SoundPill Sound Notes SN01

White, pink and brown noise: how to choose what to listen to

The comparison cards and listening worksheet in this article were created with AI.

To choose a sound for today, compare the options at a low volume using the same device in the same place. Notice whether the higher tones stand out, the low rumble feels comfortable, or the sound changes abruptly. White, pink and brown noise differ in how their power is distributed across frequencies.

The colours describe how power is spread across frequencies

In ideal white noise, each frequency band of the same width contains the same amount of power. White noise contains a broad range of frequencies, so the high end can stand out. If the hiss catches your attention, listen for how prominent the higher frequencies are.

In pink noise, power per hertz falls as the frequency rises. Compared with white noise, it can sound more weighted toward the low end. In brown noise, power per hertz falls more steeply as frequency rises, so it can sound deeper and heavier. Listen for whether that low rumble feels comfortable or too heavy for you.

White noise has equal power in frequency bands of the same width. Listen for how much the high end stands out.

Pink noise has less power per hertz at higher frequencies. Listen to the balance between the low and high end.

In brown noise, power per hertz falls faster with frequency than in pink noise. Listen for whether the low rumble feels too heavy.

The listening impressions vary with the recording and playback conditions.

The three names describe different frequency distributions. A deeper sound on its own tells you little about how well it will suit you for sleep or concentration.

A 2021 review of 38 articles on continuous white or similar broadband noise and sleep found mixed results and rated the certainty of evidence for better sleep as very low.

Rain and fan sounds are often grouped under the label white noise. Real recordings may contain resonances, changes in volume or sudden sounds such as a raindrop hitting a surface. A title like Rain Sounds gives you too little information to classify the recording as white, pink or brown noise.

Start with the same device and room

The low end can sound different through your phone speaker and through earbuds. Start by comparing the sounds on the same device and in the same room. Recordings can differ in both level and frequency balance. Matching the volume setting on your phone can still leave differences in both the actual and perceived sound level. Set a low, comfortable volume for each recording.

Play one sound, switch it off for a moment, then try the next. The pause gives you a chance to notice what bothered you. If you're tempted to turn up the volume to cover other sounds, try changing where you listen or where the speaker sits. If your ears feel uncomfortable, stop playback and take a break.

Use the same device and room. Set a low, comfortable volume for each recording.

A worksheet for the next time you choose a sound

Recording: ____________________

When I want a sound: Before bed / While taking a break / While reading or working

Listening conditions: Device and room

What bothered me: High frequencies / Low rumble / Sudden changes

What I'd look for next time: ____________________

Write down a feature you noticed so you can refer to it the next time you choose a sound.

A line like ‘the low rumble felt too heavy’ is enough to guide your next choice. Write down what you actually heard alongside the colour label. You can refer to the note when you try another recording or device. Add the recording's title so you can find it again.

How do ASMR and white noise differ? In a future Sound Note, we’ll look at the sound itself and how listeners may respond to it.

Sources

Power distribution across noise frequencies | MathWorks documentation

https://www.mathworks.com/help/dsp/ref/colorednoise.html

Listening volume and exposure time | WHO safe listening guidance

https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/deafness-and-hearing-loss-safe-listening

About SoundPill | Digital Nutrition

https://digitalnutrition.info/soundpill-we-do/

Riedy et al. (2021)

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33007706/

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