# Newbie needs help with a project **URL:** \ **Category:** General Guidance\ **Created:** [December 15, 2025, 9:14am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749 "2025-12-15T09:14:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![originalpickle](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/originalpickle/32/1250927_2.png) [@originalpickle](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/originalpickle)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 9:14am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/1 "2025-12-15T09:14:51Z")
I am brand new to Arduino, and I need some assistance with a project. This is for a haunted house type attraction. Here's what I'd like to happen: 1. Guest opens a door 2. Inside there's a monster mannequin. 3. When the door opens, an audio file plays and a light comes on to light the monster. 4. When the audio file is done, the light goes off How do I go about doing this? Which bits do I need? I am tech savvy, but new to Arduino. Talk to me like I'm 5. Lol. Any help is greatly appreciated, especially with the code side of things. TIA ---
**Author:** ![HazardsMind](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/hazardsmind/32/215209_2.png) [@HazardsMind](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/HazardsMind)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 9:33am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/2 "2025-12-15T09:33:47Z")
Get yourself a DFPlayer module and a SD card that is under 32gb. That would be a good start. For the light assuming it will be powered by 120/240 VAC, you will need a relay module, regular or solid state is fine. Make sure it’s a logic level module otherwise you will need extra circuitry to connect it to the Arduino. Speaking of Arduino, you can pretty much use any of them, so which ever you go with should work just fine. Just know there are 3.3v and 5v versions. The DFPlayer operates at 3.3v logic so if you get a 5v Arduino, you will need a 1K resistor to control the DFPlayer module. ---
**Author:** ![tigger](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/tigger/32/1104210_2.png) [@tigger](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/tigger)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 10:28am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/3 "2025-12-15T10:28:01Z")
Well, you're off to a good start. You've got the sequence sorted out. If you flesh that out, you're a good way to doing some code. Doing things in sequence is what the Arduino boards do well. ---
**Author:** ![PaulRB](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/paulrb/32/216330_2.png) [@PaulRB](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/PaulRB)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 12:58pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/4 "2025-12-15T12:58:43Z")
It may be possible to do this with only the DFplayer module and no Arduino! ![s-l1600 (73)](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/f/5/f/f5fba91c7be08c707a5e5112bb34c1138204e19c.webp) The ADKEY\_1 pin can be used to trigger the player to play the first track on the SD card, when connected to ground. If you can get your door sensor to do the same... The BUSY pin goes low when sound is playing. Maybe it could trigger a relay module for your light. ---
**Author:** ![Terrypin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Terrypin](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Terrypin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2025, 11:25pm UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/5 "2025-12-15T23:25:09Z")
+1 re the DFR capability. With a micro switch and relay to turn the light on. But if the door is allowed to remain open after the shriek of horror then, to be Arduino-free, an RC circuit would be needed to turn the light off. ---
**Author:** ![originalpickle](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/originalpickle/32/1250927_2.png) [@originalpickle](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/originalpickle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 6:23am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/6 "2025-12-16T06:23:38Z")
This is great! Thanks so much for the assistance everyone. Now, I know all the parts I need for this and, thanks to some tutorials, I know how to connect them. Now comes the question of coding. Does anyone have links to examples that might point me in the right direction? ---
**Author:** ![xfpd](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/xfpd/32/1120236_2.png) [@xfpd](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/xfpd)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 6:29am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/7 "2025-12-16T06:29:16Z")
> [@originalpickle](#): > > examples > **[DFPlayer Mini Mp3 Player - DFRobot Wiki](https://wiki.dfrobot.com/DFPlayer_Mini_SKU_DFR0299)** > > wiki:DFRobot Mini Mp3 Player is an extremely low cost MP3 module that can be interfaced with Arduino. It supports common audio formats such as MP3, WAV and WMA. ---
**Author:** ![Terrypin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Terrypin](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/Terrypin)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 8:39am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/8 "2025-12-16T08:39:58Z")
> [@originalpickle](#): > > thanks to some tutorials, Did they include sketches? There are hundreds of examples on this forum alone. And thousands of hits to a Google search for ‘DFR MP3 Player Arduino’. Have you therefore now decided not to pursue the ‘no Arduino’ (so no ‘code’) approach? For an Arduino approach come back for more help when you’ve made a practical start on the project. ---
**Author:** ![originalpickle](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/originalpickle/32/1250927_2.png) [@originalpickle](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/originalpickle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2025, 11:17am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/9 "2025-12-16T11:17:56Z")
So, after looking more into the DFPlayer only option, it seems to do exactly what I need it to. This is great! Thanks so much for al of your help. Gonna place an order! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/user_avatar/forum.arduino.cc/system/32/1140315_2.png) [@system](https://forum.arduino.cc/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2026, 11:18am UTC](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/newbie-needs-help-with-a-project/1419749/10 "2026-06-14T11:18:27Z")
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