By Lindsay Wallace
"It's not technique — it's what you have to say," electric guitar innovator Les Paul once said. Honoring that philosophy, today Google launched the coolest Google Doodle ever for Paul's birthday. Schools and offices everywhere are no doubt filled with the sound of strumming guitar chords, thanks to this awesome tribute to the legendary musician Paul, who would have been 96 today. The app allowed you to strum the guitar image with your mouse or type out the notes on the keyboard and create music on the spot. And, to add to the experience, you can record your songs for playback and get a url of your recording to share with friends.
In a brilliant display of instant expertise in a (probably) useless skill, people on sites across the globe from the U.K.'s Mirror to YouTube have already begun to offer brief tutorials on how to work your own magic on Paul's digital guitar. Songs they've figured out include the classics, like Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," and more current songs, like Lady Gaga's "Paparazzi."
For example, you can wish anyone a happy birthday today with a digital electric guitar by playing, GGHGKJ GGHGLK GGPKJH GGPKLK. For the Harry Potter fans out there, play C H KJH PL M N IJB UC.
The Newsroom house band seems to have taken the day off today, so we have a special challenge for you at home. Can you make that guitar sing? Here are five songs we want to learn:
» Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
» Bruno Mars, "The Lazy Song"
» Death Cab for Cutie, "You Are a Tourist"
» Foo Fighters, "Walk"
» Taylor Swift, "The Story of Us"
When you figure them out, record the songs and post your links in the comments below.