Pink noise
A soft, balanced hush, gentler than white noise.
Noise colorsMade live in your browser
Brown noise
A deep, even rush, like a far-off waterfall.
Brown noise
Made live, so it never loops. Free, for as long as you like.
- Slope
- −6 dB/oct
- Playing for
- 0:00
Sleep timer
What it sounds like
Brown noise is a deep, smooth rush with very little treble. Most of the energy sits in the low frequencies, and it tapers away steadily as the pitch climbs. To the ear that reads as a soft rumble, a bit like a far-off waterfall, strong wind heard through a wall, or the low roar of a distant highway. The top end is so quiet that nothing hisses. It feels heavy, dark and rounded, and it stays the same from moment to moment, with no beat and no pitch to follow.
When it helps
People reach for brown noise when they want a full, low sound that covers a room without sounding sharp. It is a common pick for sleep, because the lack of treble can feel gentle at low volume. It is also used at a desk for reading, writing and study, and for covering the rumble of traffic or the low thud of neighbors. Some listeners find it too heavy, in which case a lighter color such as pink is a good step up. Keep the volume modest, since low sounds carry through walls and travel far.
How it compares
Brown noise falls by 6 decibels per octave, so its energy per hertz drops quickly as pitch climbs. That is steeper than pink noise, which falls 3 decibels per octave and holds equal energy in every octave. White noise is flat, with equal energy at every hertz, so it sounds much brighter than either. Put the three side by side and you hear a clear ladder: white is a hiss, pink is a balanced hush, and brown is a deep rumble. Blue and violet go the other way and rise toward the highs. The name comes from Brownian motion, not from the color brown.
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/oct
A crisp, airy hiss that leans toward the high pitches.
Brown noise−6 dB/octthis page
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 Brown noise.