouse or finger, or press letter and number keys to play notes.
- Press the round “Record” button on the logo to start recording, then press it again to stop.
- Press “Play recording” on the display to hear your riff again.
- Copy the tune link from the logo screen when you want to share the melody.
The search box can also play music. Enter letters or numbers, then press Enter or click the magnifying glass to hear them played as notes.
On wider screens, you can also use “Google Search” to play the sequence. “I'm Feeling Lucky” fills the box with a ready-made tune and plays it immediately.
Final Thoughts
Google’s tribute to Les Paul is a playable instrument again. Strum a few notes, record a short melody, and send the tune link to someone who can listen back.
Try the Easter Egg
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What’s the story behind the Google Guitar?
The Google Guitar Doodle celebrated Les Paul, a musician and inventor who helped shape modern music with the solid-body electric guitar, multitrack recording, and tape delay. The Doodle turned the Google logo into a guitar you could play.
You can strum the strings with your mouse or finger, play notes with your keyboard, record a short melody, and listen back or share it by link. The page also has ready-made tunes to try.
How do you play the Google Guitar?
Click the button above, then pluck the strings with your mouse or finger. Drag across them to strum several notes, or use letter and number keys to play individual notes. Press “Record” to start recording and press it again to stop. “Play recording” lets you listen back; the tune link on the display lets you share what you played.
What kind of songs can you play on the Google Guitar?
The available notes suit short melodies, familiar songs, and original riffs. Try a tune such as “Happy Birthday,” follow a note guide, or experiment with the keyboard to compose your own phrase.
