Hey google whats the name of this song

Ever had a song stuck in your head you don’t know the words to? Don’t know the lyrics of a song quite enough to find it on the web by just typing the lyrics? Google has a solution for you. The Google Search app can identify a song by your humming or even whistling, making it easier to discover new music. This can be done right on your iPhone or iPad.

Shazam might be the best music recognition app out there, but not everyone’s actively listening to a song that they’re interested in, so the trick to use Siri on iPhone or iPad to figure out what music is playing won’t be available in that situation. A lot of people hear a part of a song somewhere and then it gets stuck in their head, even if they don’t know the lyrics. This is pretty common, so for these instances, Google’s Hum to Search feature certainly takes the cake. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Let’s take a look at this nifty feature and learn how to hum to search songs using the Google app on your iPhone and iPad.

Before you get started, you’ll need two things. Obviously, you need to have the Google app installed on your device since that’s what we’ll be using, but additionally, you need to install the Google Assistant app too. Once you’re done, simply follow the steps below:

1. Launch the Google Search app on your iPhone or iPad and tap on the microphone icon located on the right side of the search bar.
2. Now, you’ll find the “Search a song” option below the dots as indicated in the screenshot below. Tap on it to proceed.
3. This will take you to the dedicated song search section of the app. All you need to do right now is just hum a line or a verse of the song you’re trying to find.
4. Once the app identifies the song, it’ll display the three closest results as shown below. In most cases, the first result is the most accurate.

As you can see, Google has made it really easy to search songs by just humming. How long did that take?

Tapping on the song will just initiate a Google search for it which may bring up the entire lyrics of the song. So, you can compare and see if that’s what you were actually listening to.

It’s important to note that Google may not fetch any results when it has trouble identifying your humming. We tested out around ten different songs using the app and it failed to detect three of them. In most cases, as long as the song is popular, you should get the result.

Are you unable to find the “Search a Song” option in the Google app? This indicates that you haven’t installed the Google Assistant app on your iPhone or iPad. We’re not quite sure why you need Google Assistant since you don’t even have to open the app on your device. However, you can also try initiating the search by saying “What’s the name of this song” after pressing the microphone button.

Perhaps Siri will gain this feature too in the future, but for now Siri has the ability to figure out songs playing if you hear one you like.

Hopefully, you were able to discover new songs without even knowing the proper lyrics by making use of the Google Search app. Do you think Siri and Shazam should implement this feature as well? Feel free to share your personal opinions and leave your valuable feedback in the comments section down below.

Related

Ever have a song you can't remember the name of, nor any of its words? Now Google has a new feature where you can simply hum the melody and it can hopefully name that tune.

The idea of identifying songs through singing, humming or whistling instead of lyrics is not a new idea—the music app SoundHound has possessed hum-to-search for at least a decade. Google's new feature should help the search engine with the many requests it receives to identify music.

Aparna Chennapragada, a Google vice president who introduced the new feature during a streamed event Oct. 15, said people ask Google "what song is playing" nearly 100 million times each month.

To use the new feature on a mobile device, open the latest version of the Google app or find the Google Search widget. Tap on the mic icon and say "what's this song?" or click the "Search a song" button. Then start humming for 10 to 15 seconds. On Google Assistant, say, "Hey Google, what's this song?" and then hum the tune. Perfect pitch is not needed.

The new feature is based on machine learning models that analyze each hum, whistle or singing and remove details such as accompanying instruments and the voice's timbre and tone. They next compare the melody to thousands of songs from around the world.

The feature will show users a list of the most likely songs based on the melody. They can then select a match, explore information on the song and artist, view any accompanying music videos or listen to the song, find the lyrics, or check out other recordings of the song if they are available.

"It could certain help connect musical artists and the music industry with customers," says Chris Rodgers, CEO and founder of Colorado SEO Pros. "In the music creation process, musicians might come up with amazing ideas, and it'll turn out those came from something they heard and replayed in their mind one-hundred times and then thought it was their own brilliant idea. So maybe this new feature could almost be a way to do an [intellectual property] check. 'I've got this amazing song, but is it really similar to something else out there?'"

Moreover, a user might hear a jingle in a commercial or some message from social media and want to identify those melodies. "I can see Google try to monetize that opportunity like they try to monetize everything," Rodgers says.

The new feature is currently available in English on iOS, and in more than 20 languages on Android. Google plans to expand it to more languages in the future.

"It's a cool feature. I don't think it has big commercial applications at this point, but I do think it helps the Google brand," Rodgers says.

One concern with this new feature is that Google may use such technology to covertly identify people by the sounds of their voices. "We know the technology is already there for the big tech companies to turn on receivers in phones," Rodgers says. "And there's a lot of anecdotal evidence that some of them may be listening to you. Facebook has denied this up and down, but I myself have anecdotal evidence."

"These are hard questions none of us have the answers to," Rodgers says. "We're all navigating a world of variables and unknowns hoping these companies have our best interests in mind while trying to enjoy the quote-unquote free technology they have, but at the end of the day, we know it comes at some kind of price."

Music is everywhere. You could be in a cab or a café, or sitting on your couch, when a new song finds its way into your head and takes up residence. But the sweet joy of discovering a fresh favorite can turn bitter in an instant when you can’t name that tune. Luckily, you can get help. Here's how to use your smartphone to identify a song.

Need some new gear to listen to music? Check out our buying guides, including the Best Wireless Earbuds, Best Noise-Canceling Headphones, and  Best Audiophile Gear.

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Google Assistant (Android or iPhone)

Photograph: Simon Hill

Google has offered some form of song recognition for years now, but it has improved significantly over time. Even if the song you want is no longer playing, you can try humming or singing it. Here’s how:

1. On an Android device, say, “Hey Google,” or touch and hold the home button. On an iPhone, open the Google app and tap the microphone button.
2. Ask, “What’s this song?”
3. If the song is playing, Google Assistant will name it and give you a YouTube link. You can also hum, whistle, or sing the melody, and Google will suggest potential matches.

Sadly, this doesn't work on Wear OS smartwatches, but you can try Shazam (see below) to get song recognition on your wrist. 

Siri (iPhone)

You can use Siri to identify a song on most Apple devices, including the Apple Watch, but it has to be the original version. It won't recognize your humming or singing.

1. Say, “Hey Siri,” or long-press the power button on an iPhone or the digital crown on an Apple Watch.
2. Ask, “What’s this song?”
3. If the song is playing, Siri will name it and give you an Apple Music link.

Shazam (Android or iPhone)

Photograph: Simon Hill

Shazam was the original music-recognition service and it offers handy extras like synced lyrics, links to some of the best music streaming services, and easy sharing on social media. Apple acquired Shazam in 2018, but the app is still available for Android, as well as iOS. It also works on many of our picks for the best smartwatches.

1. Open the app and tap the Shazam button to identify a song.
2. To add a Shazam shortcut on iPhone, go to Settings, Control Center, then tap the Add button next to Music Recognition. You now have a Shazam button in Control Center. On an Android device, you can tap and hold the Shazam app in the app drawer, then tap Shazam Now.
3. If you want Shazam on in the background so it can continue to identify what is playing around you, you can turn on Auto Shazam by opening the app and touching and holding the Shazam button.

Like Siri, Shazam can’t recognize a tune that you sing or hum yourself. If you don’t want to use Google for that, then try the SoundHound app (Android or iOS).

Now Playing (Google Pixel Phones Only)

If you have a Pixel 2 or later Google Pixel phone, there’s a handy feature called Now Playing that's built in. Here’s how to use it:

1. Go to Settings, Sound and vibration, Advanced, and then Now Playing.
2. Toggle on Identify Songs Playing Nearby. When you first turn it on, your Pixel will download the song database.
3. All you need to do is glance at your lock screen to see the title and artist of any song that’s playing. You can also find a complete track history in Settings, Sound and Vibration, Advanced, Now Playing, Now Playing History.

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