Abstract: A variable lighting apparatus for visually simulating and translating the frequencies present in an input signal to a light, the characteristics of which may be varied in accordance to the properties of the input sound. The lighting apparatus may be fitted with a plurality of filter channels for filtering the input signal into preselected bands. Each channel may then drive an independent light, each of which may be differently colored and will respond individually to the frequency components of the input signal determined by the filtering channel to which it is attached. The frequency response band and sampling characteristics of each filter may be adjusted to provide for a variable visual effect.