# NeoPixel Mini VU Meter
## Overview
https://youtu.be/9lymyZkPWMk
Build a mini VU meter inspired project using NeoPixels and CircuitPython! Powered by the QT Py RP2040, use a PDM microphone to turn audio data into a dazzling display with NeoPixels!
3D print a snap fit case to house the electronics with the mic exposed in the back cover. The grid isolates the 16x NeoPixels and a piece of Black LED acrylic diffuses the LEDs.
## Parts
List of parts from the Adafruit shop.
- [QT Py RP2040](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4900)
- [PDM Mic](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4346)
- [Mini Skinny NeoPixel Strip 144/meter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2969)
- [Black LED Acrylic - Sheet](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594)
- [10-wire ribbon cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3890)
- [Stemma QT Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4209)
- [M2.5 Hardware Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3299)
### Adafruit QT Py RP2040
[Adafruit QT Py RP2040](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4900)
What a cutie pie! Or is it... a QT Py? This diminutive dev board comes with one of our new favorite chip, the RP2040. It's been made famous in the new [Raspberry Pi Pico](https://www.adafruit.com/pico) _and_ our [Feather...](http://www.adafruit.com/product/4884)
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4900)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4900/guides)
### Adafruit PDM Microphone Breakout with JST SH Connector
[Adafruit PDM Microphone Breakout with JST SH Connector](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4346)
An exotic new microphone has arrived in the Adafruit shop, a **PDM MEMS Microphone**! PDM is the 'third' kind of microphone you can integrate with electronics, apart from analog or I2S. These microphones are very commonly used in products, but are rarely seen in maker...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4346)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4346/guides)
### Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel 12" x 12" - 0.1" / 2.6mm thick
[Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel 12" x 12" - 0.1" / 2.6mm thick](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594)
A nice whoppin' slab of some lovely black acrylic to add some extra diffusion to your LED Matrix project. This material is 2.6mm (0.1") thick and is made of special cast acrylic that makes it perfect for glowy projects, especially matricies or NeoPixels.
Unlike smoke or...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4594/guides)
### Adafruit Mini Skinny NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip - 144 LED/m
[Adafruit Mini Skinny NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip - 144 LED/m](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2969)
So thin. So mini. So teeeeeeny-tiny. It's the 'skinny' version of our classic NeoPixel strips!
These NeoPixel strips have 144 digitally-addressable pixel Mini LEDs per meter and are very affordable and are only 7.5 mm wide (0.3") if you remove the strip from the...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2969)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2969/guides)
### Silicone Cover Stranded-Core Ribbon Cable - 10 Wire 1 Meter Long
[Silicone Cover Stranded-Core Ribbon Cable - 10 Wire 1 Meter Long](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3890)
For those who are fans of our silicone-covered wires, but are always looking to _up their wiring game_. We now have **Silicone Cover Ribbon cables!** These may look _a lot_ like
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3890)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3890/guides)
### Part: STEMMA QT / Qwiic Cable
quantity: 1
JST SH 4-pin to Premium Male Headers Cable - 150mm Long
[STEMMA QT / Qwiic Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4209)
### Part: Black Nylon Machine Screw and Stand-off Set
quantity: 1
M2.5 Thread
[Black Nylon Machine Screw and Stand-off Set](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3299)
- [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/neopixel-mini-vu-meter/circuit-diagram.md)
## Featured Products
### Adafruit QT Py RP2040
[Adafruit QT Py RP2040](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4900)
What a cutie pie! Or is it... a QT Py? This diminutive dev board comes with one of our new favorite chip, the RP2040. It's been made famous in the new [Raspberry Pi Pico](https://www.adafruit.com/pico) _and_ our [Feather...](http://www.adafruit.com/product/4884)
Out of Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4900)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4900/guides)
### Adafruit PDM Microphone Breakout with JST SH Connector
[Adafruit PDM Microphone Breakout with JST SH Connector](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4346)
An exotic new microphone has arrived in the Adafruit shop, a **PDM MEMS Microphone**! PDM is the 'third' kind of microphone you can integrate with electronics, apart from analog or I2S. These microphones are very commonly used in products, but are rarely seen in maker...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4346)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4346/guides)
### Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel 12" x 12" - 0.1" / 2.6mm thick
[Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel 12" x 12" - 0.1" / 2.6mm thick](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594)
A nice whoppin' slab of some lovely black acrylic to add some extra diffusion to your LED Matrix project. This material is 2.6mm (0.1") thick and is made of special cast acrylic that makes it perfect for glowy projects, especially matricies or NeoPixels.
Unlike smoke or...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4594/guides)
### Adafruit Mini Skinny NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip - 144 LED/m
[Adafruit Mini Skinny NeoPixel Digital RGB LED Strip - 144 LED/m](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2969)
So thin. So mini. So teeeeeeny-tiny. It's the 'skinny' version of our classic NeoPixel strips!
These NeoPixel strips have 144 digitally-addressable pixel Mini LEDs per meter and are very affordable and are only 7.5 mm wide (0.3") if you remove the strip from the...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2969)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2969/guides)
### Silicone Cover Stranded-Core Ribbon Cable - 10 Wire 1 Meter Long
[Silicone Cover Stranded-Core Ribbon Cable - 10 Wire 1 Meter Long](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3890)
For those who are fans of our silicone-covered wires, but are always looking to _up their wiring game_. We now have **Silicone Cover Ribbon cables!** These may look _a lot_ like
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3890)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3890/guides)
### Black Nylon Machine Screw and Stand-off Set – M2.5 Thread
[Black Nylon Machine Screw and Stand-off Set – M2.5 Thread](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3299)
Totaling 380 pieces, this **M2.5 Screw Set** is a must-have for your workstation. You'll have enough screws, nuts, and hex standoffs to fuel your maker tendencies for days on end! M2.5 size screws fit almost all of the Adafruit breakout/dev board mounting holes...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3299)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3299/guides)
### STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin to Premium Male Headers Cable
[STEMMA QT / Qwiic JST SH 4-pin to Premium Male Headers Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4209)
This 4-wire cable is a little over 150mm / 6" long and fitted with JST-SH female 4-pin connectors on one end and premium Dupont male headers on the other. Compared with the chunkier JST-PH these are 1mm pitch instead of 2mm, but still have a nice latching feel, while being easy to insert...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4209)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4209/guides)
## Related Guides
- [Adafruit QT Py RP2040](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-qt-py-2040.md)
- [Split Ortho Keyboard with TCA8418 Matrix Expanders](https://learn.adafruit.com/split-ortho-keyboard.md)
- [Faderwave Synthesizer](https://learn.adafruit.com/faderwave-synthesizer.md)
- [CYBERDECK Expansion Plate](https://learn.adafruit.com/cyberdeck-plate.md)
- [Tyrell Desktop Synthesizer](https://learn.adafruit.com/tyrell-desktop-synthesizer.md)
- [Lightsaber Prop-Maker RP2040](https://learn.adafruit.com/lightsaber-rp2040.md)
- [ESP32-S3 BLE RS-232 Controller](https://learn.adafruit.com/esp32-s3-ble-rs232-controller.md)
- [PyPortal Weather Station](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-weather-station.md)
- [Toddler Timer](https://learn.adafruit.com/toddler-timer.md)
- [Mini LED Matrix Audio Visualizer](https://learn.adafruit.com/mini-led-matrix-audio-visualizer.md)
- [NFC Raspberry Pi Media Player](https://learn.adafruit.com/nfc-raspberry-pi-media-player.md)
- [PyPortal Guitar Tuner](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-guitar-tuner.md)
- [BLE Light Switch with Feather nRF52840 and Crickit](https://learn.adafruit.com/bluetooth-light-switch-with-crickit-and-nrf52840.md)
- [Automatic Naughty Cat Detector using Lobe](https://learn.adafruit.com/naughty-cat-detector-using-microsoft-lobe.md)
- [Getting Started with Microsoft Azure and CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/getting-started-with-microsoft-azure-and-circuitpython.md)
- [PowerWash Simulator Nozzle Controller](https://learn.adafruit.com/powerwash-simulator-nozzle-controller.md)