Step 4 of 5

Add Sound — If You Want

Optional. Silent shows are great too.

Plenty of jaw-dropping displays are completely silent. If you're projecting falling snow or a spooky window scene, sound may add nothing. Skip it, guilt-free.

When sound helps

Music earns its place when the show has a story or a beat — character animations, music-synced sequences, anything timed to the audio. If your loop feels like it's "missing something," that's when to add it.

The two simple ways to add it

An outdoor speaker. A small weatherproof speaker near the display is the most direct option.
Broadcast to an FM frequency. A cheap FM transmitter lets people — and cars driving by — tune in on a radio. It's the favorite for drive-by Christmas shows.

Keep it neighbor-friendly: low volume and reasonable hours. FM broadcast is the polite option since only people who tune in actually hear it.

For your first show, try it silent first. Add sound later if the display calls for it.