Watch the project video:

Here's how I made Lady Gaga's sound-reactive LED Matrix Mask for my Lady Gaga Cosplay. In this build, I uncover the actual materials used in Gaga's mask and tweak the design to be a simpler version that’s more appropriate for cosplay.

Code

Processing

This sketch displays a similar sine wave to the mask animation, but on the screen.

int xspacing = 24;  // numColumns // How far apart should each horizontal location be spaced
int w;             // waveWidth  // Width of entire wave


float theta = 0.0;  // Velocity // Start angle at 0
float amplitude = 100.0;  // amplitude // Height of wave
//float period = 500.0;  // How many pixels before the wave repeats
float period = 200.0;  // Wavelength // How many pixels before the wave repeats
float dx;  // xIncrement // Value for incrementing X, a function of period and xspacing
float[] yvalues;  // yValues // Using an array to store height values for the wave


void setup() {
  size(480, 480);
  w = width+ xspacing; // width of entire wave
  dx = (TWO_PI / period) * xspacing;
  yvalues = new float[w/xspacing];
}


void draw() {
  background(0);
  calcWave();
  renderWave();
}


void calcWave() {
  // Increment theta (try different values for 'angular velocity' here
  theta = theta + 0.08;


  // For every x value, calculate a y value with sine function
  float x = theta;
  for (int i = 0; i < yvalues.length; i++) {
    yvalues[i] = sin(x)*amplitude;
    x+=dx;
  }
}


void renderWave() {
  noStroke();
  fill(255, 0 , 255);
  // A simple way to draw the wave with an ellipse at each location
  for (int j = 0; j < yvalues.length; j++) {
    ellipse(j*xspacing, height/2+yvalues[j], 16, 16);
  }
}

Arduino

Pink Sine Wave on 24 x 24 DotStar LED Matrix with input from microphone

/*
  This code creates a sin wave on a 24 x 24 DotStar LED Matrix consisting of 9, 8 x 8 Matrices
  Includes input from microphone to control the wave.
*/


#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_DotStarMatrix.h>
#include <Adafruit_DotStar.h>


#define DATAPIN  12
#define CLOCKPIN 13


#define ONBOARDDATAPIN 8
#define ONBOARDCLOCKPIN 6


#define BRIGHTNESS 16


// Define matrix width and height.
#define mw 24
#define mh 24


#define TWO_PI 6.283185307179586476925286766559


Adafruit_DotStar onboardDotStar(1, ONBOARDDATAPIN, ONBOARDCLOCKPIN, DOTSTAR_BRG);
Adafruit_DotStarMatrix matrix = Adafruit_DotStarMatrix(
                                  (uint8_t)8, (uint8_t)8, 3, 3, DATAPIN, CLOCKPIN,
                                  DS_TILE_TOP   + DS_TILE_LEFT   + DS_TILE_ROWS   + DS_TILE_PROGRESSIVE +
                                  DS_MATRIX_TOP + DS_MATRIX_LEFT + DS_MATRIX_COLUMNS + DS_MATRIX_PROGRESSIVE,
                                  DOTSTAR_BGR);


uint32_t magenta = matrix.Color(255, 0, 255);


// MICROPHONE INPUT (Code based on "Callibration" Analog example in Arduino)
const int micPin = A0;    // pin that the mic is attached to


// variables:
int micValue = 0;         // the mic value
int micMin = 1023;        // min
int micMax = 0;           // max




//WAVELENGTH ATTRIBUTES


int widthOfWholeWave = 24; // Width of the entire wave, I'm using a 24 x 24 matrix.
int wavelength = 12; // How much distance between wave peaks
float velocity = 0.0; // How much does the wave increment / How fast it moves
int amplitude = 8; // How tall is the wave? (Above and below the center)
int xIncrement; // Needed to increment the x values
int yValues[24]; // Stores height values for the wave, I'm using a 24 x 24 matrix.


//int newAmplitude = 10; // New Amplitude after sensor Value


void setup() {


  // Serial
  Serial.begin(9600);




  // Onboard DotStar Setup Stuff
  onboardDotStar.begin(); // initialize the onboard DotStar LED
  onboardDotStar.Color(255, 0, 0); // turn the LED RED to enter recording mode
  onboardDotStar.show();




  // Mic Callibration during the first five seconds
  while (millis() < 5000) {
    micValue = analogRead(micPin);


    // record the maximum sensor value
    if (micValue > micMax) {
      micMax = micValue;
    }


    // record the minimum sensor value
    if (micValue < micMin) {
      micMin = micValue;
    }
  }
  onboardDotStar.Color(0, 0, 0); // turn the LED RED to enter recording mode
  onboardDotStar.show();


  // Matrix Setup
  matrix.begin(); // initialize the matrix
//  matrix.setBrightness(BRIGHTNESS); // set the brightness
  matrix.clear(); // clear the matrix just in case


  // Sine Wave Setup Stuff
  xIncrement = (TWO_PI / wavelength) * widthOfWholeWave;


}


void loop() {


  matrix.clear();
  getMicLevels();
//  calculateWave(2400, amplitude);//*.95
//  drawWave(matrix.Color(random(10,30), random(10,30), random(10,30)), 8);
  calculateWave(9600, amplitude);
  drawWave(magenta, 16);
  matrix.show();
  delay(1);


}


void getMicLevels() {


  amplitude = analogRead(micPin);


  // apply the calibration to the sensor reading
  amplitude = map(amplitude, micMax, micMin, 0, 9);
//    amplitude = map(amplitude, micMin, micMax, 1, 8);


  // in case the sensor value is outside the range seen during calibration
//  amplitude = constrain(amplitude, 0, 12);
}


void calculateWave(int velocityPower, int newAmplitude) {


  velocity = velocity + velocityPower;
  float x = velocity;


  for (int i = 0; i < mh; i++) {
    yValues[i] = sin(x) * amplitude;
    x += xIncrement;
  }
}


void drawWave(uint32_t waveColor, int waveBrightness) {


  matrix.setBrightness(waveBrightness); // set the brightness
  for (int i = 0; i < mh; i++) {
    matrix.drawPixel(i, mh / 2 + yValues[i], waveColor);
  }


}