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[Tim Weaver]

I would suggest you talk to a local sound and lighting install company. You'll save a lot of time and money if you just give them an idea and let them design it.

[Roy-Kristian Storbæk]

I would suggest you talk to a local sound and lighting install company. You'll save a lot of time and money if you just give them an idea and let them design it.

I would if I could find one
I got a special deal with the management of the building where I'm renting though; anything I bring to them before the end of the month they'll install for free since they were in the middle of reconstruction when I signed the lease. So I wanna make use of this and not spend money where it's not necessary.

[Roy-Kristian Storbæk]

Can't for the life of me find a guide on how to hook sound and lighting up to each other

[David Allred]

Can't for the life of me find a guide on how to hook sound and lighting up to each other

This will turn on & off the lights when sound (line level signal) is detected.  Depending on the power required on your lighting circuit, up might have to install a larger relay to this unit.

[Steve Garris]

Can't for the life of me find a guide on how to hook sound and lighting up to each other

There are (2) primary ways to get lights to activate via sound:

1. Most lights have a built in mic, and can be set to sound activation. This is the simplest method which does not require a controller. I have a light tree that goes out on cheap PA rentals, which has some pars and an ADJ light bar across the top. I just plug it in and walk away. It looks great and runs chases to the sound of the music.

2. Lights can be configured to run a chase via a controller, and the chase can be set to run from sound. The sound can come from either a mic in the controller, or sometimes the controller has an input. A signal can be routed to that input from your sound board, which could trigger the scene changes. This setup is obviously more complicated, but provides far more flexibility.

Additionally, some lights have several built in programs and sound activated programs. I have some cheap Chinese pars that don't look good on their sound active modes, as they just strobe off & on (too blinky). Other lights such as my ADJ Megabar have great built in programs that don't leave the stage dark, and work well in sound active mode. Always check the light's manual, and see if there is an adjustment for the sound sensitivity. Another option is to use a built in program that uses a slow fade to change between colors. On my Chinese pars, I wired them Master/Slave so they would all work together, then set a slow-fade chase (6 or 8 primary colors). You can then set the "speed" at which they fade from one color to the next. Even though it's not exactly to the beat of the music, the slow fading color changes can be acceptable.

[David Allred]

There are (2) primary ways to get lights to activate via sound:

1. Most lights have a built in mic, and can be set to sound activation. This is the simplest method which does not require a controller. I have a light tree that goes out on cheap PA rentals, which has some pars and an ADJ light bar across the top. I just plug it in and walk away. It looks great and runs chases to the sound of the music.

2. Lights can be configured to run a chase via a controller, and the chase can be set to run from sound.Additionally, some lights have several built in programs and sound activated programs.

Remember that with either scenario (audible) sound that triggers a mic, it may only make the lights move or change colors.  Some fixtures do have a dormant mode, but other just sit there in the last position / color.  Make sure you know which you have, or you may end up with a static starburst or gobo on a wall or 2.

[Jeff Lelko]

Can't for the life of me find a guide on how to hook sound and lighting up to each other

The reason for that would be because in general...you don't.  And in cases when you do, the method/technique you use will be very specific to the application.  What David and Steve both said is correct - most lights can run in a sound-active mode, some allow for 'synchronized' displays that involve multiple units, and others will take their cues from a sound-activated controller (usually via DMX unless built into a chase box or dimmer).  The big thing to remember here is that using sound-active lights does not mean getting a perfectly in-sync light show...  It merely means that the lights will react in some form or fashion to the audio their microphones pick up.  This may involve the lights going nuts and having a very 'wild' look to them, and not always in a good way.  Some fixtures do have decent built-in programs, so if you plan to run your entire rig in sound-active standalone you'll want to preview what this will look like if at all possible (product websites, Youtube, etc.).     

When you start wanting to fully synchronize your lights to music, things get a little more complicated.  I would advise against using the product linked above to interrupt your mains going to the lights.  Aside from what applicable electrical code implications that'd have, you generally don't want to be turning intelligent lights off and on over and over again.  While it won't necessarily hurt anything, you open the door for strange things to happen, especially if you get some chattering from the relay.  A better way to implement that device would be to either splice it into a blackout controller circuit, which would cause your lights to enter blackout mode (if equipped) after the designated amount of 'silence time' set on the relay box, or, utilize it to close a pair of contact pins on a properly-equipped lighting controller, which could either trigger a system-wide blackout or set all the lights to a 'standby' or 'ambient' look. 

It all really comes down to how much you're looking to spend (which I don't think you've mentioned yet) and what fidelity of control you want over your system.  I do have to agree that a dedicated installation company would be best utilized to make all this happen for you, as the learning curve can get quite steep once you start trying to synchronize a full system. 

[Roy-Kristian Storbæk]

Thanks guys, you've cleared up a lot of confusion for me. Apparently it's simpler than I had imagined
Right now I figure I'll just get the previously mentioned bars+stinger (after looking over their specifications a bit more) and nothing extra. If after experimenting with them I feel the need for more control I'll hook 'em up to my computer and run a DMX program.

It all really comes down to how much you're looking to spend

I've got money to spend but don't wanna go past that point where diminishing returns kick in big.

[Jeff Lelko]

I think that's a very reasonable approach.  The nice thing is that you can always add more down the road or pursue a more sophisticated control method when you see the need to do so.  Glad that we were able to help!  Since you mention being able to have what you need installed for free, see if you can get an electrician to wire you outlets where you'd like your lights to go, preferably on a dedicated circuit.  I'm not sure how the electrical code dictates such things in your country, but at least in the United States, portable extension cords are generally not allowed for providing power to permanently installed fixtures (you need to have an outlet installed in the wall/ceiling within reach of the fixture's factory-installed cord).  Not to mention this looks a whole lot better anyways.  Best of luck with the project!

[Roy-Kristian Storbæk]

I made sure to get outlets on every side of the room so it should be okay. Thanks again!

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