# LEDs flash to sound



## dudeamis (Oct 16, 2011)

I'm no electrician and while I can do some basics like wire LEDs or run a CPU fan off a battery, my circuit skills are subpar. Does anyone know of a simple way to get lights to flash to sound?


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## HauntMasterVA (Mar 23, 2012)

Are you looking to buy something or build something?


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## dudeamis (Oct 16, 2011)

either or whatever is the best combination of ease and cost.


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## HauntMasterVA (Mar 23, 2012)

If you can find it there is a unit called Christmas Tree FX. This allows you to plug lights into it and has a microphone to pick up sounds to flash the music. IT should also have an input to wire your sound directly to it. If you want to build one you can check www.spooky blue.com website. There is a section for props with a thunder/lightning simulator tutorial.


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## JeffHaas (Sep 7, 2010)

Christmas Tree FX is a product that was out a couple of years ago and is almost impossible to find now.

Here's the link to the tutorial on the Spooky Blue site:
http://spookyblue.com/halloween/lightning_machine/

It tells you to build a color organ kit - you'll need to be familiar with soldering electronic components together.

There's also a tutorial on MAKE Magazine's site:
http://blog.makezine.com/2010/10/18/circuit-skills-led-color-organ-spon/
This one goes into more detail about building the circuit, but the type of color organ may not be what you're looking for.


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## The Pod (Sep 15, 2009)

http://www.instructables.com/id/Blinking-LEDs-to-Music/


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## dudeamis (Oct 16, 2011)

thanks for the info guys!


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## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

Google LED color organ

Should be a ton of info out there


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

Depending on exactly what you're looking for, I made a project last year with an LM3914 chip. This generates the typical 'VU meter' output. I hooked it to a flicker LED, but you could just as easily hook it to the output of an audio source (that is actually what it's meant for, anyway)

Video of it in action, plus some schematics and board artwork:
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?p=641971#post641971

Beginning of the thread:
http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=31091

There are a couple different options with the chip and obviously you could choose what ever colors suit your needs.


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## dudeamis (Oct 16, 2011)

I really like this idea

http://www.instructables.com/id/Music-LED-Light-Box/?ALLSTEPS


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## pshort (May 6, 2008)

dudeamis said:


> I really like this idea
> 
> http://www.instructables.com/id/Music-LED-Light-Box/?ALLSTEPS


The mechanics seem to be nice, but it's really up to the luck of the draw whether the circuit is going to work with your particular music player, LEDs, etc.


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## abner135 (May 31, 2009)

*sound control led*

Here a link to a simple curciut that might do what you what
http://www.instructables.com/id/Sync-LED-to-Music/


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## weaz (Sep 11, 2010)

I use a simple color organ in this prop.

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=35573


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