
The best musical Google Doodles
Get those headphones out: we’ve curated a selection of Google’s most tuneful interactive Doodles.
Shred guitar for Les Paul’s 96th Birthday

It’s hard to believe this Google classic will be five years old in June. This early interactive Doodle let users strum an animated electric guitar, record tunes and play them back; it proved immensely popular, with users in the US alone recording 5.1 years worth of music in the Doodle’s first 48 hours online.
Sail through 19th-century Paris with Debussy

This strikingly beautiful Doodle from 2013 isn’t one of Google’s most interactive, but it is unashamedly lovely and richly deserving of a few minutes of your time. The animation was created by Doodler Leon Hong, with the recording of Debussy’s Clair de Lune provided by his sister, Sabrina.
Get into keyboard music with the inventor of the pianoforte

This 2015 Doodle was launched in homage to Bartolomeo Cristofiori di Francesco, the 17th-century instrument maker credited with inventing the first pianoforte. Those with sensitive ears might get slightly irritated by the repetitive bashing (which gets slightly out of sync towards the end), but that’s sort of the point.
The slider on the right doesn’t just alter the dynamics; it makes the animated Cristofiori hit the keys softer or harder (or much, much harder). The point being, of course, is that it was this functionality that made the pianoforte stand out.
Play theremin for Clara Rockmore’s 105th birthday

Clara Rockmore was originally a violinist, but after an injury she took up the Theremin. She insisted more octaves were added, 5 instead of 3 and managed to create a beautiful tone from this unusual instrument. We love it: both for its excellent functionality and classy graphics and for the astonishing delicacy of the recording that follows the initial game.
Get the party started with your own set of turntables

The most recent musical google doodle on August 17th, was in honour of the birth of hip hop and the ‘dance break’. It’s in ode to the epic moment Kool Herc decided to play the instrumental breaks for longer, allowing people to continue dancing, whilst a friend (the MC) hyped up the crowd. In this doodle, the cross fader lets you experiment with mixing the beats, and the record store gives you a great selection to play around with. The visuals, vibe and functionality of this doodle make it a real winner.
