Google's Doodle Records, Shares Your Music

By Marcus Yam
published

Be musical.

UPDATE: Even though it's no longer his birthday, Google is keeping the Les Paul doodle for another day due to popular demand!

Today is the birthday of Les Paul, who was born in 1915. To commemorate his birthday, Google has posted a doodle of guitar strings that form the company's logo on its search page.

While artistic logos are not uncommon, today's is truly artistic in the interactive sense. Users can use the keyboard or mouse over the strings to play notes, which can then be recorded and shared to others. (Unfortunately, it seems that the recording and sharing aspect is limited to just those in the U.S.)

Google designer Alexander Chen explained in a blog post that the doodle was made with a combination of JavaScript, HTML5 Canvas, CSS, Flash and tools like Google Font API, goo.gl and App Engine.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
20 Comments Comment from the forums
  • bogcotton
    I tried to strum the image on this page... Google what have you done to me!?
    Reply
  • internetlad
    it's so annoying, i'm on a work machine hooked up to the sound system and every time i try to google something everybody wonders where the shitty guitar riffs are coming from.
    Reply
  • gm0n3y
    Ok, that is actually really cool. Go Google!
    Reply
  • 3ddraft
    @internetlad

    use the browser search bar instead of going to the site
    Reply
  • borisof007
    If you're using Chrome, it's a bit annoying because you can't use the keyboard to strum like you can on IE. Still loads of fun.
    Reply
  • blppt
    "Hey Homer, I can see your DOODLE!" --Ned Flanders
    Reply
  • 3ddraft
    keyboard works fine for me and i'm using chrome 12
    Reply
  • teaser
    bogcottonI tried to strum the image on this page... Google what have you done to me!?......Haha......Me too
    Reply
  • This is just an article bearing the image of the real thing you can find on the actual Google page.
    Reply
  • ALANMAN
    borisof007If you're using Chrome, it's a bit annoying because you can't use the keyboard to strum like you can on IE. Still loads of fun. I'm using chrome and using the keyboard works fine for me.
    Reply