What’s in it
- Brown noise at 70: the deep, smooth base that hides rumble and hums.
- Pink noise at 15: fills in the speech range so nearby voices blur.
There’s nothing in it to listen to: no birds, no drops, no rhythm. That’s the point. After a minute or two it disappears, and so do the sounds around you.
Variations
Why there’s no rain or music in it
Every detail in a sound is something your attention can catch: a drop, a bird, a beat. For deep work you want the opposite, a sound with nothing in it to notice. Noise is the purest version of that. Brown noise carries the weight; the touch of pink covers the middle frequencies where voices sit, which brown alone leaves a little open 1. Steady noise suits people who are easily distracted best; a 2024 meta-analysis found it helped attention a little in people with ADHD and slightly hurt it in others 2, so try a session or two and see which you are.
Good for
- Writing, coding, spreadsheets and anything that needs long, unbroken attention.
- Open offices and shared homes where voices are the main distraction.
- People who find white noise too sharp but rain too busy.
How to use it
Set the timer for a work block (25, 45 or 60 minutes) and start. When it fades, take a break. Use the same mix every time and it can become a signal to your brain that it’s time to work. More ideas in focus sounds and brown noise for studying.
Sources
- Wikipedia. Auditory masking. en.wikipedia.org.
- Nigg JT, Bruton A, Kozlowski MB, Johnstone JM, Karalunas SL (2024). Systematic review and meta-analysis: Do white noise or pink noise help with task performance in youth with ADHD or with elevated attention problems?. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 63(8):778–788.
Questions
Can I change the mix?
Yes. Move any slider, then use Share mix to keep a link to your version, or save it with Pro.
Last updated .