Pink noise
A soft, balanced hush, gentler than white noise.
Noise colorsMade live in your browser
Gray noise
A smooth, level hush, balanced to how the ear hears.
Gray noise
Made live, so it never loops. Free, for as long as you like.
- Slope
- ear-shaped
- Playing for
- 0:00
Sleep timer
What it sounds like
Gray noise is a smooth, level hush. It is shaped so that no part of the range jumps out: the deep and very high ends are lifted and the middle is eased, so the whole sound feels balanced to the ear. It is neither a hiss nor a rumble. It sits somewhere between a soft wash of air and a steady, wide drone, with no pitch to follow and no beat. Many people hear it as calm and a little neutral, like the sound of a quiet room turned up slightly.
When it helps
People who want a flat, even sound choose gray noise for sleep, for blurring street and neighbor noise and for focused work. Because it is balanced across the range, it is less likely than white to feel sharp and less likely than brown to feel heavy. It suits quiet rooms where you want cover but not character. If it does not cover what bothers you, another color may suit you better.
How it compares
Gray is a convention, not a physics definition. White, pink and brown noise are defined by slopes in energy. Gray noise has no such formula: the name usually means noise shaped by an equal-loudness curve, so it sounds about equally loud at every pitch instead of equal in power. Our ears are less sensitive to deep and very high sounds, so gray lifts those ends. The result is smoother than white, which sounds bright, and lighter than brown, which sounds deep. Pink is the closest in feel, though gray is flatter to the ear. Different apps may shape their gray noise differently.
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/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-shapedthis page
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 Gray noise.
Bedroom Fan Lull
A bedroom fan's gentle lull, low and constant.
Gentle Rain Drizzle
A fine drizzle, barely there, soft and constant.