A 100 DOLLARS LED STRIP TEACHES YOU PIANO: LIGHTS ABOVE THE KEYS SHOW WHICH NOTE TO PLAY NEXT
An LED strip above the keys lights up the next notes to play, so you can learn songs Synthesia-style on a real keyboard for about 100 dollars.
AudioDisplays
Built withRaspberry Pi
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE773 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · MIT · 773 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
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COMPAREE VERDICT
Piano LED Visualizer puts an addressable LED strip above your keys and lights them up as you play, or shows you which keys to press next when you learn a song from a MIDI file or with Synthesia. The build is simple: a Raspberry Pi Zero WH, a WS2812B strip (at least 1.5 m with 144 LEDs per metre), a 5 V 6 A power supply, a USB OTG hub, and a MIDI-to-USB interface if your piano has no USB. The author puts the total at 75 to 100 dollars, not counting the piano and tablet. Software is the easy part: flash the prebuilt image or run the autoinstall script, then configure everything in the web interface. Mounting is up to you: the README suggests an aluminium LED profile with a diffuser and double-sided tape, and the repo includes STL files for a Pi case. A few sample MIDI songs ship with the repo; for the rest you bring your own. Make sure the supply is 5 V: the README warns that a higher voltage will damage both the strip and the Pi.
IN THE REPO
GOOD TO KNOW
- —MIT licence — free to use commercially.
- —Python app for the Raspberry Pi is in the repo, with install scripts and a web UI for configuration.
- —Parts list with supplier links is in the README, with a total of 75-100 dollars excluding the piano and tablet.
- —No PCB files, but STL files for a Pi case (several variants) are included; the strip goes in an aluminium LED profile.
- —A few sample MIDI songs ship with the repo; for anything else you bring your own MIDI files.
- —Active project: around 770 stars, last push August 2026, with a Discord community.
Parts to buy
6 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Videos
Piano LED Visualizer - Features Showcase
The creator's own feature showcase, linked from the top of the README.
More builds like this
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Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the README and check the parts list (The parts list names exactly what to buy: Pi Zero WH, WS2812B strip (at least 1.5 m, 144 LEDs/m), 5 V 6 A supply, USB OTG hub and a MIDI-to-USB interface if needed.)
- 2.Flash the Pi and run the install script (Install instructions are in the README. The script sets up dependencies and the web UI.)
- 3.Connect the keyboard and strip, then test(The web UI lets you configure MIDI input, strip length, and visualizer mode before you mount anything.)
- 4.Mount the strip above the keys(No standard design — most use aluminium channel or 3D-printed brackets. Test placement before fixing it permanently.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying a 12V LED strip when the code expects 5V WS281x, or buying a non-addressable strip — both are incompatible and the README will not catch it until you wire it up.
- Underrating the power supply — a 144-LED strip at full white can pull 8+ amps, and a 2A adapter will cause flicker or reset the Pi mid-song.
- Expecting a big song library — only a few sample MIDI files are included, the rest you source yourself.
- Mounting the strip before testing it — if the wiring is wrong or the Pi cannot see the keyboard, you will be unsoldering a fixed strip.
- Buying a strip that is too short: get at least 1.5 m at 144 LEDs per metre, and test the alignment in the web interface before fixing the strip.
- Using a Pi other than a Zero: many users reported big delays between key presses and lights. Also check the OS version: prebuilt images may still be Bookworm, while autoinstall targets Raspberry Pi OS Lite Trixie.
Does this work with any keyboard?
Any keyboard that shows up as a USB-MIDI device. Most modern digital pianos and MIDI controllers do. If your keyboard only has 5-pin MIDI out, you will need a USB-MIDI adapter.
Can I use a different single-board computer instead of a Raspberry Pi?
The code is written for a Raspberry Pi (GPIO and the rpi_ws281x library). The README recommends a Pi Zero WH: other Pi models work in theory, but users reported big delays between key presses and lights. Non-Raspberry Pi boards would need code changes.
Where do I get MIDI files for learning mode?
The repo includes a handful of sample songs (Für Elise, La Campanella and others); for the rest, download MIDI files or record your own with the built-in recorder — check licensing if you share videos.
How long does the strip need to be?
The README asks for a WS2812B strip of at least 1.5 metres with 144 LEDs per metre, which covers a full-size keyboard. Amazon strips often come in 1-metre pieces that you would need to solder together.
Does it make sound, or just lights?
Just lights. The Pi listens to the MIDI signal but does not produce audio. The keyboard itself makes the sound.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
Around 770 stars, MIT-licensed, and the README tells you the strip you need (WS2812B, at least 1.5 m at 144 LEDs per metre) — but you still have to figure out how to mount it cleanly on your specific keyboard. What did you use: aluminium channel, 3D-printed brackets, or something else?
Aleksander Evening
Aleksander Evening (GitHub: onlaj) built this to make learning piano on a real keyboard more like the falling-note games people already know. The project is active, with regular updates and community contributions.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM2mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the project is actively maintained, offers a prebuilt system image, an autoinstall script or manual setup, and the web UI lets you test visualizer modes before mounting anything. The single biggest time-sink is not the code — it is deciding how to mount the strip so it stays aligned with the keys and does not look like it was taped on in the dark. The repo includes STL files for a Raspberry Pi case, but nothing for mounting the strip, because every keyboard is different. For learning mode, the repo ships a few example MIDI songs in its Songs folder and you can load your own; some MIDI sites have unclear licensing if you plan to post videos of yourself playing. The author estimates 75-100 US dollars for the parts, excluding the piano and tablet, so if you also need a MIDI keyboard or a Pi, check second-hand prices first. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.