sound to light how?

Hello

Before i ask i must point out that i know absolutley nothing about electronics (i can manage a kettle and light switch) so please talk layman so my brain won't explode.

anyway i am an artist and i want to creat a sculpture from light, thats the easy part. what i want to do is make the light pulse in a heartbeat rhythm, the slower and quieter the heartbeat the lower the light intensity, with the light increasing in pace and and brightness with the volume until just a solid bright light.

I must add here that the sculpture will be silent so i was thinking of using a CD player with no speakers for the sound output.

i have seen lights flash and pulsate to music so i was wondering if there was a simple gadget i could buy or is it a matter of getting a techy type to build me one.

thanks for any help or advice, i just don't have a clue what to look for its all gobbledygook to me.

The device you are looking for is commonly called a "Color Organ". A Google of that term should get you started. Building one is not that complicated but for a non-electronic type could be challenging. A color organ could likely be modified to give the effect you are looking for. Another option would be a PIC Chip that has been programmed but that gets more complicated than a simple color organ circuit. Years ago these things were sold as kits, I don't know what is out there today but start with color organ.

<EDIT> A Google of color organ kit brought up plenty of hits that you could modify. </EDIT>

Ron

thank you. now i have a start point.