White noise
A bright, even hiss that covers sudden sounds.
Noise colorsMade live in your browser
Blue noise
A crisp, airy hiss that leans toward the high pitches.
Blue noise
Made live, so it never loops. Free, for as long as you like.
- Slope
- +3 dB/oct
- Playing for
- 0:00
Sleep timer
What it sounds like
Blue noise is a crisp, airy hiss that leans toward the high pitches. Its energy rises with frequency, so the treble is strong and the bass is thin. It sounds like a fine spray, steam escaping, or a very light static, and it has a clean, dry brightness that white noise only partly shares. There is no pitch and no beat, and the sound is steady. Because the lows are missing, it feels light and sharp rather than deep. It can sound tiring at high volume, so most people keep it quiet.
When it helps
Blue noise is used when you want a bright, narrow cover rather than a warm one. People try it for focused work, for covering high, thin sounds such as a hiss, a squeak or the whine of electronics, and for a sharp backdrop in a quiet room. It is rarely the first choice for sleep, since the brightness can feel alert instead of settling. If it feels too sharp, move down toward white or pink. Keep the volume low, because high sounds can become tiring.
How it compares
Blue noise is the mirror of pink noise. Pink falls 3 decibels per octave, and blue rises 3 decibels per octave, so each higher octave carries more power. White noise sits in the middle with a flat spectrum, equal energy at every hertz. Violet rises faster, at 6 decibels per octave, and is the mirror of brown, so it is the brightest of the family and has almost no low end. Going from brown to violet, the sound moves from a deep rumble through a hush and a hiss to a thin, fine whisper. Blue sits between white and violet.
Seven colors, side by side
Each color is the same steady hiss with its energy tilted a different way. Press any of them to hear the difference; only one plays at a time.
- White noise
- Pink noise
- Brown noise
- Gray noise
- Green noise
- Blue noise
- Violet noise
Blue noise+3 dB/octthis page
A crisp, airy hiss that leans toward the high pitches.
Brown noise−6 dB/oct
A deep, even rush, like a far-off waterfall.
Green noisemid hump
A gentle mid-range rush, like a breeze through the woods.
Gray noiseear-shaped
A smooth, level hush, balanced to how the ear hears.
Pink noise−3 dB/oct
A soft, balanced hush, gentler than white noise.
Violet noise+6 dB/oct
A fine, very bright hiss, with the lows taken out.
White noise0 dB/oct
A bright, even hiss that covers sudden sounds.
The colors in words
| Color | Energy | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Blue noise | +3 dB/oct | A crisp, airy hiss that leans toward the high pitches. |
| Brown noise | −6 dB/oct | A deep, even rush, like a far-off waterfall. |
| Green noise | mid hump | A gentle mid-range rush, like a breeze through the woods. |
| Gray noise | ear-shaped | A smooth, level hush, balanced to how the ear hears. |
| Pink noise | −3 dB/oct | A soft, balanced hush, gentler than white noise. |
| Violet noise | +6 dB/oct | A fine, very bright hiss, with the lows taken out. |
| White noise | 0 dB/oct | A bright, even hiss that covers sudden sounds. |
Goes well with
Press play on one to layer it under Blue noise.
Violet noise
A fine, very bright hiss, with the lows taken out.
Exhaust Fan
A bathroom exhaust fan, even and droning.