Blue noise
A crisp, airy hiss that leans toward the high pitches.
Noise colorsMade live in your browser
Violet noise
A fine, very bright hiss, with the lows taken out.
Violet 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
Violet noise is a very bright, fine hiss with almost no low end. Its energy climbs steeply with frequency, so the highest pitches dominate and the sound feels thin, glassy and sharp, like steam from a valve or a faint, delicate shimmer. There is no bass and no body to it, no pitch to follow and no beat. At a low level it is a pale, silvery veil. At a higher level it is piercing, so it is best kept very quiet. Its character is very different from the warmth of brown or pink noise.
When it helps
Violet noise is a specialist choice. People use it to cover high, thin sounds, such as a hiss, a whine or distant electronic noise, and as a bright backdrop for concentrating. It does little for low rumble, since it has so little in the lows. Most people find it too sharp for the night, and prefer it by day. If it feels harsh, go to blue, white or pink. The high end tires the ear, so keep the volume low and take breaks.
How it compares
Violet noise rises 6 decibels per octave, the exact mirror of brown noise, which falls at the same rate. Blue noise rises more gently, 3 decibels per octave, and mirrors pink noise. White noise is flat. So the family runs in a line: brown is deep, pink is balanced, white is bright, blue is brighter and violet is the brightest. Because each octave up has so much more energy than the last, violet sounds like pure treble. Because the highs dominate so completely, violet is also the quietest color in the low end. It is sometimes called purple noise.
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-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/octthis page
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 Violet noise.
White noise
A bright, even hiss that covers sudden sounds.
Air Conditioner
An air conditioner's low, constant hum.